Andre Karpov leans on folk
SFweekly
Blending different types of folk music, if done with at least some respect
for the traditions involved, is usually a good idea. In the case of Andre
Karpov & the Kazaks, it's a great idea, and involves klezmer, Appalachian,
and emo. (What, you didn't think emo was folk music? Sad, slow, and drenched
in vocal harmonies, Karpov's songs are made to sway along with; nothing
that would spill your glass of cheap red, but plenty to inspire overflowing
romantic notions. Charming and handsome, the bandleader tends to set girls'
hearts to fluttering anyway. The band counts Tom Waits and Neil Young as
influences, but neither of those guys makes such good use of the accordion.
Andre the Giant
SF weeklyKarpov is one of those bands: Friends say, "You gotta go see this band. It's awesome; it's so much fun." You don't think about it for a while until someone else says the same thing, and by the time a third person perks up at the mention of a show, you're sold. But you have no idea what kind of music it is. Allow us to help: Headed by tall Mendocinoan Andre Karpov, the namesake act is a little bit country and a little bit Balkan brass band, perfect for your big fat Tom Waits[en]meets[en]Gogol Bordello wedding. The quintet (now celebrating an eponymous CD release) features ubiquitous Mission District bass player Joe Lewis, clarinetist Aaron Novik, Jarrod Herman on drums, and Sam Tsitrin's indispensable accordion. As for Andre, he's got some of the Violent Femmes' Gordon Gano in his voice; he writes songs with harmony whistling in them; he's drunk on violins; and he appears perpetually in desperate love with some lucky person, place, or thing.
Karpov
The OnionBoho is so in... and we're not talkin' Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson style. Karpov, a five-man band that came together in San Francisco, is about as bohemian as it gets. Lead singer Andre Karpov has traveled with gypsies in far-off Euro countries learning foreign folk songs, an inspiration that has come to define the band's style. This multi-instrumental act, which has been compared to other folk-rock bands such as DeVotchKa, combines accordion swells, clarinet whispers, and a little bit of guitar. Come celebrate the CD release party for Soliloquy with opening acts RubeWaddell and JimBo Trout & The Fishpeople.