The fourth album of the Iron Throat Jānis Bukums group “Jānis Bukums” consists of only six compositions – it is an EP or mini-album. It was created during the pandemic and reflects the thoughts and positions of the group’s musicians about what is happening in the world and in Latvia.
“This year, as never before, the world has received many blows and it is not clear whether we have already gone through this historical period, or if we still have some surprises and misfortunes !?” its Bukums. The lyrics touch on topics such as the reversal of the value scale in times of crisis, the change from the usual order to the state of emergency, human reactions and actions in an unusual environment. The author of the lyrics is Jānis Bukums, while this time the whole group participated in composing the music, including Bukums himself – guitarists Arturs Liede and Gunārs Orlovskis, bassist Andrjus Janņuns and drummer Filips Batarags. The album was recorded in collaboration with Kārlis Šteinmanis in the studio “KS Records – Unity Audio”, released in collaboration with “LRMA Records”, can be listened to digitally for the time being, but will also be available in limited format on CD.
THROUGH. Jānis Bukums in his element – both musically and textually. It is difficult to highlight a particular song – as if the title song could be crowned No. 1, but it is suspected that without watching the video, the enjoyment of it would have been a bit more moderate. Therefore, the harshly energetic “Welcome” (“We did not give up friends / Principles and ideals“ clean ”by * irs / We sell this very beautiful place cheaply / Welcome!) And the world full of destiny (“ The world goes / The world is going to close ”). Above all – Liede’s great guitar mastery and the excellent work of the rhythm section (Janun and Batarag). And another plus – there is no traditional cover version of this album, which has become slimmer and slimmer in the last rolls. “It has been raining mushrooms for a long time / Because the god of dementia is alive” (from the song “The 7th day magician”) – unfortunately it is, it’s about us.
PRICE. Compared to its predecessor, Arturs Liedes’ concept album “Invincible”, released in November 2018, the new studio work is a big step backwards. In fact, the “magician” can also be called a concept album, performed only by Bukums – it is a message about the unprecedented stupidity of the people around him now, but the music is left as if in the background. But this message is not from the series “oh, malacis, finally someone said it!”: Bukums & Co reflects on things that every normal individual knows and understands in the same way, so it is tiring to hear them again and again, but for those who do not , will not be added even after listening to the album. And why only six songs? Although – if there was a place between them for such ranks as “Someone calls you” and “Hey, brother!”, Then “Bukumians” obviously had nothing to say, and then it is better that it is as it is.
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