The three musketeers in fact numbered four. In the same way 3fo3 (which reads as “three fotři” – a play on words since ‘fotr’ is an unflattering term for father) is made up of four members. To the founding members of Bombarďák, Michal Dalecký, Jiří Jelínek and Filip Nebřenský, Matěj Pospíšil was added as a kind of d’Artagnan. However otherwise everything has stayed the same. Bombarďák – or rather the lyricist Jiří Jelínek – speaks to kids with a dynamic language full of fashionable and modern expressions. In the space of very brief songs (on average under two minutes) they are able to tell humorous tales full of wordplay and situational humour. One song follows on from another, mostly upbeat, with speaking as well as singing, on the borders of song and theatrical sketch, but all fitting together well.
Just to describe all the clever ideas goes beyond the possibilities of one article. Taken at random we can mention kapesníky (handkerchiefs), of which one is “hepčí” (which translates as “a-choo” which is of course what it does!”), a tale of a father who is an alien because he uses terms like contemplation or apocalypse, and a dialogue between grown-up scouts in song that will perhaps amuse parents more than their kids. It seems that this time Bombarďák is not just aiming at primary school pupils (even if plays on words like “emo” and “emu” are aimed at youngsters), but can also score with listeners who are just as bearded as the members of the group. After all while today’s kids cannot recall the singer Zich, dads (and of course mums) immediately link the rock’n’roll rhythms and vocal colouring of the late singer with the catchphrase “Je to parada” (“it’s great”).
In some topics Bombarďák slightly repeat themselves – for example in Ryby (Fish), or where they develop or shift ideas from the song Datel (Woodpacker) from a previous disc. Once more we go with the group to the zoo (previously Čardáš, and now Emo). And the play on the word “ska” is not completely original. That does not change the fact that the gentlemen of Bombarďák are not only masters of the art of brevity when it comes to lyrics, but at the same time they are able to dress the song in decent modern costume. Here there is reggae, ska, folk, rock, disco, hip-hop, pop and even punk and once more it all works together. One song follows another absolutely smoothly, without the album losing its way for even a moment. And at the same time the songs not only do not resemble each other but even despite their shortness they also develop. An example is Tichúčko (which might translate as “Stealthily”), in which Eben-like passages (including vocalisation that is truly like that of Marek Eben) alternate with more rhythmic parts like those of the group Hm… (yes, Filip Nebřenský) and from which follows a fatherly recitative. The album deals with the theme of fatherhood at various levels. For example the delicacies that dad knows how to cook (“spaghetti with ketchup, ketchup with spaghetti”)…
I have already previously mentioned that in the field of songs for kids Brno’s Bombarďák, with their common Czech and occasionally overdone ‘street’ grammar, represent the opposite of the cultivated Czech of Zdeněk Svěrák. At the same time the songs are at least as funny and in musical terms more interesting than the Uhlíř-style synthesizer. Already for their combination of balanced music and text Bombarďák are worth following. Even if some of the themes are slightly repeated.
Bombarďák – 3fo3, Publisher: Indies Scope 2017. 19 pieces, total length: 37:10
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