Pakava It'

Fresh releases from Moscow and Krasnodar toy with the notion of "conceptual" songwriting. Certain stories or trajectories inform these recordings: they develop in various directions - and along different narrative arcs.

Among the many concert films that have appeared in Russia over the last decade, arguably the most entertaining were from recently disbanded ska troupe, Leningrad.  Over and above the devil-may-care obscenities from frontman Shnur, the band members were often presented to the public in a way that...