Hellblinki

So there seems to be a whole explosion of bands that have this eastern dark cabaret thing to them.  Projekt alone has a bunch.  There's Revue Noir, Katznjammer Kaberett, Jill Tracy.   These bands are still a hand full in a pool that includes Gogol Bordello, World Inferno Friendship Society, Dresden Dolls...  I can just go on.  I may be the only one to string this constellation together, but fuck it.  I need to present the following band in it's approximate place among peers. 

   Hellblinki Sextet seem to intimately know the folk music of many countries and weave them seamlessly into the darkened, familiar, Other.  Indeed, listening to Hellblinki is better traveling than Samantha Brown on the Travel Channel, and Rick Steves on PBS.  Seriously, Sam shut the fuck up, and let me listen to "Bella Ciao" .  It's like your walking around with Sam and you turn a corner in some cobblestone street and you see these guys playin'.  When I hear that song I feel like a traveler not a tourist.  I see bon fires, and colorful costumes.  Can you believe that on itunes they describe them as alt. country, americana.  I'm not debating those, in fact they have their dark americana down, and after hearing them you see all that's left out.  I do notice that Hellblinki perhaps because they are American and I believe from the South.  , .  Did you not see the make up on Ms Valerie?  They wear German expressionism as a costume.  This makes them such a thing to watch.  

 

So this is Ms Valerie from Hellblinki Sextet.  This is the band that played some time after I:scintilla.  As I took these pictures with Valerie, I had no idea what was going to hit me.  Just before they went on I bought two of their CDs.  Who wouldn't be curious, with all the make up and on top of that Valerie plays accordion.  This is Uni and Her Ukulele all over again.  You buy the music on blind faith because you are betting against the odds that you will like this.  And I do.  I had this nice conversation with Valerie.  Talked about where they are from, World Inferno Friendship Society....she knows them.  I wish now that I had also bought a shirt.  If you are into Gogol Bordello, Devotchka, Dresden Dolls,  this band is required reading.  Hellblinki Sextet are familiar enough to them yet still are their own animal.