Mogstars: 9 out of 10Some years ago “Gypsy punk!” would most likely be an insult, but thanks to the crazy crusade of Gogol Bordello and their charismatic frontman Eugene Hutz it is now one of the most exciting musical genres around. Combining everything from reggae to Cossack the multi-cultural band are constantly re-writing the musical recipe book. After breaking the mainstream with 2005’s Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike and an endless stream of high energy shows the troubadours are back with their new studio album, _Super Taranta_. From the opening growl and accordion burst this is unmistakeably Gogol, no-one else could be so mad-cap and so anthemic. Once again Hutz does not produce lyrics, but rather a lesson in his own personal philosophy. Two verses into the album, “There was never any good old days/They are today, they are tomorrow/It's a stupid thing we say/Cursing tomorrow with sorrow” seems to sum up the punkster’s honest attitude to life. _Wanderlust_ is another celebration of his hectic lifestyle that has seen him travel from Chernobyl to California, name checking such things as “trans-Siberian sex toys” whilst providing the truly chantable choruses that make this band what they are. _Xina-Marina_ continues in a similar vein while _Supertheory of Supereverything_ combines the closest Gogol get to a melody with some rousing Cossack call-and-response and witty lyrics. The international feel of the album is built by the semi-title track _Harem in Tuscany (Taranta)_ which takes it’s lead from a traditional Italian folk song , albeit transformed into a piece of pure punk power and backed by the scarily ecstatic screams of Pamela and Elizabeth. Following the soaring accordion of _Dub The Frequencies of Love_ Gogol return to their habit of pillaging their own back catalogue, with an updated version of _Strange Uncles from Abroad_ (previously found on the _East Infection_ EP) while _Tribal Connection_ is eerily similar in content to _Punk Rock Parranda._ Yet both tracks are executed with such unique panache that Hutz and the crew can be excused for repeating themselves. _Forces of Victory_ is Gogol at their forceful best, and also includes the best executed reference to Pinochet you’ll ever hear in a song. _Alcohol_ comes as a slow burning ballad and a much needed rest from the brakeneck speed of the rest of the album, yet things are soon brought back to normal with _Suddenly…(I Miss Carpaty)_ the most ostensibly gypsy track on the record. The album closes with the gloriously anti-patriotic _Your Country_ fabulously mad _American Wedding_, which asks what we’ve all been thinking for some time: “Where is the vodka? Where is marinated herring?” in it’s scathing attack on American nuptials. Despite remaining very much a Gogol album _Super Taranta_ seems quite different from the bands previous records. Gone are the shouted slogans, designed to spread the Hutz revolution through out the globe, replaced by a more measured and controlled lyrical style. This is not to say they’ve lost their edge however, they just seem more measured. The inimitable frenzy of Bordello still shines through, as well as the slightly scary barbarism of the Caucases. Throughout this record the band are musically at their peak; Sergey (violin) and Yuri (accordion) pull off riffs that are too fast to be human, while the Hutz’s growl and the girls’ shrieks create the ultimate vocal ensemble. _Super Taranta_ is a feast of musical styles, dragging you round the world with it’s tones and beats, it is a testament to the band that this never creates the effect of being too much at once. Fronted by a man brought up on smuggled LPs, Gogol are punk in it’s most pure form, experimenting with whatever they can find, creating anthems rather than songs. True, a record could never capture the full force of their possessed-chicanery, but even at half power they are a force to be reckoned with.