Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Petzapet
Label: Celinka
Release: 2016
Rating: 4/5
Aleš Hadalin is a well-known Slovenian songbird. In recent years he’s dug into the legacy of Slovenian folk music with all claws out. This is the guy who last year put out his new »all-vocal« studio album »Ta tobak je sladka travca«, and since 2009 he’s also been part of the Petzapet singing crew, who are regulars on concert stages but, up to this day, had never recorded and released a proper musical document.
As the name itself hints, Petzapet are made up of five voices: the aforementioned vocal »punker« Aleš Hadalin, plus an equally seasoned foursome of Metod Banko (duo Silence), Tomaž Maher, Neža Peterle and Petra Trobec. A powerhouse lineup of five vocal personalities, weaving together into a kind of vocal macramé. And, as it should be, Petzapet finally got the idea to record one of their live shows on a fine April day last year, and the result is now captured on this audio release.
You can tell the five have been working together for a very long time. It shows in the incredible vocal chemistry, in the expressive power, the expressive reach they squeeze out of their interpretations of the chosen numbers. It also shows in the finely tuned division of roles, in the sensual and earthy strokes of vocal color, especially in how they set up arrangements for flowing vocal harmonies, where, despite the guys outnumbering the women by one, the two sexes go toe to toe on equal terms across the whole album. The band makes particularly good use of the two lower male voices, Banko’s and Maher’s, as an extra instrument too, either just driving the rhythm or filling the gaps with extra vocal bits while the other four take the verses. It’s a logical and really necessary move that adds even more movement to the shape of these reworked Slovenian folk standards, among which there are also some lesser-known gems, revived once again by the ever-unshakable Aleš Hadalin and his detective’s nose. Aleš Hadalin has already recorded some of these songs on his earlier releases. Back then he had to record his voice multiple times in different keys and then stitch the lines together afterwards to build the harmonies. With Petzapet at the helm, these numbers now get a whole new expressive dimension.
Petzapet have tailored a whole landscape of 16 folk numbers to their own musical body! Clever adaptations of the originals, glowing with the sparkling, exploratory fire of a five-voice vision. They’ve reworked these songs with so much mischievous humor that the album »Petzapet« is nonstop fun. The chosen numbers keep the familiar melodies of the Slovenian folk originals, while the lyrics are tweaked here and there in a playful and extremely witty, if not downright lucid, way. No wonder, then, that the crowd who caught the band on April 23, 2015 at Salon za ENO glasbo in Ljubljana went wild.
This document really has just one weak spot: the cuts, the pauses between tracks. Even though it keeps all the liveliness, in terms of liveness and authenticity it’s still not entirely perfect. The repertoire the band played at Salon za ENO glasbo was also longer, and it’s a real shame it didn’t make it onto this release in one piece. As a whole. It would have hit even harder. Been even more captivating. But it’s clear as day that Petzapet absolutely have to be heard at their live shows. In the flesh. Do yourself a favor and go catch one. The band’s heart and humor will fill even the most undernourished soul. Petzapet are true shepherds of the spirit once they get into an interpretation. It casts its spell in an instant, with passion and sensual devotion!
Lineup
Neža Peterle – vocals
Petra Trobec – vocals
Metod Banko – vocals
Aleš Hadalin – vocals
Tomaž Maher – vocals
Production
Janez Križaj & Jure Mihevc
Track list
1. Pa pride dol z graščince
2. Oj, ti uboga šleva pjana
3. Nedela je bela
4. Pojmo spat
5. Magdalenca
6. Mindeš, Mindeš velika vas
7. Bog je ustvaril zemljo
8. Pa je bla ohcet v Kangalileji
9. Ta gor, ta doli
10. Prišli so štirje jagri
11. Jaz bom jene citre küpo
12. Jaz mam pridno gospodinjo
13. Tam za turškim gričem
14. Saki petek jutri
15. Marko skače
16. So ptički se ženili
