Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Split: From The Shadows Of The Evil Empire - The Space Cossacks vs. The Hypnomen
 | This concept split seven inch disc features two ecxcellent bands playing Russian flavored isntros, just slightly off the surf path. Both the Space Cossacks and the Hypnomen turn in solid performancances. Well worth seeking out. |
Picks: The Hypnomen - Holotna, Comrade, The Squealer, The Space Cossacks - Escape From Gulag 17, Metsakukkia
Track by Track Review
Cossack (Instrumental)
Pekka Lane wrote this fine instro. It's mighty satisfying, and more than a little friendly. The Hypnomen continue to get better and better. Here they capture the evil empire's soul, the people's inner dimension. Nice track.
The Hypnomen - Comrade, The Squealer Cossack (Instrumental)
Dangerous activity, squealing. "Comrade, The Squealer" presents the risk and the reward in guitar wizardry. Solid and well put together.
The Space Cossacks - Escape From Gulag 17 Cossack Surf (Instrumental)
This is a flying track, energetic and intensely hot. Super twang and piercing tones cut right through the LA smog. Melodic and enjoyable. Russian and/or maybe Greek influenced. Ivan Pongracic wrote it.
The Space Cossacks - Metsakukkia Cossack Surf (Instrumental)
Your best babushka and a dash of twango, smothered in Vodka soaked black bread, and heaped in Ruski legends. Very pretty arrangement of a traditional tune. Stingingly played, and just right for the former red giant. I'm not sure why, but this reminds me of the CIA's first experiments with machine language translation, when they were first trying to break the phrase barrier, going for meaning instead of literal word-for-word translations. They fed in the phrase "the spirit is strong, but the flesh is weak," and got "the Vodka is good, but the meat is rotten" out. No, this isn't rotten, but a rocking surf translation certainly changes it's meaning. Cool track.