Aleksandr Bashlachev Essentials

Few Russian musicians channelled the fire and poetic lyricism that typified Aleksandr Bashlachev's recordings. With the raw power of his words and a guitar in hand, he laced his performances with visceral, reflective tales that shook the legendary Leningrad Rock Club as hard as any of the era's other raucous outcasts. He elevated lyrical storytelling to a virtuosic art, weaving together literature, social commentary and satire. The rapid-fire monologue on the punky "Liho" and the whispery "How The Winds Fall" are some of his most powerful songs.