Customer Reviews

Happy Together

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Leningrad Cowboys are actually a Finnish group (see their movie "Leningrad Cowboys Go America"), and "Happy Together" is their take on a bunch of classic rock songs. They go for it all - "Stairway to Heaven" AND "Delilah". The highlight is the funny Eastern European version of "Gimme All You Lovin'". It's a good album, but nobody seems interested in hearing it, not even my Finnish relatives who gave it to me.

A quick glance at the cover quickly tells you this isn't your average cover album. First off, the title is written in Cyrillic script (that's Russian writing if you're wondering). On the left are a group of what look like mutant teddy boys. On the right, a group of fresh faced Russian soldiers. And it gets sillier from there...

The Leningrad Cowboys are one of those bands that hardly anyone knows about, but everyone should. They are quite proud of their Russian heritage, only they're from Finland, and gain most of their inspiration from Brooklyn. The music is pure 1950s rock n roll. With balalaikas, accordions and tubas. And on this particular album, they are backed by the Alexandrov Red Army Ensemble, who may or may not be Russian.

'Happy Together' is a run through staple tunes of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, done 50s style. Right from the first track, the band have you grinning from ear to ear, with the occasional laugh out loud.

Imagine a choir singing "I know it's only rock n roll/But I like it" in a Russian accent, with a military band backing them. Sound like fun? Well, that's your first track, the Rolling Stones given the Iron Curtain treatment. The old ZZ Top standard "Gimme All Your Lovin'" is brilliantly done, with a classical backing and a massed choir "hallelujah" chorus. The 120-piece Red Army Ensemble gives the songs an absurd feel of pomp and circumstance. Hearing the opening riff to "Sweet Home Alabama" played on balalaika and xylophone is just sublime.

Every song has it's own character. There are also classics from Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and my personal favourite, Tom Jones' "Delilah". This album quite honestly has something for everyone.

What is it about bands from Finland though? We have the Cowboys here, the genre busting Finntroll, the metal loving string quartet of Apocalyptica, and Black Metal's shameful bastard sons Impaled Nazarene. They combine humour with excellent musical skill, and create sounds and images the rest of the world is unsure how to take. Well, the Leningrad Cowboys are living rock n roll legends. They have a beer named after them, which I don't think even KISS can boast. They are sharp dressed men (gee, I wonder if they've covered that too?), with metre long pointy shoes, gravity defying hair, dark glasses, and a cooler-than-you swagger.

Try slipping this on at a party some time. Once everyone gets past the "what the hell is that?" stage, they'll be up and dancing, singing along, or kicking back with a beer. Anyone who isn't enjoying it needs a kick, because they are being deliberately miserable. You can't not enjoy this album.

It`s a special album that`s combine rock`n`roll and balalaikas, And a big choir.The greatest song on this album are "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Gimme all your lovin`".Other songs are "Knockin` On Heaven`s Door","Yellow Submarine","California Girls" and a special version of "Let`s Work Together". A Great album and I recommend this to all who love rock`n`roll. Go and buy it.

It`s a funny record that mixing balalakas and a big choir. It`s a great record with "sweet home Alabama" and "gimme all your lovin`" as the best song on the record.Other songs that are special is "yellow submarine" ,"California girls" , "let`s work together" and "knocking on heaven`s door". And it`s a great rock`n`roll album. Go out and buy it..

We received this CD as a gift a few years back
and have completely enjoyed it. The music
is a combination of American Rock and Roll done
with the Soviet Red Army Ensemble. The combination
of the formally trained classical voices with
strong Russian accents puts a whole new twist
on the classic rock and roll hits. I had never considered
how strange "Yellow Submarine" and "California
Girls" could be when sung by Red Army. It is
really strange, and just a blast to listen to.
The actual performances are great, but the clash
of Warsaw Pac meets Rock and Roll is priceless.