Gogol Bordello and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Today I have music for you that is so incredibly unique and weirdly riveting, that I had to share it with you all! This song is by the American gypsy punk band known as Gogol Bordello. Yeah, that's right. Gypsy punk. I can guarantee that this song is going to be on the stranger side of most people's musical taste, yet, it's the kind of music which you can't pull away from. Gogol Bordello is all about making music that intrigues you and leaves you hooked.
The entire sound and reputation of Gogol Bordello hinge on this idea of unorthodox instrumentation and melodies. The vocal melody is just so catchy though that you get completely ensnared by the song and have to hear it out through the end. Even for those of you who don't find it to be your cup of tea, you can't deny the intrigue and odd attraction that the song has to the ears The song starts off with the plucking of a guitar in a melody that is clearly influenced by the common chord progression associated with Gypsy music. It's not necessarily a harsh sound, but it is one that can definitely wake you up with its odd melodic structure. And then we are almost immediately introduced to the vocals of Gogol Bordello, which are everything but common. Eugene Hutz's vocals have such a distinct sound. There is a nonchalance to them, but still a rough and gritty sound. I would even go as far as to call him a bit of a growler because we get those really powerful vocal moments at multiple points within the song. His voice does have a distinct Russian/Ukranian kind of sound to it, which makes the gypsy nature of the song even better and more prominent.
Something that Gogol Bordello does with this song, is that they stray away from the typical song structure. Normally, we get verse one and go into a chorus, verse two and back to the chorus, followed by a bridge and final chorus. But with this song, it's a more structured hodgepodge.The song has multiple verses that have a chorus melody in between them all. But when you think the song is about to hit a dramatic ending, Gogol Bordello launches into this dynamic and exciting new rhythm pattern. The drum beat gets cut in half as if the song has slowed down when in actuality we have the same tempo. The way the song crescendoes into this rambunctiously awesome ending is so incredibly dramatic and prolonged, but it works so well. There is an intensity to it which is highlighted by the fact that Eugene Hutz starts to elongate the words and notes, slowing down the overall feel of the song, so the band can immediately pick up the new beat pattern. It is a little bit of a surprise ending there, but I love the way Gogol Bordello does it. They are able to make their music have that vaudeville and steampunk gypsy kind of association, which very few bands do nowadays. The band flawlessly executes their unique style of music, which is what makes them so intriguing and exciting. While this band is definitely not for everyone, Gogol Bordello is a band worth checking out!
Today's instrumental song had to come from a film which makes phenomenal use of the stereotypical and traditional gypsy melody. For those of you who have not seen Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, the film takes on a lot of gypsy influence due to the plot line. I have no complaints about this because that gave Hans Zimmer room to really pull out that distinct melody and weave it into a storytelling composition. After all, the point of movie scores is to amplify the film itself and the emotions felt throughout. And I can guarantee you that this particular piece is nothing short of lively, boisterous, and downright fun. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!
The entire sound and reputation of Gogol Bordello hinge on this idea of unorthodox instrumentation and melodies. The vocal melody is just so catchy though that you get completely ensnared by the song and have to hear it out through the end. Even for those of you who don't find it to be your cup of tea, you can't deny the intrigue and odd attraction that the song has to the ears The song starts off with the plucking of a guitar in a melody that is clearly influenced by the common chord progression associated with Gypsy music. It's not necessarily a harsh sound, but it is one that can definitely wake you up with its odd melodic structure. And then we are almost immediately introduced to the vocals of Gogol Bordello, which are everything but common. Eugene Hutz's vocals have such a distinct sound. There is a nonchalance to them, but still a rough and gritty sound. I would even go as far as to call him a bit of a growler because we get those really powerful vocal moments at multiple points within the song. His voice does have a distinct Russian/Ukranian kind of sound to it, which makes the gypsy nature of the song even better and more prominent.
Something that Gogol Bordello does with this song, is that they stray away from the typical song structure. Normally, we get verse one and go into a chorus, verse two and back to the chorus, followed by a bridge and final chorus. But with this song, it's a more structured hodgepodge.The song has multiple verses that have a chorus melody in between them all. But when you think the song is about to hit a dramatic ending, Gogol Bordello launches into this dynamic and exciting new rhythm pattern. The drum beat gets cut in half as if the song has slowed down when in actuality we have the same tempo. The way the song crescendoes into this rambunctiously awesome ending is so incredibly dramatic and prolonged, but it works so well. There is an intensity to it which is highlighted by the fact that Eugene Hutz starts to elongate the words and notes, slowing down the overall feel of the song, so the band can immediately pick up the new beat pattern. It is a little bit of a surprise ending there, but I love the way Gogol Bordello does it. They are able to make their music have that vaudeville and steampunk gypsy kind of association, which very few bands do nowadays. The band flawlessly executes their unique style of music, which is what makes them so intriguing and exciting. While this band is definitely not for everyone, Gogol Bordello is a band worth checking out!
Today's instrumental song had to come from a film which makes phenomenal use of the stereotypical and traditional gypsy melody. For those of you who have not seen Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, the film takes on a lot of gypsy influence due to the plot line. I have no complaints about this because that gave Hans Zimmer room to really pull out that distinct melody and weave it into a storytelling composition. After all, the point of movie scores is to amplify the film itself and the emotions felt throughout. And I can guarantee you that this particular piece is nothing short of lively, boisterous, and downright fun. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!
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