Olenka and the Autumn Lovers - Olenka and the Autumn Lovers

By: V. Rachel Weldon

Olenka and the Autumn Lovers
Olenka and the Autumn Lovers

(Oh!)

SOUNDS LIKE: Heartache, contempt and numbing inebriation.

WHY/WHY NOT: London, Ontario's Olenka Krakus, along with her diverse band of Autumn Lovers have perfected a fine balance between Eastern-European oomp-pa-pa, gypsy-tinged drinking songs and a French chanteuse, all with an unfaltering lyrical voice. Krakus' lyrics prod at her Polish ancestry, exploring moral inquiries from her dying planet to life in suburbia, while spinning stories reminiscent of the likes of raconteurs Tom Waits or Nick Cave (who would make great drinking buddies for Krakus and her Lovers).

The diversity of Krakus' individual songs illustrates her ability to transcend genre as easily as personal emotion and experience. For example, on the song "Soldier's Waltz", which suggests a strong sense of self-discovery in a politically tumulus environment, Krakus adopts the purposeful voice of the little Communist that could; while "Ballad of Lonely Bear" intoxicates with raucous energy and an urge to pursue happiness at the bottom of the bottle. The album is rounded off with the powerful "When We Were Children", commencing with light-hearted reflection that breaks into a conscious-gripping environmental plea, tinged with suburban contempt. This self-titled debut is a powerful and heartfelt opus for this upcoming London band.