Gogol Bordello
Trans-Continental Hustle
Rating: 3.0/5.0
Label: American Recordings
Gogol Bordello’s best work is often rich with a powerfully optimistic exuberance, a contagious energy that comes from either a place of artistic sincerity or shameless appreciation for the vast cultural hodgepodge the band channels. Frontman and lyricist Eugene Hutz contributes to this distinctive element of the band’s music with his onstage performance, his ‘Ukrainian Iggy Pop’ look and vocal delivery. He seems to truly understand the cultural waypoints Gogol Bordello channels, referencing, adapting and assimilating them into his own sense of musical storytelling along the way. Sidestepping discussions of authenticity, Hutz and his bandmates certainly express ecstatic fondness for their sociological explorations. Gogol Bordello took on the cultural flavors of Brazil for Trans-Continental Hustle after Hutz’ extended stay in the country (and Hutz’ friendship with Manu Chao), employing the production talents of Rick Rubin for good measure. While both of these changes contribute to a cohesive stylistic bent they do little to tame Gogol Bordello’s sometimes frenzied punk-via-Klezmer sonic explosion, meaning Hustle is just as much fun – and just as dizzying – as anything they’ve done before.
Because of this, Hustle may be a fitting – if historically unappreciative – place for newcomers to sample Gogol Bordello’s unique take on Hutz’ subversive “gypsy punk.” While earlier tracks like “Start Wearing Purple” and “Alcohol” are raucous essentials, Hustle is chock-full of strong entry-points for the band as a whole. The shambling group sing-along of “Sun On My Side” and “Last One Goes the Hope” betray some of the band’s Eastern-European heritage and the most charming aspects of gypsy folk tradition. “Immigraniada (We Comin’ Rougher)” growls and shreds; it’s a frenzy of drums, guitar and politically charged lyrics that rivals Gogol Bordello’s most heady tracks and kicks like Hutz’ on-stage antics. There is also a bounty of frevo!-Klezmer hybrids expressed through modern sensibilities — but Hustle favors these sounds throughout. The guitar track on “Immigraniada” is less shredding punk than Spaghetti Western strumming and tracks like “In the Meantime in Pernambuco” are full-blown tributes to Brazilian festivities, cachaça flowing along with Hutz’ growled stories.
As an independent album, Trans-Continental Hustle is a fairly successful attempt at bringing some of Brazil’s musical essence to a broader audience. Further, it’s just as much of a raucous party as any of Gogol Bordello’s work. However, the moments where that bright lack of decorum mix with the darkness in Hutz’ story-songs matter more than ever (“When Universes Collide”), but are harder to find here than on Gogol Bordello’s earlier recordings. Perhaps it’s the narrower stylistic focus or the linguistic barriers that are to blame, but those details are what make Gogol Bordello so interesting. They also make the sheer exuberance of the music’s centralizing world-party a satisfying foil to the general concerns of the immigrant experience – diverse individuals coming together through love, war and outsider status. These songs ultimately feel less focused on that musical diversity and more on a highlighted style the band picked up along the way. Both elements are worth pursuing, but Gogol Bordello is ultimately more satisfying as a band when the former triumphantly dances its way to the front of the stage in whatever hybridized style the traveling players see fit.
by Michael Merline
