Magic Green River Swimmin' & Stunning Tarzanka Experience. Straytones

Psychrock from the Ukraine? It is not a combination that I saw coming but without doubt have welcomed. Straytones seem to do all the important things right on its fourth album with an incredible long and incomprehensible title.

When I saw the band's name, I thought: but that is funny! A combination of The Stray Cats and The Fuzz- and other tones from the 80s. Rockabilly was the music I expected to hear. It could not be further removed from the 'Rock This Town's kind of song. There's a similarity though. Straytones does intend to rock the town it visits and no doubt succeeds listening to Magic Green River Swimmin' & Stunning Tarzanka Experience.

The Straytones are from Kyiv, the capitol of the Ukraine. Artem (guitar, vocals), Eugenia (drums) and Vova (bass) make up the band, but it has to be noted that the album was recorded with Marina on drums, who has since been replaced. The songs reflect summers on the banks of the Dnjepr river now and in the band members' youth. Despite the songs having a psychedelic rock component, a strong one admittedly, I noticed the lightness in the songs immediately in the first listen session. My second thought was that I was hearing influences from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's first album in the songs. That same touch of light and shade in solid psychrock.

In my book a band can start a lot worse during my first encounter with it. Magic Green River Swimmin' & Stunning Tarzanka Experience works on a few levels. It all starts with the songs of course. Straytones adds familiar pieces and works itself into that mix. There's no way of telling this band is, where rock is concerned, from the Ukraine. In that sense it does not set itself apart. It does by playing songs that add considerably to the genre. From the very first song 'Fire-Fire!' it grabbed me, to only let go in the final seconds of the final song.

Promo photo

What I like as well, is that it is not all psychedelia what rocks this album. The band allows its music to breath by not fully closing the mix on the one hand and on the other adding some rock and pop elements, making the songs lighter than those of most psychrock bands. By creating different songs or by letting them explode halfway through, the album becomes so much more diverse. Listening results in being surprised, even after several listening sessions.

I have only one doubt. When the tempo really flies of the rails, being able to keep up would truly be a tarzanka experience. (The bio tells me tarzanka is a jump rope game in Ukrainian.) No doubt some girls can.

With Magic Green River Swimmin' & Stunning Tarzanka Experience I was initiated into Straytones and rock music from the Ukraine, not counting Gogol Bordello, being a NYC band. If this is the standard, I do not mind hearing more.

Wout de Natris