Pura Vida Conspiracy

Gogol Bordello – Pura Vida Conspiracy
Reviewed by Sadie O., 7/28/13
Everyone’s favorite Gypsy Punk band – but this is a lot less punk and a lot more introspective café-dance. Of course, Eugene Hutz never does anything “pretty” without including deeply skewed lyrics, and his singing style remains profoundly unique.
I didn’t spot any FCCs, which shows how much things have changed…
1. 3:42 ****chanting intro, energetic swingy gypsy bopper, uprising lyrics.
2. 3:43 ***sweet café-style mandolin groove, turning into high speed ska-punk, then into demented polka, etc. Whew. Positively epic in places.
3. 3:33 **uplugged, almost country-western folky polka – of course it turns high speed rave-up in places. Great ending…
4. 4:26 ***uptempo spaghetti western vibe. Philosophical musings of a displaced person.
5. 3:38 ****pretty acoustic guitar intro, powerful midtempo violin waltz (sounds unlikely, but this IS Gogol Bordello…) Deep as mess lyrics.
6. 3:16 **acoustic guitar polka, getting larger and louder, rather sweet. No idea what it all means.
7. 4:15 ***again builds from acoustic guitar intro, chugging groove, cool violin and chorus in unison. I think it’s some sort of love song?
8. 3:27 **deeply pretty acoustic guitar, rather amazing philosophical lyrics and delivery. Café groove, I think it’s another sort of love song? Deft accordion and mandolin.
9. 3:48 ***acoustic intro, quickly turns to rock polka party. Great vagabond lyrics.
10. 3:49 **swingy gypsy groove, totally deep cosmic lyrics.
11. 3:30 ****short spoken intro, uptempo, urgent vibe with a smidge of spaghetti western, deep and inscrutable lyrics. There’s a bit of devil at the crossroads feel.
12. 10:06 **very soft start, odd lyrics and occasionally strange chord progression. Actually 3:43 seconds long, then about 4:49 silence, extra bit starts at 2:14 from end, ponderous heavy metal and frantic punk. I love the last 2:14 track – too bad they didn’t just make it a separate track…