Very much an ‘off the wall’ outfit are these patriotically challenged musicians from the USA called Russia. .
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Russia
ALBUM: Russia
LABEL: Warner Bros
SERIAL: BSK 3414
YEAR: 1980
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Griff Stevens – vocals, woodwinds, railroad springs * Thomas Richard Brighton – guitars, vocals * Richard Allyn White – keyboards, vocals * Larry Tuttle – bass, vocals * Jeff Swisstack – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Fight Back * 02 Who Do You Think You Are? * 03 Nothing To Say * 04 Gotta Get Away * 05 Laughing (In The Face Of Fire) * 06 If I Were You * 07 Out Of My Mind * 08 Poignant Clams * 09 Piece Of Ice * 10 Outer Space Seeds
Background
Very much an ‘off the wall’ outfit are these patriotically challenged musicians from the USA called Russia. .
Originally from Seattle and known previously under the handle of Sorceror’s Apprentice, these boys worked up a cult following in Los Angeles, with Warner Brothers doing the daring thing and releasing the thing under the moniker Russia.
Brave indeed, while musically, the band are brave themselves, with an intriguing style which includes multiple part vocal harmonies and a bombastic approach pulling up at the doorsteps of the likes of The Tubes, Queen, and Storm (Jeanette Chase version).
Followers of fashion these guys are definitely not, just take a listen to their songs, plus their outrageous lyrics, all penned by Griff Stevens. Try this for size from the song ‘Outer Space Speeds’:
Here they come, dressed to the tits, In the height of fashion, featuring multiple sphenoid antennae for winter.. gleaming lithium exoskeletons for summer.Err yeah..
The Songs
‘Fight Back’ opens up the album in a quirky fashion, followed by ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ which though quirky too, has a certain commercialness about it, akin to Trillion for instance.
‘Gotta Get Away’ is musically brilliant, and at the end of the song they invoke a ‘pygmy chorus’. Ever heard that one before? Then they attempt to do a send up of Queen on ‘If I Were You’. I’m sure Freddy would have enjoyed this one.
‘Out Of My Mind’ is another great number, with Jim Peterik sounding keyboards a la Survivor‘s ‘Premonition’, while they give us a musical interlude called ‘Poignant Clams’ which sounds like background music for a nature documentary!
‘Piece Of Ice’ is the standout highlight song for me, rockin’ hard with Russian Cossack chants providing the vocal harmony. In fact, if you listen closely, the Russian style chants are prevalent throughout the album.
In Summary
A great band with an inordinate amount of charm about them.
The band changed names to Force 10 and released another album the following year, thereby avoiding any public backlash from patriotic US citizens not partial to anything Russian.
Yes, good move. I wouldn’t want these boys chased down by a Lynch Mob from Alabama or anything like that. By the way, I’d like to find out from Griff Stevens.. how the hell do you play railroad springs?
Russia on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
