Dmitry Revyakin dedicated a new album to friends

Severe folk-rock from the leader of “Kalinov Most”

Dmitry Revyakin released his solo album “Arrows of Years”, the disc in a matter of days became one of the most sought-after new products on music platforms. The public is hungry for high-quality alternative music with meaning, as its volume naturally falls following the growth in popularity of the single format. Musicians are increasingly choosing to release two or three singles a year, instead of writing entire albums. But the leader of Kalinov Most, Dmitry Revyakin, contrary to trends, is extremely prolific, still giving fans a solo album every two or three years. Last year he released an album with his legendary band, this year he pleased the audience with a solo album.

This is the fourth collaboration between Dmitry Revyakin and guitarist Alexander Badazhkov, starting from the 2017 album Zmeeborets, and each of the four records is not like the previous one in terms of sound and semantic fullness. According to Alexander, who arranges Revyakin’s songs, this is because Dmitry each time comes to him with his new songs in completely different states of mind, so he wants to do something unique, not like the previous work of the artist and the Kalinov group bridge”. Actually, this is what solo albums are written for – to create a musical statement in a style that is different from the main one, loved and expected by the public. When an artist wants to speak in a special way, it is not necessary to break the concept of the main group, you can do it solo.

If the previous solo album Cosmotango was filled with romance and heartfelt stories, permeated with the warmth of the sun, adorned with Mediterranean sunrises, seascapes, a light perception of life and refinement in sound, then Arrows of the Years turned out to be thoughtful, serious and even harsh, despite the daring dance of some songs. The fierce winter landscapes of Siberia and the Urals, wrapped in starry New Year’s dreams, show through the texts. Kamchatka, Abakan, Orenburg, Saratov, Odessa are mentioned. This time, the Yuryuzan River entered the list of hydronyms that Revyakin loves to include in texts. Lena, and Katun, and the song “My Rivers”, in which the musician sings of those very rivers as beloved sisters, come to mind. Musically, the new record most of all resembles the folk-rock of the early Revyakin in a kosovorotka, which once brought success to the artist.

Twelve tracks for this album were written over the past ten years and thematically formed into one collection only by 2023, at the beginning of which the studio work on the disc was completed. According to the musician, they finally got around to publishing them. Each song is associated with a personal event. The compositions are united by the theme of male friendship. Here are the echoes of Cossack stories with military brotherhood, campaigns, “cheese-pine forests”, “bindings”, and the atmosphere of a friendly feast in the songs “We will live!” and “The cloud of the hut”, in which a friendly call sounds: “We quietly wish everyone bread, wine and good.” Songs touch the soul, imbued with light sadness for departed friends and memories of past days – “Forever” (“Who was next to me on the road will remain with me forever”) and “Dream in reality”.

Judging by the tempo and rhythm of the release of new albums, which Dmitry Revyakin has invariably maintained for about 15 years, his “heart creaking of a heavenly pen” does not stop. Following the solo album, the number plate of “Kalinov Bridge” has already been promised. Fans will finally get the familiar atmospheric sound of their favorite band with its measured and lace guitar chimes.

Not everyone is ready to put up with the fact that Dmitry Revyakin continually departs from the “main path” of the group and periodically shows the public “marginal notes” in the form of solo albums, which, of course, should not be compared with the integral and conceptual sound of the musician’s collective. Part of the angry fans in social networks literally attacked the idol with accusations and curses, accusing him of “apostasy”. Indeed, Revyakin’s solo records often sound simpler than Kalinov’s Bridge, although in places they are more dense in sound. This can be taken into account as news from your favorite artist: Dmitry Revyakin, who is laconic in the world, answers the question in his own way: “How are you?” As you can see from the diversity of themes and styles in the albums, things go differently every time.

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 29063 dated July 5, 2023

Newspaper headline:
Severe folk by Dmitry Revyakin