Hellawes / Хелависа

The album under consideration here, although quiet, wholly acoustic, and markedly introspective, results directly from the Russian folk-rock tradition. More explicitly, Hellawes is the stage-name or alter-ego of Natal'ia Nikolaeva, frontwoman of Mel'nitsa, arguably one of the most influential fo...

Mel'nitsa ("Windmill") are Russia's best-known folk-rock ensemble, to whom we gave a little attention in past months.  Now, with the release of their new album "Wild Grasses" (Dikie travy), there's good reason to look closer.  At the band's forefront stands Natal'ia Nikolaeva (below) in the du...