The concept album isn't dead. Croatian
Darko Rundek (an actor and poet whose history includes a stint with punk band Haustor) keeps it alive with this idea of cargo ships moving musicians around the globe. It offers him the opportunity to indulge in a wide range of music and languages (Croatian, Spanish, French, English, and another of his own devising). Much of it is gleefully mad (listen to "Tigidigi Rege," where he creates a weird form of hillbilly culture, or the lounge-ish "Ti I Ja," with his gleeful crooning). Throughout,
Rundek and his core band, along with guests, charge happily throughout it all as if they really don't give a damn. They're having fun and fully expect all the listeners to follow them. And you do, from the hypnotic opening cut of "Ista Slika" (the video for which is appended) onwards. It's irresistible stuff, the kind of thing where you follow the leader because you know he's onto something. You might not know what it is, but you go along anyway, because the journey will be as much fun as the destination. ~ Chris Nickson