VulgarGrad- King of Crooks (2009)

 VulgarGrad are a curious band. Australian, and fronted by Polish born actor Jacek Koman, who has appeared in such films as Moulin Rouge and Australia. They perform songs 'of the Rusian underworld'- traditional songs made famous by artists such as Vladimir Vysotsky (1938-1980)  and Arkady Severny (1939-1980), along with compositions by these greats. They also cover songs by the phenomenal Sergei Shnurov of Leningrad and other Russian punk classics.

Jacek Koman-vocals
Andrew Tanner-contrabass balalaika
Renato VaCirca-  drums
Ros Jones- trombone
Adam Pierzchalski - trumpet
Nara Demasson - guitar
Phil McLeod- piano accordion

I've done my best to identify the origins of the tracks featured on this album - feel free to correct / expand my efforts.

1. Oy Oy Oy - traditional song.
2. If I Were a Sultan- a song from the classic  Soviet comedy Kidnapping Caucasian Style - The New Adventures of Shurik (1967), sung by comedy great Yuri Nikulin.




3. The Party on Horse-Shit Street - traditional song.
4. Super Good- by Sergei Shnurov (Shnur) from Leningrad's 2003 LP The Second Magadan.
5. Natural Born Thief [Gop-So-Smykom]- a traditional Odessa criminal folksong often sung by Arkady Severny.
6. Bolshoi Karetny- a Vladimir Vysotsky song about a street in Moscow.
7 Stop the Train! - traditional song.
8. I'm Your Cowboy - by Sergei Shnurov (Shnur) from Leningrad's 1999 lp Mat bez elektrichestva.
9. Odessa Jailbreak - written by Kelman &Timofeyev- this is a  standard of the Russian underground recorded by Arkady Severny-  it can be found as early as 1926 in the movie The Career of Spirska Shpandyr- sung by Soviet Jazz master  Leonid Utyosov.



10. Junky, Alcoholic and Drunkard (These Are Such Undignified Words)- traditional song.
11. Black Flag- a cover of a number by Va-Bank , a Moscow Punk band formed in 1986.
12. A Piss-Up Begins with a Bottle (Plyatskovksy, Severny, Shainsky) Arkady Severny again.
13. Zhopa  'Arsehole'- another Leningrad number by Shnur.
14. Cigarette written by some geezer called Krupp and made popular by Arkady Severny.
15.Tram No. 10- traditional song
16. Odessa Jailbreak (slow version) see above.

http://d01.megashares.com/dl/J1wx1yO/VulgarGrad - King Of Crooks - 2009.rar