Customer Reviews

Polyglot

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

 

 

I happened to catch one of the tracks from this album on Pandora and, as it had a sort of Eastern European Cold War spy movie sort of feel to it, decided I had to get the album. All of the tunes are catchy, and each one seems themed to a different location; one has an Arabian or Turkish feel to it, another has a Far East sound, and so on. Volapuk also has a somewhat experimental sound to them, using occasional discordance (violin screeches, cymbal crashes) to accentuate short portions. I like it, but it's not for everyone; one of my friends with more conventional tastes found short portions grating.

Volapuk are a French trio consisting of clarinetist Michel Mandel, percussionist Guigou Chenevier, and cellist Guillaume Saurel, although they all play other instruments. These little pieces exist firmly on the border between rock and classical, sometimes heading one way and sometimes another. They're quite enjoyable, and some, like Technovo, Sanza, and L'oeuf d'Apuk are excellent. Others, like Valse Chinoise and Entre 2 Zoo, are rather forgettable. RIO fans shouldn't miss this group, but in general I'd say they're only "pretty good".