Saturday night, around 2 am, as I was watching the Rome marathon on HBO, my soundproof windows must have had a screw loose because I could hear Vama Veche’s Hotel Cismigiu coming from the beer-fumed walls of my neighbour’s house. As I was waiting for the climax- all those chavs howling “Americanii-s de vina, futu-i in gura sa-i fut”, I was beginning to wonder – it’s Saturday night, they’re pissed, it’s 2 am, what could be next in line after cussing the Americans? I had to ask. Manele frate*. I am so not going to be politically correct here. I hate that music being thrust in my ears. I have no problem when they keep it to themselves, because I don’t have to care.
This made me think about how universally liked some songs can be. Hotel Cismigiu as most have figured out is about reading between the lines, not only about swearing. It’s swearing with a reason. People who listen to manele would listen to something totally different like that because it’s just… good.
Recently, as in last week, the UK has made history. Getting to number one purely due to downloads might not be worth a lot of hoop-la to some, but since Romania doesn’t even have an official whatevs chart it sounds light-years ahead to me. No sales, no Arctic Monkeys coming over.
Gnarls Barkley (Cee-Lo and producer-extraordinaire Dangermouse) are therefore also down in history with a dance concoction that appeals to both teeny-boppers and mature listeners that would, as of now, never admit to actually liking it, or skipping around to it in front of the bathroom mirror.
Gnarls Barkley – Crazy mp3
(to download, right-click and ‘save target as’/or ctrl+click and ‘save link as’ on a mac)
buy single
bonus Vama Veche – Hotel Cismigiu mp3 buy LP
*Manele is not to be confused with traditional gypsy music.
5 comments so far
Hey, hey… I think you got it all covered here! Discussion of Romanian music, song downloads, belittling Americans… yes, this could be the most popular post ever on TMB!
” No sales, no Arctic Monkeys coming over.” i’m not very sure but was the album even brought to be sold here in Romania? and if it has…i presume it was only available in Bucharest
…guess we’re too “smart” for Arctic Monkeys and the indie-rock mainstream
Anna, mainstream doesn’t have to mean retarded. Artists that aren’t prepackaged and therefore mainstream a priori, are to be admired for making it solely by sparking excitement in people. Then again, acts like The Arctic Monkeys are not universal, they’re British, and some Brit music is so embedded in that culture that other people can only pretend to understand. Or don’t understand at all.
If we’re so smart, why are we being avoided by those indie bands?
Do you really think artists come to Romania because of their sales?
Here’s my oppinion: young generations just won’t listen to other music other that what is imposed by the media.Thats why indie bands(not only) are not popular in Romania and other countries like us.they don’t seem to think that there may be something else besides J-lo,britney,50cent and others like them.
So, the thing is , indie bands don’t avoid us because they don’t like us or something like that.it’s just that they know that no one in Romania listens to them.which is very very wrong.record companies should try to do an effort to bring about 10cds from 1 band/artist.i’m sure they will be sold. and that would let those bands know there is more than meets the eye when it comes to our music taste
:))) There’s been a post on Gnarls Barkely on every single music blog on the net, lately… Can’t blame anyone, the song’s darn good!
Gnarls Barkley mania, I’d put it!
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