By Jonny Bakes
The “greatest hits” album can be a controversial point in an artist’s career. Does it spell the end for them with a collection of hits to keep the fans happy one last time? Is it a chance to just celebrate the work so far? And the question that most fans have on their lips is always “did my favourite song make the cut?” I’m going to be asking all of those questions as I work my way through ‘Chronicles’, the “greatest hits” collection of a band close to my heart, the turbo-polka sensation Russkaja.
Russkaja first came to my attention nearly a decade ago on a particularly hungover morning when their video for ‘Energia’ appeared automatically as I was mindlessly watching music videos on YouTube. Despite hanging out of my arse, I found myself feeling pretty energised (funny that) by the absurd mix of ska music and Russian styling. I’ll admit I was very confused to later find out that despite the emphasis on Russia, the band are actually from Austria. However, their claim to Russian influence is legitimised through vocalist Georgij whose thick accented vocals are a key component to the sound. One thing is common in all Russkaja songs and that is a serious upbeat energy and overwhelming sense of fun, and it is this that has made them a bucket list band for me to catch live. Alas, I’ve not managed this to date as the only ÜK opportunity I’m aware of was an appearance at Boomtown festival a number of years ago (which clashes with Bloodstock which I wouldn’t miss for the world!).
It’s fitting really that this collection of Russkaja hits opens with the song that started it all for me – ‘Energia’. Nothing has changed and this song still makes me feel as energetic as it did all those years ago. It’s seriously catchy and is guaranteed to get stuck in your head for a very long time with bucket loads of brass instruments and a bassline that seems to be infectious! A friend of mine once described it as a “bah-mitzvah for metalheads” which I’m not completely sure about, but you can definitely imagine someone doing the prisyádka (the Russian squat dance) to it!
There are a couple of omissions from the Russkaja collection that I would have liked to see in the collection, such as ‘Barada’, the ode to all things beardy. I also noticed that they’ve decided to steer away from including any of their covers which is commendable, as they do have a strong catalogue of originals to choose from, but also a shame as they have some great covers as well. It’s always worth checking out their turbo-polka versions of Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’ or Avicii’s ‘Wake Me Up’. But there are always going to be songs that don’t make the cut in a greatest hits collection and I’m not going to let this detract from the ‘Chronicles’ of Russkaja. There are the favourites like ‘Traktor’, ‘Radost Moja’ and the recent hard hitting ‘Russki Style’ nestled among other gems from the catalogue, including another favourite of mine…
‘Hey Road’ is one of my go-to tracks when I’m on long journeys (which is pretty frequently!) so I’m glad that this made the cut! This is something along the lines of a ska/polka-ballad that struck a chord with me when it was first released on the album ‘Kosmopoliturbo’. The frequent mood changes from melancholic verses to an upbeat chorus about how life is a journey makes for a fantastic song that really captures the absurdness of life. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s a short Tango-styled piece thrown into the mix (at least I think it is anyway… I’ve never been renowned for my dancing).
Overall, the music of Russkaja is quite simply fun, they blend together ska, Russian themes and polka which results in something that I’m pretty confident has not been repeated elsewhere. Every song is seriously catchy (or as my girlfriend called it; “annoyingly catchy”) and, for me, never stops being enjoyable! I’ve been telling everyone to listen to Russkaja for years, and now ‘Chronicles’ gives me the perfect way to introduce them to the life-giving turbo-polka that keeps me bouncing through life!
While there may be songs that I feel are absent from this album, the track list was carefully cultivated by the band with involvement from fans so it represents what is widely considered to be the best of Russkaja, and that is exactly why you need to check this out. It will appeal to those who are simply curious about the unusual while also appealing to fans of ska music and that rich vein of “comedy metal” that found a home on Napalm Records (with whom Russkaja have worked on previous releases). ‘Chronicles’ was always going to be a big hit with me, and I hope that you all feel the same!
- ‘Chronicles’ is released tomorrow (Friday 25 February). You can get your copy HERE.
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