Nautilus Pompilus Reviewed

"Wings"
Hunter Music
http://www.nautilus.ru/
2002

This is supposed to be Russian rock, but even the anthem song to rock "Russian Rock" sounds more like a polka, and not even the most energetic one in these days of electric polkas. Out of the 14 songs, one may be 1950s-style rock'n'roll, one soft rock and one actual rock "Sky and Grass." "Live Water" even features a love song with Hawaiian guitar. The rest is experimentation with pop sounds, mostly at low energy levels.

What we long for is the marriage of Nautilus Pompilus lyrics to a real hard rock form or some other high-energy, high-tech sound. A band like Finch could especially benefit, but even Audioslave would be more interesting with Nautilus Pompilus lyrics. The lyrics decry the strong taking advantage of the weak in "Wings," imagine Jesus appearing today and counted as someone homeless and criminal in "Christ" and talk about the foreboding of execution in "Cage" and "Golden Stain."

Judging only from "Forbidden Drummers" and "Nautilus Pompilus," Russian artists have something to say. In contrast, the comfortable Amerikkkan "X Generation" and "Echo Generation" after it haven't had much to say: their most profound experiences are gaining and losing young love and it shows up in their lyrics, which become hellishly repetitive.

We do not recommend this album to our English-speaking audience unless they understand Russian lyrics.

MIM has explained that one might even "like" this music while knowing rationally that there is something wrong with it, maybe even profoundly wrong and evil. Being a Maoist means being a revolutionary scientist and that means having the ability to question everything that we like.

Who are you to decide?

See also our MIM Theory on gender issues

Read Mao on politics in all literature and art