Qazaqstani Czechnopop?

Anyway, the closest I could find. This is Ulitau, or Ulitay, and this is such a trainwreck of goofy music styles that you have to see it to grok the absurdity of it. So enjoy already.

There's dogs in it, too.

This not Borat

More hilarious standup from the real Kazakhstan.

For those of you who have played the Myst games, like Riven, doesn't this guy look like one of the D'ni tribesmen, albeit wearing a western business suit?

Kazakh new age

Aside from boy bands, the Kazakh record industry appears to be pushing a lot of new age stuff like this. Asylbek Detstvo Balalyk must be Kazakh for "smooth jazz on exotic instruments with skinny necks," and if there's a GRP or Narada type label in Central Asia, no doubt they're pumping junk like this out. The video is interesting, however. Part way through, a Communist Studebaker appears momentarily (not as cool as the pink Chaika in that Bangor vid, though). The storyline is pretty sappy, and the music is pure Yanni-style sonic wallpaper.

Most of the Kazakh music I've found so far is just uninteresting. Neighboring Uzbekistan makes music that's far stranger; maybe having a dictator who boils dissidents in oil keeps musicians on their toes. And even Turkmenistan, with its goofy dictator Sapurmurat "Turkmenbashi" Niyazov and his state-enforced personality cult, is coming up with music that has an acceptable level of weirdness.

That said, dictators suck. Especially our very own Jethro Mussolini.

Florish my Astana

More Borat fallout. Here is a travelogue that will take eight and a half minutes from your life. It looks like something you might see on closed circuit at the Astana or Almaty Best Western. It looks nothing like the Kazakhstan in Borat (which was filmed in Romania), but like a Sovietized Muslim version of Dallas-Fort Worth. Kazakhstan, The world's nnth largest country. Promising future. Welcome to Kazakhstan.

(Oh, and I've been looking for interesting music vids, but everything I've found looks like Kazakh versions of NSync, the Backstreet Boys or 98 Degrees. It would appear the poor young Kazakhs are getting the worst of the Western swill overspill. If I find anything worth posting, I will.)

Kazakh, "freestyle"

Borat may be pretty funny, but here's a look at what passes for comedy in Kazakhstan. I had a hard time understanding these jokes, though.

New Kid of the Borat Bloc

Just saw Borat - The Movie tonight. It very funny, make fun of life in beautiful Kazakhstan. Here is group from my home country call Bangor after city in Maine, which is Appalachia with lobster. Note big pink car, which is either Chaika limo from Rossiya or 1956 Lincoln, cannot tell. Must consult auto expert Bob the Merlis on this. Music is Jive Record circa 1999.

Enjoy.

The 1970s.

Can you dig it?

Accordiony i hooterslava?!?

I can't help myself. Here's more Atomik Harmonik, a Slovenian Eurovision combo that's so relentlessly sunny it makes Mentos jingles sound like old Throbbing Gristle records. You've got your hootskis, your accordions, plus people prancing about in ethnic costumes in Slovenia, which looks like it's probably as pretty a country as Croatia. How can you miss?

Czechnopop fix du jour: Atomik Harmonik

This Slovenian polka video has it all: cute girls, pee-pee jokes and a rousing beat. It's like a wine cooler ad from the disco era, but with accordions and stuff.