So I’ve been off for almost two weeks. And now I’m back and recharged. I’ve got lots of great music to write about already in 2009. But I also have a new puppy to care for so we’ll see how this goes. It’s great to be back and I look forward to another great year in music.

——–

I never meant for Songs:Illinois to become the repository for all the great proto-gypsy punk music that’s out there but over the years it has become one of the overlooked genre’s that I’ve written the most about. So it seems fitting that the first post of the year is about Brooklyn based Luminescent Orchestrii’s upcoming record for Nine Mile Records.

The band is based out of Brooklyn and while its lyrics may be about current trends (see “Nasty Tasty” below) its music is based more in the old folk traditions of Eastern Europe combined with jazz, folk, and blues styles of the new world. “Nasty Tasty” is a good example of this dictotomy with it’s rampant sexual imagery mixed with gypsy fiddle. It comes from their upcoming record Neptune’s Daughter.

Nasty Tasty

P.S. Swedesplease is back up and running for 2009 with an exclusive first listen to the new song from electronic duo Val Venosta here.