Benjaming Band "Z Hor!" Self released
Release Date: December 2010
Running Time: 15 tracks, 46:28
“The Punk Pipes Family Gang” is back! Benjaming Band is a Czech band that merges Celtic and punk music. A Pipes & Pints wannabe band? Quite the contrary, the four piece band from Petrikovice pre-dates the band from Prague. In fact, BNB (Benjaming Band) is playing Celtic punk rock since 2003, after having seen The Real McKenzies live. Then it can be said that, if Hungary is the European country with the most original Celtic punk bands (Firkin and Paddy and the Rats), the Czech Republic seems to be bagpipes punk bands mine (Benjaming Band, Pilsner Oiquell and Pipes and Pints).
Those who are familiar with BNB’s previous albums (“Svihak”, 2005 and “Americké Popelnícky”, 2008) will notice some changes. First of all, Lukás (accordion and bagpipes) used to play the local pipes. Now he plays Highland pipes, accordion and mandolin. Secondly, the band has moved to a better studio and therefore the sound quality is better too. And, finally, BNB has recorded a song in English, “Kilt and Bagpipes”.
“Z Hor!” is a good collection of classic rock’n’roll and 77 punk played with electric and traditional instruments. The band members have also improved their musicianship and the album is quite enjoyable. Most of the tracks are band’s originals and only two covers are featured on the album: “Scotland the Brave” (“Scotland the Brave” and “When The Saints Go Marching In” together in one track) and “Jesse James”. Both of them are fine numbers with great pipes, guitar and drums.
My faves are “Irská Hospoda” (excellent pipes song in the Doedelsäcke vein), “Rock’n Roll” (classic R’n’R inspired song with a great line at the end: “Pivo Sex a Rock’n’Roll", that is, “Beer, Sex & Rock’n’Roll), “Karbaník” (the best song of the album, top-notch bapipes punk song à la DKM or Pipes and Pints) and “Cerný Prachy” (another classic r’n’r song played in the Real McKenzies style). All of them are tracks in which the pipes can be heard, but there are another songs without them that really stands out: the aforementioned “Kilt and Bagpipes” (this mandolin driven song reminds the seminal Basque outfit Cicatriz sound), and “Karavánek” (another song featuring mandolin and tin whistle with good chorus).
With the plethora of European bagpipes punk bands singing in English (Pipes and Pints, Bastards on Parade, Black Tartan Clan …) one could think that there is no place for a bagpipes punk band singing in Czech. However, I feel that an honest band like BNB, whose main goal is fun, is worth hearing.
Benjaming Band, the “Bruddas” from Petrikovice.
01 – Intro
02 – Karavánek
03 – Irská Hopoda
04 – Rock’n’Roll
05 – Bezdomovec
06 – Kilt and Bagpipes
07 – Scotland Brave (sic)
08 – Jasse James (sic)
09 – Sedesát
10 – Nastrelovac
11 – Karbaník
12 – Czerný Prachy
13 – Ve Jmenu Krále
14 – Skladatel
15 – Jamajka
www.benjamingband.cz
www.myspace.com/benjamingband
http://bandzone.cz/benjamingband (7 tracks from “Zor!” can be listened)
www.benjamingband.cz/kontakt.html (contact the band to buy the CD)
Review by Kinksmarkham
.
Release Date: December 2010
Running Time: 15 tracks, 46:28
“The Punk Pipes Family Gang” is back! Benjaming Band is a Czech band that merges Celtic and punk music. A Pipes & Pints wannabe band? Quite the contrary, the four piece band from Petrikovice pre-dates the band from Prague. In fact, BNB (Benjaming Band) is playing Celtic punk rock since 2003, after having seen The Real McKenzies live. Then it can be said that, if Hungary is the European country with the most original Celtic punk bands (Firkin and Paddy and the Rats), the Czech Republic seems to be bagpipes punk bands mine (Benjaming Band, Pilsner Oiquell and Pipes and Pints).
Those who are familiar with BNB’s previous albums (“Svihak”, 2005 and “Americké Popelnícky”, 2008) will notice some changes. First of all, Lukás (accordion and bagpipes) used to play the local pipes. Now he plays Highland pipes, accordion and mandolin. Secondly, the band has moved to a better studio and therefore the sound quality is better too. And, finally, BNB has recorded a song in English, “Kilt and Bagpipes”.
“Z Hor!” is a good collection of classic rock’n’roll and 77 punk played with electric and traditional instruments. The band members have also improved their musicianship and the album is quite enjoyable. Most of the tracks are band’s originals and only two covers are featured on the album: “Scotland the Brave” (“Scotland the Brave” and “When The Saints Go Marching In” together in one track) and “Jesse James”. Both of them are fine numbers with great pipes, guitar and drums.
My faves are “Irská Hospoda” (excellent pipes song in the Doedelsäcke vein), “Rock’n Roll” (classic R’n’R inspired song with a great line at the end: “Pivo Sex a Rock’n’Roll", that is, “Beer, Sex & Rock’n’Roll), “Karbaník” (the best song of the album, top-notch bapipes punk song à la DKM or Pipes and Pints) and “Cerný Prachy” (another classic r’n’r song played in the Real McKenzies style). All of them are tracks in which the pipes can be heard, but there are another songs without them that really stands out: the aforementioned “Kilt and Bagpipes” (this mandolin driven song reminds the seminal Basque outfit Cicatriz sound), and “Karavánek” (another song featuring mandolin and tin whistle with good chorus).
With the plethora of European bagpipes punk bands singing in English (Pipes and Pints, Bastards on Parade, Black Tartan Clan …) one could think that there is no place for a bagpipes punk band singing in Czech. However, I feel that an honest band like BNB, whose main goal is fun, is worth hearing.
Benjaming Band, the “Bruddas” from Petrikovice.
01 – Intro
02 – Karavánek
03 – Irská Hopoda
04 – Rock’n’Roll
05 – Bezdomovec
06 – Kilt and Bagpipes
07 – Scotland Brave (sic)
08 – Jasse James (sic)
09 – Sedesát
10 – Nastrelovac
11 – Karbaník
12 – Czerný Prachy
13 – Ve Jmenu Krále
14 – Skladatel
15 – Jamajka
www.benjamingband.cz
www.myspace.com/benjamingband
http://bandzone.cz/benjamingband (7 tracks from “Zor!” can be listened)
www.benjamingband.cz/kontakt.html (contact the band to buy the CD)
Review by Kinksmarkham
.
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