Grazhdanskaya Oborona-Nekrofiliya (1987)

Grazhdanskaya Oborona-Nekrofiliya (1987)

“I do not like Moscow life. You live here not as you want to live, but as old women want you to.”

Alexander Pushkin

By: Ghost Writer

Recorded in the year of 1987, Nekrofiliya might be Yegor Letov particular view of the communist state he hated so much and a nostalgic view of a communist dream that was really never achieved, after all, I guess Russian people really wanted communism, but not the sick and degenerated authoritarian one imposed to them, but an utopian vision that was never realized.

As it must be expected Nekrofiliya is another piece of abrasive low fidelity Russian rogue punk rock, and this time Letov vision is not far removed from what punk rock was supposed to be, rock against oppression and I guess few bands were as oppressed as Letov band Grazhdanskaya Oborona, or GrOb as it was common known (a term close to "grave"), Letov and his cohorts were often treated by KGB, their recordings were mostly secret affairs, recorded mainly by Letov in hidden locations, while concerts took place in underground places, far from the common public, with Letov living like a runaway and a nomad in order to stay away from the cruel state police.

And Again in the Dark might be a direct reference to those secret recording sessions or perhaps to Letov runaway life, it’s a direct and fast piece of punk rock drenched in noise and distortion with Letov's subtle use of melody, inherited by Russia long tradition of melancholic music, while Changes in the Weather is a political parable with a more militant beat as companion, at this moment, Letov, as his idol Bob Dylan years before, was quite aware that things (or the weather as he likes to put it) were a-changing.

In Fuck, Letov begins with a glimpse into Dadaist rock, interrupted by furious blast of noise, keeping curious quiet-loud dynamic that showed that in a way Letov was quite aware of what was happening in the U.S. Underground scene of the 80s, that before Kaif or More sent all of us in a trip right to 60s rock, another big influence in Letov, perhaps thanks to his more famously known jazz playing brother.

But brutal radical punk rock is Letov main weapon of choice and in a place like the USSR on the 80s, a sing titled KGB Rock was not a thing to take easily, as against Letov risks it an all frontal attack towards the authoritarian stated he pretty much loathed and despised and although he looked more like a Deadhead than like a punk rock, he shows more bite and punk rock snarl than the legendary John Lydon on the title track which somehow defiantly dives into pure noise rock against showing a tremendously wide range of dynamics.

As I have written before, Letov had a quite amazing ear and a two faced approach towards music, As it is shown in Through a Hole in My Head, showing a more introspective approach in his music and going more expressive in his vocal delivery with a more nostalgic side that Letov developed from listening to Russian traditional folk music, a stance he takes again on the beautiful and despairing Tram.

Letov end this amazing record with two loud blows to the system, the intense noise rock of Wave of Patriotism which musically and lyrically opens a window and exposes us to Letov reflections toward soviet decadent nationalism, and then We Are Deeply Fucked, again mixing radical noise, Beefheartian dynamics and Letov despairing vision of the country he lived so much under the political system he despised so much.

The album's closer, What Do I Care, sound very punk rock in its title, but is a gentler theme that the former two, lead mainly by bass and jangly guitars and featuring perhaps the best melody created by Letov in the record.

Nekeofiliya is another monumental document of the exciting and little known career if Letov and gia legendary underground band, more punk perhaps than most of the punk rock we have heard, Pussy Riot? Nah, Letov was Russia true revolutionary punk rocker.