Traband

Traband, from the Czech Republic, is full of surprises. This is not typical Czech music. Their fourth and probably most manifold album summarizes everything that the band has been through during its almost ten-year existence. A fair amount of music mixes — folk, punk, ska, hip-hop, country and folk — from all possible corners of the world are served here from one cauldron. Traband has not only used the time-tested Balkans and Jewish klezmer in its music, but it has also been inspired by folk music from Moravia, Ireland, Bretagne, Mexico, and Peru.

However, in essence, this musical omnivorousness is nothing more than ordinary, solid songs embellished by what for some people may seem unusual instruments: tuba, trumpet, bass, flugelhorn, clarinet, banjo, accordion etc. Behind the stories, with a tinge of fairytale and myth, the songs always hide some allegory, some resemblance, which refers to the present in space and time. For example the song, "A Rope That Binds Us to Heaven" is actually a simple almost marine song and at the same time a profession of faith. The song, "I Don't Like Dwarfs" is also about citizenship. The song "Stowaway" is in reality about life's failures. —Courtesy Calabash Music