Wow, that is... not one of their better songs. I'm not sure it's possible to really appreciate their charm and brilliance unless you know the originating culture(s). They really excel at taking traditional Moldovan themes and music and updating them, like this song - "Buna Dimineata" (Good Morning). [link] The video incorporates actual Soviet propaganda films with footage of the band playing in the back of an old truck*. Then there's "Videli Noci," which was a major part of the soundtrack of my time in Moldova. It's in Russian, but I think it's about drinking all night with your friends. [link] And then there's the classic Hardcore Moldovanesc (Moldovan Hardcore) which lists a wide variety of leisure time activities, all followed by "...and drank some wine" [link]

Even those wacky hats they're wearing are just Moldovan traditional hats taken to extremity [link] - made from sheepskin, I think.

* by the way, those old trucks and carriages and wine pressing by hand and all that stuff in those videos is still done, all over the country.

And on the off chance that anyone liked what they heard in that post, Zdob si Zdub is now available on iTunes! I left my Agroromantica cd in Moldova when I left, and I've missed it so. But I'm downloading it right now, AIFG!

this link is a serious mashup, but the visuals kick ASS. I really like it.

[link]

smonster, thanks for sharing those links! I listened to the first song and really dug it, and will check out the rest later.

Cibo Matto reunites.

Yeah, but when is Butter 08 going to reunite, huh?

So, I'm reading the comments on AVClub and they're going off on a tangent about amusingly inappropriate songs for strippers (like, "Detachable Penis) and I thought: "You know what would be perfectly inappropriate for a lapdance? Belle and Sebastian."

Now I'm imagining a strip club and the dancer coming out in a black leotard and doing a very interpretive dance to "Stars of Track and Field" including lots of track and field mime, especially those little hops the javelin throwers give after they've launched their spear.

I really want to see that in a movie, now.

Starring Zooey Deschanel.

Zooey could totally make that work. Though originally I was thinking more of Judy Greer.

Oooh, totes bitchin' Mojo Jojo guitar.

Relatedly and just because: Mojo Jojo vs. Spider-Man.

Really great interview with Allan Arkush, the director of Rock 'n' Roll High School. I'm posting here & not Movies, because it's mostly about Joey Ramone. [link]