Been watching a lot of Olympics lately. Had my TV fixed/a new antenna installed on the roof just so I could watch them. I think the Olympics are seen as the friendliest way of competition between the nations of the world without ‘shooting things at each other’ or ‘blowing stuff up’. Generally, it seems like everyone kinda stops worrying about problems between nations to root for their father/mother/transgendered-caretakerland. Products of this international competitive pride are the various ‘ethnic performances’ we as viewers get to see during the Olympics. In addition to this, a lot of them seem to use the epic WIN anthem ‘We Are the Champions’ by the oh so classic rock group ‘Queen’.
There are no fewer than six of these videos from the last two olympees from Russia, and each one is performed by and reflects a culture/language within Russia other than Russian. I figured this space would be a good one upon which to ‘review’ each one and ‘discuss my feelings with the blogosphere/twitterverse’. Also saw this as a way to expose all you ignorant jerks to other cultures and to ‘open your eyes’ to new ethnic styles to integrate into future buzzbands you might create. Who knows?
Before listening, I suggest you listen to the original version as a ‘control’. Trying to keep things scientific here.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Background: This first video is from the republic of Karelia, a section of Russia that’s really far north and west. For all of you in Seattle, imagine St. Petersburg as Seattle, and then Karelia being that part between Seattle and Canada you probably don’t really care about. But then imagine you did care about it, that’s kinda like Karelia to Russia. Actually, Karelia caused a lot of trouble in Russian-Finnish history, to the point where Finland and Russia secretly had their own war while everyone else was fighting WWII. The language spoken in this area (Karelian) is actually a Finno-Ugric language, meaning that it’s a lot more like Finnish than Russian.
Reaction: Seems like this culture really likes dulcimers, or at least has a large cultural stake in them. Looks like their cultural accoutrements include chef’s hats and native American style beading things. These people look ‘more Scandinavian’ than Russian. Also I feel as though they may have made the choice to include enough ‘attractive Karelian babes’ to show that there are hot babes even above the artic circle. Also seems that these people are super happy even though they live in a place where control has changed a whole bunch of times in the last century. Wonder if the color maroon has any cultural significance.
Background: This one is by the Mordovins, a group that lives kinda near the center of the European section of Russia. They speak a language that is Finno-Volgaic, which means they are Uralic (like Ural mountains, the ones that separate Europe from Asia). People think these languages came from there, but they’re not sure. Due to the proximity to central Asia, there has also been a strong Turkic influence on their culture.
Reaction: I feel like this version of the song sounds more exotic cause of the reeded flute things. Feel like this version has more of a beat, almost makes me also kinda want to dance all snakey like [via women in video]. Feel like the hats that the women are wearing are really big. I also feel like these women are supposed to come off as sexy, I think they do an okay job. The costumes are neat, like the beadwork.
Seems like to be a man in this culture you have to be ‘kinda chubby with a wispy mullet type haircut and beard’. Feel like this video was probably prerecorded due to the stark instruments in recording to instruments present in video ratio. I feel that if Chuck Norris were to be a member of any Russian ethnic culture, this would be the one he’d pick [via style choices].
Also don’t understand how a melodica is an ‘ethnic Mordovin instrument’, seems like instruments don’t fit in these videos unless they’re made of wood/real animal skins (on drums). Feel like it takes away from the authenticity. If I were a Olympic culture judge I would deduct 2-6 points from this team’s score for lack of authenticity/misrepresentation of ethnic instrumentation.
Background: The Bashkirs are from the region in Russia known as Bashkortostan, which is in the southeast section of the European part of Russia. They are also a Turkic people. Their language is closely related to that of the Tatars (we’ll get to them later.) They also traditionally are into beekeeping.
Reaction: This is the video that to me seems the most like a ‘power metal ballad’. The singers/bandmembers are standing on what appears to be a massive important monument, gesting to the vast beyond that they, indeed, are the champions. This band reminds me of other great powermetal greats like Manowar. I feel as though this groups personal interpretation of the lyrics leans in the direction of ‘we are the champions through our great deeds/might/chivalry’ as opposed to other videos where it seems like everyone just wants to say ‘we are all champions’. Feel like these guys are trying to prove how awesome they are through ‘dad oriented’ metal (read: Chickenfoot)/modern instrumentation.
The contrast of the ethnic shiny costumes (seem to like vests) and the modern equip (KORG triton, fendy strat) seems to remind the viewer how we need to look to/remember the past, while still embracing the future. Think that this could be the culture to set down its oral tradition on iPads/cloud computing.
I do feel like the one guy with bad teeth/non electric instrument sticks out/sorta looks outdated. Proud of him, though, for truly sticking to his roots.
Background: These are the Tatars, they have a sauce named after them (albeit spelled the bastardized French way Tartar) and they are also from a similar region as the last two groups I’ve discussed. They are also a Turkic people and also have their own language. These guys were originally nomadic, and originally from farther east, but they got all snapped up by Ghengis Khan and moved west as members of his army.
Reaction: OMG. I AM MOVED. It seems as though these guys had significantly higher production costs than the other videos thus far [via so many camera angles/focus tricks/movement etc]. This group is also huge, like a Russian ethnic version of the Polyphonic Spree/Broken Social Scene. Everyone looks so inspired, I find myself completely convinced that we are indeed the champions. Everybody is singing and beautiful and happy. The harmonies all rise together and the mix gets ‘really big’. Really nail the ‘key change’. Showed this to a friend, she commented it filled her with an ‘inexplicable joy’. I have to agree. Feel like this is maybe the ‘glo-fi/chillwave’ version of these songs (chill beat). Could even be the end to a ‘big broadyway show’.
Even the ‘Rain stick gal’ looks really into her job.
The costumes look ‘really real’. I like the matching fur hats (bros) and the weird hair shiny tie things/minihats (grrlz). Seems like they also picked the most talented/hottest ethnic babes/bros for this one. I feel as though they went through significant pains to give a really authentic experience. Real folky looking instruments everywhere (minus u tambo, ur made of blue plastic.)
Even the electric bass has an authentic Russian folk instrument shape.
Think the Mouth/Jew Harp is a nice touch, love how she plays it with ‘real culture style and poise’ instead of just ‘flicking it when she needs to’.
Background: These guys are what we call ‘Altaic’, meaning that they come from the region referred to as Altai. This region is basically on the border (well, actually is) with Mongolia, and therefore the people have a very central Asian culture. Even just like the more famous Tuvans next door, The Altaic tribes also have a form of throat singing.
Reaction: Feel like this is the saddest version thus far, seems to me like I’m hearing ‘the cry of a people’. Like their culture is dying and they are the champions of it in that they are surviving and spreading its style via youtube videos. Maybe ‘survivor’ by destiny’s child would have made a better choice (but would have removed it from the running for this post.
Feel like the keyboard is drowning out the ‘real Altaic instruments’. Feel that all the dudes ‘throat singing’ are drowning out the main singer woman. Maybe they are trying to communicate a ‘drowning out’ of Russian ethnic culture (sad style + modern instrument drowning out others + throat singers drowning out main singer + river that can literally ‘drown people’/things). Feel like maybe this version actually communicates more meaning than the others. Does the mouth harp in this one ‘feel sadder’?
Not sure if I like the pre-chorus, seems like everyone is just ‘making noise at the same time’. Does this guy get a different, furrier hat because he’s the leader? The roles here seem really blurred.
Background: This last video is the Yakuts, who live in one of the coldest places on earth. In fact, the capital of their region, Yakutsk, is actually ‘the coldest city on earth’. Also of Turkic origin, these people are known throughout Russia for their reindeer herding, and no, I’m not lying.
Reaction: WHOA Ice palace, feel like they’re really trying to hammer the ‘we live in a really cold place point home’. Feel like mouth harps must be some sort of trend in Turkic culture/music cause this one also begins with one. But her style is different, adding some ‘mouth effects’ to it. This coupled with the dripping water sounds after gives a feel of ‘frozen nature’ or like ‘frozen things coming to life’.
Think it’s interesting how they decide to divide the verses. The first verse is very soft and caressing, and the singer actually caresses the ice as she sings (sorta weird). Then the second verse is taken by the man who ‘adds some grit n pain’ to the song while sitting all alone in his ice palace. It’s like she’s the yin to his yang, the ‘solace’ to his ‘pain’. But then he seems to ‘break through’ and find strength and ‘rise above’ at the end of the verse. Feel like this culture is probably ‘really male dominated’.
