Goran Bregovic
Alkohol: Sljivovica & Champagne

Goran Bregovic, well, another character who needs no introduction; an absolutely versatile and cross-genre musician, a pioneer in many respects, and undoubtedly also quite the sly one; emblematic is the case of "Irish Songs" from 1998, an album of traditional Irish songs performed by various local artists that he produced, accrediting it as his own album in every respect, with only the name Goran Bregovic on the cover; an album that is, moreover, truly beautiful and one I highly recommend, perhaps I will delve into it more deeply in the future. Even in the field of Balkan music, GB is not loved by everyone, there are those who accuse him of basking in glories that are not his, of being perhaps a bit too attention-seeking, a bit of a slick operator so to speak; I would prefer not to get into the merits of the matter, I'm too out of touch with certain dynamics to express myself with informed judgment and in the end, it interests me very little, I just elaborate what I feel in his music, which are undoubtedly well-crafted, captivating, instructive albums and often very entertaining, which is never a bad thing, like this "Alkohol: Sljivovica & Champagne" from 2009.

As can be easily inferred from the title, the alcohol content travels at decidedly high levels, an album that intoxicates but most of all fascinates and engages. I find the authentically popular spirit of these songs truly commendable, brass everywhere, not exactly graceful voices, and very lively rhythms, sounds certainly more reminiscent of a Skopje tavern than a chic-alternative parlor; those who love the Pogues will find plenty to sink their teeth into here. Maniacal gypsy folk and a lot of ramshackle, rousing melodies, with truly fantastic ethnic percussion; the famous Gypsy violins? No, absolutely not present, I'm sorry. We have "Na Zadnjem Sedisu Moga Auta" with a sly gypsy-jazzy spoken word supported by female choruses, then "Ruzica", the only real slow track of the album, a street torch song of rustic and poignant lyricism, the joyful vocal counterpoints of "Kerna Mas", with an adorable triangle as rhythmic support and the slightly melancholic pace of "Tis Agspis Sou To Risko".

"Alkohol..." is life, is rhythm, is color, is a continuous succession of songs to dance to in front of a bonfire; tangos, Turkish dances, Greek harmonies, all reworked in a raw, spontaneous, vivid form; I would particularly mention "Jeremija", "Zamisli", "Gas, Gas", "Za Esmu" and "Napile Se Ulice", stuff to resurrect the dead. I have only one, very tiny perplexity: the title, here the Sljivovica flows like a river, no doubt about it, but what does Champagne have to do with it? Absolutely nothing, but oh well. So what to say, perfectly executed operation, craftsmanship, passion, and surely also a pinch of cunning, but that is always needed, no point in telling ourselves fairytales; his stuff but partly not his? Not his stuff he tries to sell as his own? Well, yes, maybe, possibly, who cares, this is an album, or a songbook or whatever you want to call it, thoroughly enjoyable and engaging, so from my side only the most heartfelt congratulations to master Bregovic.