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223 of 236 people found the following review helpful:
Like that song in the trailer?, September 16, 2005
If you're here because you like that song in the second half of the trailer -- well, it doesn't appear on the track list above. It's "How It Ends" by Devotchka (also known as "You Already Know") and it appears on the band's incredible album "How It Ends." Just thought you should know before putting down your cash.
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31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
Leningrad, March 9, 2006
The band Leningrad that plays on this soundtrack is little known outside of Russia and other european places that they tour, but as one can tell from this soundtrack, they are really a gem.
I was lucky enough to see them in 97 in St Petes, and their live performance was all that and more. I highly recommend them.
SO where to find more stuff? I have been looking and I have found!
All their mp3's are available online at their website.
http://www.leningradspb.ru/music/bullet_1999.html
Happy listening! Maybe some day they will release something stateside?
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Greatly Entertaining!, November 17, 2006
This is a sparkling gem of a soundrack featuring Eastern European inflected rock. Lots of sardonic humor, emotion, and great tunes. The movie was great and the soundtrack is equally enjoyable. This is a refreshing change of pace and highly recommended.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
a beautiful film, January 3, 2007
This sad story of a young man's journey to Ukraine to learn what happened to his family during the pogroms is handled with humor and a light touch that makes it a little easier to watch. Beautifully filmed, and with an outstanding performance by Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hutz as Alex, a part of history that many people don't know is shown with dignity and great emotion.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Unique, November 9, 2006
Other reviewers know these musicians. I do not. I simply saw the movie and flipped for the soundtrack (and the film as well). Eastern European, yes. Rock, yes. Traditional, yes. Sardonic, yes. For everybody, no. For me, mezmerizing.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
The Only Soundtrack I've Ever Bought, January 2, 2007
Simply amazing soundtrack. All of Paul Cantelon's music is outrageously good. Even after months I cannot stop listening to this cd. If you watch the movie and like the music buy the cd because you won't regret it and it will be very difficult to put down.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
Brilliant composition, great contemporary bands., November 30, 2005
I dearly loved this movie, to begin with. So entranced with it was I, that I hunted down the soundtrack immediately. Instantly enamored of Gogol Bordello upon hearing them, I went out and got everything I possibly could. I'm still working on finding Leningrad.
Down to the album's bits:
Paul Cantelon's compositional skills are phenomenal, and the "Illuminated Gypsy Band" etc. are incredible at capturing the singular flavor of eastern European gypsy music. Without a doubt my favorite tracks on here of his are, 'Odessa Medley', 'Sunflowers' (the hauntingly beautiful vocal piece, reminiscent of the Bulgarian Women's Choir) and 'Inside-Out'.
Onto the other bits!
- Leningrad (Ленинград) is an amazing band, and try as I might, I can't find any of their stuff (PLEASE HELP ME OUT IF YOU KNOW HOW TO GET MY GREASY PAWS ON SOME!). First take some Cuban samba/tango/cumbia-esque music, teach it to some insane drunken Romany, and sing everything in Russian. It's brilliant, danceable, and addicting. Again, if you know where I can get some of this brilliance, do let me know. Thanks.
- The track by Csókolom, a traditional song, also very fun and bouncy, with the "la la la la la la's"
- 'Ya Takoy' by The Con Artists is basically a vehicle for some of the more inspired Russian-to-English mistranslations Alex (Eugene Hutz) has during the movie. Included are 'Many girls are want to be carnal with me, because I am such a premium dancer!" and "I am unequivocally tall. I do not know any women taller than me. The women who are taller than me, are lesbians!" Good hip hop beat, some swank sounding violin, and of course Alex ('because this is much more pleasant to utter').
- Tin Hat Trio, one of my favorite jazz groups, provides us with a sweet and haunting song (I believe from when they are driving in the car). It's hard to describe, other than incredibly touching. Made me think of the smell of grass and sunshine right after a rain.
- Which brings us, finally, to Gogol Bordello. If you are not aware of this band, I cannot even begin to explain how much fun this band is. Think Ukranian Gypsy Punk Rock, mixed with some wierd Rai-dub. Bublitschki is their pretty traditional arrangement of a traditional Russian song. It only slightly shows off their antics. As far as original songs go, 'Start Wearing Purple' is not the best example from these guys to showcase Eugene Hutz's genius, but it's a start. Go get some of their albums. Now. I suggest starting with Multi Kontra Culti, or East Infection (the EP).
So, in a nutshell: This album has great play-through value (especially because it is chronological to the film) thanks to Mr. Cantelon's inspired compositions, and the inclusion of some shining stars of Slavic music.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Music W Heart & Talent, October 1, 2007
Supposing I would only listen to certain types of music and gave myself the unrequited wrong of not exploring farther into the World of Music and the many talents that await unknown to my little world, it would the the biggest Fiasco I can think of. Many is the time when I have bought music from different parts of the world and been amazed for the wonderful Heart and Talent they bring in their own special way! Gogol Bordello was virtually unknown by me when I happen by chance to be watching IFC The Henry Rollins Show and saw them Live! I really like them and almost immediately after, bought my first Gogol Bordello record (I seeked amazon, like I always do, and chose Super Taranta). Needless to say it has become a proud member of my collection and what is more, it delights me to no end to be able to visit the musical world they offer. Talk about changing the pace! Everything is illuminated is truly a pleasure to have heard and believe me when I say I am intrigued and mystified with this CD, overall I would gladly rated a 4.5 for the wonderful moments I experienced by listening to the tunes on my way to Wonderful Las Vegas. I am a confessed stoner and this day was no exception, I, readily attuned for whatever came through those old speakers I have and that hopefully soon I will be able to change for the faitful stereo is going on 7 years already and must have played 1,000's of CD's over its illustrious existence. What a CD! I saw the movie and I liked it but a little slow for my taste with some great parts, funny funny!! So I gave a 5 Stars, and I am about to purchase "How it Ends" by Devotchka which is the same type of sounds. I was in a very happy state of mind, fully stoned, and for a moment or more I really felt illuminated by the beauty of good music. What more can I ask for? Perhaps the experience of traveling to the Hottest Music Spots in the world and mingle in their cultures (ruling out all middle east travelling and some other parts of the world where danger lurks in every corner-strictly civilized nations to keep it on the safe side!)and stay a while, smoke what they smoke, drink what they drink if you know what I mean! Everything is Illuminated is Music W Heart & Talent, that's fo' sure!!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Marvelous, June 13, 2007
This is an amazing soundtrack that highlights the two prevalent emotions in the film: hilarity and tragedy. Paul Cantelon deftly mixes an Eastern European feel with pure, gorgeous soundtrack music. Along for the ride are songs by genuinely fun and original bands. I never get tired of it. Sometimes, indeed, there are tracks I can't listen to simply because they're too sad - but then I switch to the upbeat, funny tunes, which always manage to entertain.
1. Odessa Medley: 9/10 - Enjoyable, with fun instruments. It builds up into an intricate array of instruments and melodies, and really picks up at the end, tempting you to let it sweep you along into the movie's crazy world. A great overture to the movie.
2. Leningrad, Zvezda Rok-N-Rolla: 8/10 - Oh, the drama! Leningrad is a Russian band. All of their songs on this album are crazy and fun and fit the craziness of the movie to a T. The horns are wonderful.
3. Csokolom, Amari Szi Amari: 10/10 - Superbly catchy, with that quirky, old feel dominant in the film, this song is a laidback sort of fun. It's the only song on the album not in Ukrainian, Russian, or English: it's Hungarian. This doesn't matter, however, because it fits so perfectly with the feel of the movie.
4. Leningrad, Dikiy Muzhchina: 10/10 - I LOVE this song. It's one my favorites here. The title means "Wild Man" in Russian, and it is definitely a very wild and (dare I say it again?) fun song. The lyrics really are just plain fun to sing along to, even if you don't speak Russian. You can practically feel the energy. In fact, I just now started to sing to it again...
5. Prologue/Babushka: 9.5/10 - This is where a darker mood begins to edge in. It sinks into a waltz that is more bittersweet than tragic, and then slows down to make way for a sweeping, haunting tune. Lovely.
6. Little Jonathan/The Wall: 9/10 - Playful, but once more in a bittersweet sort of way. After awhile it switches gears, swooshing up with energy, befores changing back to that haunting feeling of "Babushka" that I like to think of as simply The Past.
7. Gogol Bordello, Bublitschki: 8/10 - Time for some fun again. This instrumental piece by an immensely talented band (actually, Eugene Hutz, who plays Alex, is the lead singer of Gogol Bordello) mixes an irresistible beat with a traditional Slavic sound.
8. The Con Artists, Peter Miser, Ya-takoy: 9/10 - This definitely brings one back to the silliness of Alex in the beginning of the film. With snippets of his unbelievably hilarious dialogue and an urban beat going in the background, you'll be sucked right in.
9. Leningrad, Malen'kiy Mal'chik: 9/10 - Great fun! Leningrad never fails to entertain with this lazy collection of horns and vocals.
10. Tin Hat Trio, Fear of the South: 8/10 - Here's a piece to relax to. It's lighthearted and fresh.
11.Paul Cantelon, River of Collections: 9/10 - With breathy strings, "River of Collections" urges you quietly but with instistence along the river of The Past.
12. Paul Cantelon, Tank Graveyard/Valse de Suzana/Dee-yed: 9.5/10 - Here is the tragedy I've been referring to. It's sad. Almost unbearably so. It sweeps you up in the conflict of the characters, teasing you with peaks at the truth before fading back into the darkness.
13. Paul Cantelon, Sunflowers: 10/10 - Ukrainian, I believe. Haunting, with strong vocals that cast a spell.
14. Paul Cantelon, War Is Love/eta-Ya: 9.5/10 - It begins with lazy simplicity, but toward the end bursts into a powerful and urgent message.
15. Paul Cantelon, Trachimbrod/Ressurection/Requiem: 10/10 - Simply beautiful. About halfway through, the urgency of the previous tracks finally builds up for the climax, whooshing over you bitterly, sadly, and with almost a sense of determination. Again, it's tragic. You don't hear the lightheartedness of previous tracks, but the slight nudging of a past that doesn't want to haunt: it just wants to resolve itself. To exist.
16. Paul Cantelon, Inside-Out: 10/10 - And it does resolve itself. Here is another bittersweet piece. But this time, it carries a touch of enlightenment (illumination?) with it.
17. Gogol Bordello, Start Wearing Purple: 10/10 - This was the absolutely most perfect song the movie could have ended with. It switches the film seamlessly back into that feel of silly hilarity, single-handedly managing to leave the audience uplifted - a sore necessity for such a partly bleak film!
Overall, one of my favorite soundtracks out there. Whether you've seen the (remarkable) movie or not, get this! It is gorgeous, beautiful, fantastic, powerful, uplifting, and itching to tell you something you've known all your life but just can't quite grasp. In short, a brilliant piece of work.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Beautiful, January 7, 2007
This movie moved me so deeply and the soundtrack is wonderful. My wife is Russian and was amazed | |
