Music is the Ultimate Souvenir
Going to bring it down a notch and talk about something a bit lighter than kidnappings and almost getting jacked for this week’s post. I want to talk about music. It’s something that’s always there; wherever you go, whether you are paying attention to it or not, it’s there.
As a music enthusiast and sometimes DJ, I happen to pay a lot of attention to the sounds around me, especially when I am out traveling. What better souvenir to bring back with you than a new favorite song from some random band from a far off land? Things like ACL tickets for example, would make a great gift for people who love music. Music also has the ability to evoke feelings and memories in a way that nothing else can. I just love it when I hear a song that reminds me of being in a certain place or period of my life.
But back to the lighter side, I thought it would be fun to share with you a few gems that I’ve acquired over the years from some of the countries I’ve visited. Some fun stuff to listen to and make your move over the hump an easy one (Wednesday is still considered “Hump Day”, yeah?).
Lithuania
My discovery from Lithuania was actually the inspiration for this post: Golden Parazyth. This is probably the most serious video here. Serious in that I seriously respect them and listen to them all the time. They classify themselves as a mix of indie, electronic, synth-pop music – I just did a sweet interview with them. You should check it out.
This video brings back so many memories…the girls I was Couchsurfing with in Vilnius were the ones who showed it to me and still post it on my Facebook wall every so often just to remind me that I need to get back there ASAP.
Sweden
I could do an entire series on music finds from Sweden (they are after all the third largest exporter of music in the world), but I wanted to share with you one of the more ridiculous for now: Günther.
Warning: this video is pretty outrageous – parental discretion is advised.
He’s so bad, he’s actually good. And what’s even more amazing is that I just learned he lives in the same city as I do and that there have been frequent Günther sightings within the past couple of months. I gotta hang out with him!
Moldova
Did you think one post would go by where I wouldn’t end up talking about Moldova? This one is kind of cheating because I actually first heard about them when I was in Sweden watching the Eurovision contest last year: Zdob si Zdub. I actually voted for them because I was so blown away by their performance (actually, it was their hats).
Unfortunately, they didn’t win but it didn’t mean that was the end for them. No way. They are HUGE in Moldova and have been for a while. Imagine my delight when within the first hour of being in the country I came face to face with this poster:
Japan
One word for you: karaoke.
It’s one of my favorite pastimes and nowhere do I have more fun doing it than in Tokyo with my girlfriends.
Aside from being in one of the most awesome cities in the world, karaoking in Tokyo also gives one the possibility to hear ALL KINDS of interesting Japanese jams. This is one of my favorites by a pretty well-known group of men: Rip Slyme. Parental discretion also advised.
Serbia
This last one needs no introduction or explanation. I was assaulted by this video sometime last March when I was in Belgrade. My friend there wanted to bet me that Serbia had some of the most horrific “pop” videos in the world. I really didn’t believe him so I accepted the challenge.
Needless to say, I was wrong. Meet Dara Bubamara.
Hope you enjoyed some these. Maybe there’s one you’d like to share? I’m always in the market for some fresh international jams to put on my iPod, or a good laugh.
