BARREL DANCE is the debut album from this eclectic Norwegian outfit. Although performed solely on acoustic instuments like violin, accordion, double bass, guitar and suplemented tastefully by trumpet, banjo, dobro and piano this disc both swings and rocks simultaneously. And the musicianship is extremely skilled - there is always clever interplay amongst the group members. The rhythm section of Stefen Remen and Truls Agnar Skjorholm keep the swing and jazzy vibes alive while violinist Line Grenheim complements the swing element with her distinct gypsy-styled playing. The accordion (Roger Antonsen) provides a broad European folk presence. Finally, and most obviously, lead singer (and acoustic guitarist) Bjorn Galdal possesses a voice uncannily similar to a young Tom Waits. That aspect seems to be echoed by many who are familiar with this band but, make no mistake, this is NOT Waits-type music; Lady Moscow creates highly involved and deeply melodic music bearing very little resemblance to the minimalist/cacophonous sounds forwarded by Waits in the last 30 years. Perhaps the most accurate decription of this music comes from a Trondheim source 'Studentersamfundet' which states "..what Tom Waits would sound like if he lived in a jolly living room in Eastern Europe around the year 1900." I wish I'd have said that.
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