The concept of Ukulele Orchestra jako Brno is not original. The group’s third album convinces us, however, that music played mainly for fun can have overlaps and that it is possible to discover interesting connections in it even after repeated listening.
As a critic and as a listener, I have a problem with revival bands. That means those who replay U2, Led Zeppelin or Lucie so that it sounds...like U2, Led Zeppelin or Lucie. I argue that in their case the slogan "Music is Best Live" does not apply and I prefer listening to a recording of the original. However, bands that push the original farther are something else. Several years ago, for example, I enthusiastically applauded the Hungarian band Jugging Stones, who played Rolling Stones acoustically and in the style of blues, in the Stará Pekárna club. Music is moved forward similarly by the Brno band Ukulele Orchestra jako Brno. In their case, however, it is not a revival or a cover band focusing on one original band, but a project that alters various things as it pleases. Just like bluegrass bands take over songs by Sting and Paul Simon, jazz musicians play Nirvana or ABBA – and not to mention the Beatles – why could not eleven ukulele players with one drummer and one bass player interpret, for example, hits by Patti Smith, Elvis Presley or Pink Floyd?
The concept of Ukulele Orchestra jako Brno is not original. Ukulele has become popular recently – a solo album was played on ukulele by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Šárka Adámková from the Czech band Sarah & The Adams has started to play it and Jiří Dědeček plays it to accompany new songs for adults and children. Whole bands consisting of ukulele players have been formed in the world and even in the Czech Republic the more rock Ukulele Troublemakers play alongside the Ukulele Orchestra. Ukulele Orchestra jako Brno, however, has released their third album, which is – if nothing else – a sign of viability. The concept remains the same: to make a mix of world hits of different genres and from different periods (currently ranging from Elvis to OutKast) and to offer them in a purely acoustic form with the characteristic sound of the ukulele. And as a band they use a wide variety of plucked string instruments – from soprano to baritone ukulele – and benefit from the different colours of voices of individual members-singers.
The result does not sound bad at all, at concerts the band is able to attract and entertain the audience; however, it needs something more to conserve it on a CD. And the Brno ukulele players have succeeded only in some songs. Mostly the solo parts of Karel Heřman, a charismatic singer of Čankišou, lose part of their charm without the visual contact. But maybe it is because in my opinion Karel's voice best suits the invented language of the Čanki people than the English of the band the Kinks. Elvis Presley performed by Paul Holland sounds nostalgic, down to the edge of parody. And Santana's Latin Black Magic Woman sounds pleasant performed by the Ukulele Orchestra but it does not significantly alter or develop the original. Similarly, without much thought, the band rushed the opening Start Me Up (by Rolling Stones) and Break On Through by The Doors.
On the other hand, I commend how the band played with the synthesizer music of Tears For Fears (title Mad World), interesting is the falsetto-sung Breakfast In America by Supertramp and pleasant is also the Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen. An absolute original is then the alteration of the notorious Because The Night by Patti Smith, which sounds like it was first reinterpreted by Depeche Mode and only then did the Brno ukulele players take it over from them into acoustic form. The cool choirs and work with bass are, after all, decisive not only for this song. By the way, the bass is more important than the ukulele in a number of songs on the album. One example is Psycho Killer by Talking Heads and another familiar song, Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd – even in that case the Brno artists have succeeded in coming up with an interesting cover version which does more than just entertain. And Here Comes The Sun by the Beatles? It is a song whose performance really shines throughout the album.
It is not possible to subject a band that has a predetermined concept, has re-worked dozens of well-known songs according to the same template and takes pride mainly in live performances to strict qualitative standards. However, with their third album, Ukulele Orchestra jako Brno convince us that music played mainly for fun can have overlaps and that it is possible to discover interesting connections in it even after repeated listening. In that, the South-Moravian ukulele players can be a great role model for all cover bands and revival bands.
