09.02.09
Mumiy Troll press quotes — January 2009
It (Mumiy Troll «Comrade Ambassador») does stand out from the pack of a repetitive music scene and offer something refreshingly different.
Plug-in music
«Comrade Ambassador» is Mumiy Troll's North American debut, and its devilish slickness impresses throughout all proper thirteen tracks. It feels delightfully fresh.
Tom Lynch
NewCity Music, Chicago
Group's new album, «Comrade Ambassador,» sounds like a vodka-chasing mix of Bauhaus and Pearl Jam.
Chris Riemenschneider
Vita.mn Minneapolis
Release ofš Comrade Ambassador, which gathers together songs from the Vladivostok-born band's last two records, signals the erudite outfit's first serious attempt to win over audiences outside Russia to their groovy, glammy sound.
TheStar, Toronto
Mumiy Troll does mix big rock riff with dance pop that's not totally unlike «Seven and the Ragged Tiger» with a little «Highway to Hell» and «The Wall» sprinkled in.
Jed Gottlieb
Boston Herald
The Mussorgskys of metal are famous for merging Russian rock and pop, and they're hoping that their new album, «Comrade Ambassador,» will bridge the gap between the former Cold War enemies.
«Czars of Rock!» -šThe Brooklyn Paper
Mumiy Troll. You don't need to be able to read Cyrillic to understand this Russian band – a fluency in groovy post-punk and edgy guitar rock is all that's required.
The New Yorker
(Comrade Ambassador) drawing international praise for it's eclectic yet catchy, rock/pop sensibilities. Despite the language barrier, fans of the Pixies, Manchester style U2, and the Sex Pistols would be hard pressed find a better magnum opus since Doolittle.
Metromix, Chicago
«Comrade Ambassador» is full of sprawling melodies that stretch themselves out, in no rush or hurry to hit the climax. Frontman Illya Lagutenko's words flow out easily, pronunciations rolling off his tongue and matching the leisurely tone of the music. But the band can push things into gear when needed. Mumiy Troll grab a hold of you with buzzing electronic beats, heavy bass and a catchy melody on «We Overslept» while a creaking, croaking sample sticks out on «Musician» and opening track «Mothers and Daughters» offers an air of intrigue and mystery with a low-key entrance. The easy but insistent melody of «Witnesses» sets things spinning before the band tries their hand at a rather upbeat but acceptable take on the Mamas and the Papas' «California Dreaming.»
Plug-In music
Mumiy Troll are one of the very, very few Russian rock acts we're not embarrassed to crank up with Brits or Yanks within earshot. And Mumiy (pronounced like roomy) Troll might be the worldliest, what with lead singer Ilya Lagutenko's multilingual punning (he's fluent in Mandarin, among other things) and no-translation-needed feline yowl. 2009 brings the band's first attempt to conquer the U.S. in earnest – and seemingly on their own terms.
Michael Idov
Russia!
