Yuri Shevchuk released an album with songs about anxiety and hope

The legend of Russian rock in new intonations

Yuri Shevchuk released the album “Wolves in the Shooting Range”, work on which began last summer. Given the informational background and the almost complete ban on DDT concerts, many expected not songs, but rather manifestos of an alarming time. But nine tracks managed to contain much more.

In short comments about his new disc, Yuri Shevchuk immediately emphasized that Wolves in the Shooting Range is not a DDT album. “The DDT group is in good health, but sometimes the musicians will understand me, I want some other sound, sound, work with other musicians, find new intonations,” Shevchuk said, adding that he worked on the songs for the new release together with producer, guitarist and composer Dmitry Emelyanov.

The decision of the leader of “DDT” to record a solo album seems more than logical. The greatness and musical reputation of “DDT” does not allow releasing just an album under this brand. We need something so significant that it could be a worthy continuation of the band’s large discography. And this significant for economic reasons, of course, implies a big tour, which at the moment is difficult to even dream of.

“The concert in Tyumen was canceled, It didn’t happen in Moscow, we’re moving on, They accused love of treason, What is without money, but less falsehood,” Shevchuk broadcasts in the title song “Wolves in the Shooting Range”, conveying his feelings from what is with him happening here and now. The choice of a comrade-in-arms in the intention to “move on” also does not raise questions. Dmitry Emelyanov is one of Zemfira’s favorite musicians and co-authors (recognized as a foreign agent on the territory of the Russian Federation), which can probably be considered an excellent recommendation. According to Yuri Shevchuk, the musical reference point during the recording was the tube and minimally processed sound in the spirit of the seventies. However, keeping Shevchuk as a musician in one room is not an easy task. Apparently no one dared.

Two songs from the album – the opening “Rodina, come back home” and the closing “Burial of the War” – were presented as singles, and even clips were shot for them. Both tracks generally fit into Shevchuk-Emelyanov’s musical doctrine, but a variety of arrangements are offered between these songs.

The already mentioned titular “Wolves in the Shooting Range” sounds more like post-punk. The song itself is not entirely new, and it sounded at DDT concerts ten years ago. Then Shevchuk dedicated it to Yegor Letov, but now only choruses remain from that song. Bought rewritten taking into account the changed time, which once again characterizes Shevchuk as a poet who does not want to grow into elephant skin, still feels and reacts very keenly to what is happening around.

They decided to interpret “Dances” literally and used a rather frisky beat in the arrangement. “Let’s dance, uncle, and kill us all,” Shevchuk declares, and despite the choral refrain about the banner of love and kindness, the overall feeling is extremely dark disco. “Drone” seems to grow out of a bard song, but the verdict of modern civilization is imposed on the chords familiar to many, in which Shevchuk has always been a master.

“Dron” and “Hope” are probably the most disturbing and hopeless songs of the album, but after them the sun still peeps through the leaden clouds. “Tchaikovsky” with a short quote from the work of the classic and “The Flood” with the participation of the singer Manizhi can be described as pop music, with which something good suddenly happened. Now, when pop music seems to have been driven into a casemate from a certain set of sounds and words, songs freed from marketing considerations resemble beautiful birds that have fluttered free. And Manizha in this situation is certainly a good choice.

The final “Burial of War” would be a great soundtrack for a hippie get-together. “Sing a light song, dude, Sing about love – and it will be so,” are a little naive, but very correct words, including for those whose faith in humanism and goodness is now being severely tested.

It is still quite difficult to imagine the place of this album in the DDT universe. There is no usual, especially in recent times, scale of recordings of Russian rock legends. However, Shevchuk’s lines are still sharp and self-sufficient. In addition, one of the most famous poets and musicians of modern Russia is not silent, which renders his fans a great service.