Girls Sing

I ran across this when looking for Marc Ribot music. I had not heard of Auktyon prior to discovering this album, and I can not speak to other Auktyon albums, but I can say that this particular album, Girls Sing, alternatively amused me and blew me away. It is easily the best thing I've heard in the past year, and there was some decent stuff out there. As with the best stuff, or at least the best stuff for me, it is hard to definitively put it in a category, so throw around phrases like avant-garde, rock, inde-rock.. whatever you will. I call it good, nay great, these Russian chaps nailed a great album. So turn up your speakers as loud as they will handle and let it wash over you. (Oh, and yes, Marc Ribot is on here, and if you have the ear for his guitar you can plainly hear it).

Auktyon is a Russian avant-rock ensemble that swings from indecipherable space-folk and the fusion-y atmospherics to louder, harsher, more confrontational experimental music that would make the Japan-noise crowd curl their toes with orgasmic happiness. This album features contributions from American jazz modernists and avantniks such as guitarist Marc Ribot and trumpeter Frank London of the Klezmatics. John Medeski adds plenty of driving, surging organ riffs with a strong prog-fusion feel that blends well with the band's densely rendered Plastic People-y art-rock, somewhere in there as well are hints of the chaotic hijinks of the modern Balkan brass bands. A few tunes are softer, such as the halting, acoustic-based "Zhdat" and the epic, Chick Corea-ish "Girls Sing," which closes the album out. The wilder numbers have a distinctive sense of abandon -- clearly this album, which was recorded live in a small studio in New York, was a lot of fun to make. This certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea, but for folks with a penchant for out-there music, it'll be a blast. (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue Music Guide)

It has been a while since St. Petersurg, Russia, based Auktyon has produced a full-length studio release, and what a glorious one it is! The last decade saw this band move ever closer toward avant-garde sound, and 'Girls Sing' is no exception althouth it is very listenable for more mainstream audience as well. This relseas has been able to caputre the band's live sound and contagious energy, and is full of captivating, earthy, moody songs. As another reviewed has noted, this music is not for everyone, but this band does deserve attention. If you are a novice to Auktyon, check out their previous years songs collection 'Pioneer' also available in the U.S.

I fell in love with Auktion in Sankt Petersburg last year and cannot stop listening to them. and this is one of the best albums. I am happy to have found them on the Amazon - they are hard to come by in the West...