Monday, July 28, 2008

Go Marko Go!

Still going strong on the Eastern European sound? Want to listen to some genuine Serbian music that Devotchka, Beirut, and others try to emulate? Check out the Boban I Marko Markovic Orkestar. Boban, trumpeter and leader of the orchestra, is considered the "King of Balkan Brass," and helping him out on the album is Marko, who I guess you'd call the "Prince of Balkan Brass" as he's Boban's son. The band has played around the world, and were actually just at the Pitchfork Music Festival.

Although the group is called an orchestra, they're not what you'd find if you went to symphony hall. This orchestra is all about the horns. They're big, brash, and boisterous, and the entire album revolves around them (perhaps the cover gives it away). Various horn players bounce off one another, playfully one-uping each other while building the tracks. Of course they've got that old world feel to them that's inspired and been modernized by some newer indie groups. Most of the album is comprised of instrumentals, although a few tracks have some vocals sung in Serbian (listen to Bori below and have your translator handy).

It's not one to sing along with, but the album will put a little zing in your step and might make you included to march around a bit. Give the following tracks a spin.




Visit their label Piranha Records and become their friend on MySpace.


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