"THE BOOK OF THE CRUELTY OF WOMEN"

CD ( Ur-Realist Records ) 1999

I feel sorry that interview with Rada went to nowhere due a problem in my computer. There were a few interviews with same destiny but for me this one was really important. The frontwoman Rada is probably one of the few avantgarde faces of Moccow scene. Or may be the most intellectual i meet till now. This album is based on views about women in old Russian and Eastern myths. The corelations between beauty and cruelty, punishment and deep love. When it comes to musical side of this masterpiece i would like to mention Diamanda Gallas, "Death in June", "Swans" and "Jarboe" names. Not that "Rada & Ternovnik" sounds like their copycat, but the band share the same atmosphere and artistic vision created by them. Deep, melanholic, dark and avangardish. All lyrics are in Russian and this brings a different touch. I read a few reviews of their old releases ("Rada & Ternovnik" aren't new band, they have a 6-7 albums in past if i am right) and labelling them a Russian "Portishead". Well maybe they have some trip-hop songs in past but this CD has nothing to do with this. Lots of acustics, Indian and Eastern influences and powerful vocals from Rada. Not sure if their label has a distribution outside Russia but you can get this CD via thier website. Highly recommended. (Guray "Sonic Splendour" ¹3 Turkey)

My Love My Sorrow

CD ( Ur-Realist Records ) 1999

All the albums of RADA & TERNOVNIK are made in different styles, probably the only common thing is the fabulous Rada's four-octaves vocal and her permanent intention to create something new from release to release, from song to song. "My Love My Sorrow" is her most "electronic" CD, which music is made by computers completely. Acoustically, it is an unexpected and sympathetic hybrid from imported trip-hop and narrative single voice of ancient Slavic song. From the first part are inherited the moody and dreamy knockings, soft cracklings, cold samples (quite ethnic sometimes) and the sensation of spatial perspective. From second the meditatevity and all-dominating role of topic and words are taken. Evidently, our native Slavic part is triumphant. Mathematically adjusted rhythms and the strict functionality of music are crashed by unassailable irrationality of the "enigmatic Russian soul". Monumental greatness of Rada's opera vocals just emphasizes the cordiality of her calm and wise singing... Just great, what I can say more? (N. )

Russian Epos

CD ( Ur-Realist Records ) 1999

This is the live-CD of a mysteria happened on 2nd April 1999 in Moscow Arts Center. Sound here is technically perfect, though as far I know the recording was not specially treated in a studio. The band played with the usual for a rock-band cast: vocal, guitar, bass, drums and percussion. As the result their music sometimes is close to measured ska rhythms with slight jazzy flavour, sometimes it represents epic rock-ballads. As it loomed to me, Rada's vocal sounds better live than in studio-tracks - much more energetic and passionate. Especially killing are her extremely high vocalizes at the background of dull guitar basses. Musically less synthetic and abstract than previous release as well as traditional enough, this stuff has its own charm, but I would not recommend it to the audience of this magazine. It does not fit into industrial/dark-wave scene absolutely. (N. )