CD Rezensionen

Rakija'n'roll

Gothart command: to the Balkans!

… The band celebrates its first "round" anniversary by releasing an album which couldn't be named better – Rakija´n´roll. This title tells you everything you need to know about present-day Gothart: it indicates where the inspiration keeps coming from, but it also shows how the band can “dye” this pure stream. Furthermore, you can deduce from it that the ladies and gentlemen of Gothart certainly don't aspire after authenticity. Nowadays, instead of local folk musicians, they resemble an energetic international big band in which a teenage rocker can easily and open-mindedly play with an elderly street musician under an understanding supervision of the jazzy horn section. …

Milan Šefl

Gothart - Rakija´n´Roll

… But the most important is the content of the recording. And about that, I can say without hesitation that it is Gothart´s most mature album, on which the band finally capture the elemental wildness of their best concerts. With no doubt, I rank Rakija´n´roll as one of the most interesting projects that have ever appeared on our world music scene. …

Stehla, original article

From chain mail to rock´n´roll

… The question whether Czechs can interpret Bulgarian, Gypsy, Macedonian or Romanian music is as dumb as asking if people born in the 20th century can interpret the music of the Middle Ages. In the case of the Prague-based band Gothart, the answer to both questions is yes. …

Petr Vizina, Lidové Noviny 17.10.2003 original article (400 kB)
Rating LN: ****

Expeditions to unknown always pay off

… This musically integrated and balanced album smoothly, but not meltingly, walks on from song to song, while none of the tracks sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. You will keep playing Rakija´n´roll over and over again, until you dance to death. …

Radek Antl original article

Cabaret

Gothart embraced by the Balkan music

… And now we are in the present time of Gothart, on their new, fourth album. Don't get confused with the title Cabaret. The only cabaret style are the short speeches between songs, as for instance: „Look, have we ever played this music to someone who really understands it?" Shortly, Gothart tries to cover them against being their music taken too serious. On the other hand, they complete the booklet with all lyrics in its original languages with English and Czech translations. I think that Cabaret isn't Balkan trash metal (as much as Gothart maybe wants it to be like), but nor it is a folklore substitute, which Gothart has heart in boots of. Above all, it's a mixture out of Jewish, gypsy, Balkan Slovenian, but also other musical kitchen. Czech language, rather choosy of latest all kind Celtic and Moravian Slovakian pickles, almost doesn't know the taste of irregular and idle rhythms and that is why it is so pleasantly excitable for us. …

Jiří Černý (16.10.2001), original article

Gothart - Cabaret

… Formerly, this ensemble was famous for its perfect arrangement and interpretation of Gothic music, but since the release of their album Adio Querida, the musicians have mainly focused on the folk music of the Balkans. …

Igor Nováček, Audio 7/2001, original article

Review

… Everyone who read the review on our pages of the album Adio Querida (1999) by Gothart, an original group of Czech musicians, and it made him listen to it, is highly likely to have appreciated the originality and beauty of this music. …

Boris Čegiň, 29. júna 2001, original article

Gothart: the Czech-Balkan Cabaret Performers

… What's most agreeable about the band is their light-heartedness. Although it is easier to appreciate the energetic Balkan songs than Czech Gothic music, it is still nice of Gothart that they do not use their CD's sleeve notes to overwhelm us with information on their enigmatic musical instruments (chalumeau, darbuka, pandeireta…) and do not show off their expert knowledge. …

Ad. Javůrek, original article

Gothart - Cabaret

… Gothart's preceding album Adio Querida suggested a lot, yet the direction which the band has taken on the new record leaves its listeners amazed. …

Evaluation: ******** (out of 10 possible), (Rock & Pop / June 2001)

Adio querida

Gothart - Adio querida

… Adio Querida is a delicacy for the ears tortured by the mixes produced by 'computer folklorists'. …

music: * * * * 1/2
sound: * * * * 1/2
Ondřej Pilný (Stereo / September 2000)
original article (270 kB)

Gothart - Adio querida

… The album Adio Querida, made up mainly of the traditional Kosovo-Albanian, Bulgarian and Macedonian music, apart from Sefardi songs, represents a very nice surprise. In spite of their acoustic form, some of the compositions have an expressive character resembling to that of rock music. The typical Balkan temperament is exploited to the full on the record. …

* * * 1/2
Jiří Moravčík (Rolling Stone / May 2000)
original article (102 kB)