Zemfira
Vendetta

Zemfira, a very particular name. A band that is not exactly rock as we Europeans understand it. This Russian band surprised me with their latest work "Vendetta". The tracks are all carefully selected: catchy, effective, sufficiently rock, never heavy, with simple choruses. Among the songs, the most "rock" ones stand out, like "Nebomoreoblaka" and "Malcish". More catchy tracks such as "dishi," "Tak I Ostavim," and "Dai Menie Ruku" are swept away by the lyricism of "Samaliot" or "Drug" (a word very dear to the Russians).

The album closes with a citation, or rather, a cover of "50 Ways To Leave Your Love" by Paul Simon, which transforms into "Jim Beam (Ufa 97)" for the Russian version. The themes are about social criticism, of a declining society even in the cold and distant Russia, which is no longer under the USSR's protection... love, friendship, life, fears. A life that does not differ from ours. The singer blends her voice well with harder parts down to a vocalization of traditional Russian taste. The guitar pairs well with her voice and is highly refined in sound, and the other instruments are also very well played, with rhythms in some songs that are very atypical for European ears.

In short, put aside the 4/4 taste and the aversion to Russian, and you can enjoy a well-played and well-sung album.