zookeeper online review
Mor
CD Review
Reviewed 2004-08-21 Russian folk;
Sing/Songwriter (all songs in Russian). The marrying of the
genre and language of suffering sounds good... the album gives
the magical feel of a different, far away yet familiar place.
Tracks are mostly single acoustic guitar picked in minor key,
based on traditional Russian folk. Most tracks are under 2 mins
(some under 1 min). Vox are pleasant, sometimes dark, sometime
gentle and bright, but not outstanding. Notice track names are
in English, will give you some clue, and there is a small
English liner booklet with track explanations.
Start with 22, 1, 7, 15, 18 but they're all
good for play for World or pop shows.
1. * Slow/mid pick, whispers/sings Peter
Peter Peter... tasty. *
2. More beauty - feels like so many places
at once. Mid/slow.
3. Still same territory, brief.
4. "Don't you worry about a thing
'cause every little thing is gonna be alright" (borrows
from Marley's Three Little Birds) more aggressive plucking,
more upbeat.
5. Mid tempo, hitting some high notes.
6. Starts mid tempo, urgent; slows down.
7. * Gentle intro, picks up pace, bright
and beautiful. *
8. More dramatic, sounds like a ballad.
9. Perfect sample of traditionally based
folk. Mid/slow tempo.
10. Longer, mid/slow tempo, dark and dreamy
love.
11. Slight reverb on the vox, mid tempo.
12. Mid tempo.
13. Brief, mid tempo.
14. Longer, echoed vox, slow, stern, sad.
15. * Mid/slow, again hitting the high
notes *
16. Deeper, somewhat hoarse vox, darker.
17. Slow, simple but interesting picking.
18. * Acapella, whisper-like start; strange
jumping-around "poing" sounds are only backdrop;
Weird. Check it out. *
19. Mid tempo, deep vox, longer.
20. Mid tempo swinger (break up song?).
21. Mid/slow, Beauty indeed.
22. ** Wow - or should I say
"meow" - starts with a growl and later goes into wild
"meows", all in Julia's vulnerable voice - excellent.
Slow/mid tempo. **
23. Slow, beautiful. Ends at -1:00
24. I guess that's the unnamed bonus track.
Fast, some percussion.
