Varona / A Part Of Your Soul
Album: A Part Of Your Soul   Collection:General
Artist:Varona   Added:Aug 2018
Label:Self Release  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2018-08-19 Pull Date: 2018-10-21
Week Ending: Oct 14 Sep 9
Airplays: 1 1

Recent Airplay
1. Oct 12, 2018: Old Fart at Play
Shells In The Sand
2. Sep 05, 2018: The Library
Tango

Album Review
BravoMarco
Reviewed 2018-08-12
Varona
A Part Of Your Soul
(Self Release)
Reviewed by BravoMarco

Local San Francisco band with plenty of attitude & spirit, after ten years together this is their splendid fourth LP release. Not easy to pigeonhole, which makes the appeal even more wide ranging. Shades of bluesy gothic-ness combined with an Eastern European flavor all blended together with an easy comparison to a Tom Waits-esque grizzle.

Like: The love child of Jolie Holland & Fields of the Nephilim raised by Gori Ussi Winnetou

Impressive release – loving 1,2,3,8
No FCC’s
1) Tango (5.42) Brooding & moving – A lavish mid tempo affair with hints of klezmer combined with the mellower side of early 80’s post punk.
2) Night And Day (3.54) Slow paced charmer with the added spice of waiflike female vocals accompanying the Russian growl of lead singer Zhenya Kogan.
3) A Part Of Your Soul (6.03) Easy paced saxophone led sultriness.
4) I Don’t Want You (1.46) More up-tempo with that Gogo Bordello sensibility. Nice sense of humor to go along with the feel good rhythm.
5) Shells In The Sand (4.05) Anya Kogan takes over the vocals. Light tribal beat on this one.
6) Sun In The Ocean (3.20) Mid paced, yet still delicate – Lyrics in Russian.
7) When You Go (4.44) Atmospheric beginning that’s hints at early Cure tracks yet leads into a flamenco - ska hybrid.
8) Boo (6.10) The scintillating sax & piano make a return in a “Gun Club” & “Spear of Destiny” style offering. After a few listens this becomes addictive.
9) Spring (3.36) Really chilled guitars at play here, the tender & the harsh working together - the last minutes changes gears, leaving a wind swept apocalyptic conclusion – Lyrics in Russian.
10) Ankara (3.20) Something for everyone on this instrumental. Joyful Eastern European up beat sounds.

Track Listing
1. Tango   6. Sun In The Ocean
2. Night And Day   7. When You Go
3. A Part Of Your Soul   8. Boo
4. I Don't Want You   9. Spring
5. Shells In The Sand   10. Ankara