Vezhlivyi Otkaz

Vezhlivyi Otkaz (Вежливый Отказ - Polite Refusal) used to be my favorite group; they would probably still make my top ten, although I don't listen to them as much. A relatively obscure and atypical group, their uniqueness kept them off the charts when the formerly underground russian rock went mainstream in the late 80s, and the same unique qualities keep them from becoming obsolete, as the majority of the 80s russian rock did. Instead of the political slogans, VO's lyrics are free-form dadaist poetry, with images flickering briefly from line to line. Instead of quoting the morbid classic rock behemoths and ripping off MTV top 10, VO's music is a one-of-a-kind amalgam of jazz, pop, and folk, with accordion and trumpet interwoven with the rock section in chamber-music arrangements. But the main thing was that they were just so good. They could play circles around anyone, including 99% of american rockers and a good part of jazzmen, effortlessly navigating off-kilter rhythms and angular melodies.
VO are still semi-active; their last album was released in 2002 and they are playing live every once in a while. This album is my favorite, though; it's a compilation of their early material from 1986-1989. It is informally known as "The White LP".


Vezhlivyi Otkaz (1989)
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1. Ya Uchus (I'm Learning)
2. Letargicheskiy Son (Lethargic Sleep)
3. Pomoshnik (A Helper)
4. V Chujih Ozyorah Sna... (In The Alien Dream Lakes)
5. Ey! (Hey!)
6. Proshanie (Farewell)