The Soul of a society

By

Chris Henniker

Detroit has the reputation as the soul music capital of the world, but never has its influence ever been associated with anywhere behind the Iron Curtain. There is one exception:  Marta Kubisova. Miss Kubisova’s soul recordings between 1966-70 have been collected in a charming little compilation, “Ne! The Soul of Marta Kubisova”, by Vampisoul Records that captures the mood of Czechoslovakia undergoing dissent. When people wanted society to open up, the popular music captured the feeling by its utter lack of propaganda. Although I only know a few words of Czech, you can’t imagine the principles of Socialist Realism fitting the funky organs and melancholic brass straight out of Oke, Stax or Atlantic studios, can you?

When I bought it, I was unsure what I was getting into. I saw the words “fuzz Guitars” on Rough Trade’s description, which is reassuring, but anything for a fiver I guess. Well? I was expecting Eurovision type dross, but it’s no different to any American soul album. If there were any mods or skinheads behind the Iron Curtain, they would be cutting a rug to this.  Except her version of the Hare Krishna chant is catchy and unexpectedly kitsch. In a society where religion was suppressed, it’s almost Eurovision quality is somewhat defiant in the face of the tanks that rolled through Wenceslas Square. It sounds like those naff nonsense songs you get in the Eurovision Song Contest, like Bim Bong Bombi Bang, but it’s even more challenging given Czechoslovakia was a Catholic country under the yoke of Russian colonialism. The events of the Prague Spring make the psych-folk Ballad of The Soldier and the Girl feels all the more poignant. It feels like a tragic tale of lost love and yearning.  Even the ending feels sitar-like.

The more upbeat numbers like the Beat/Blues number Na Co Te Mam could be  British Invasion classics if English was a Slavic (as opposed to a Germanic) Language. It does feel like it goes into kitsch at times, but the soul influences are far too strong for it to do so. The closer sounds like Astrid Gilberto with its Bossa Nova beats and is ideal for a hot summer’s afternoon in Rio, overlooking Copacapana Beach with a Rum and Coke. Beats huddling for bread in a shortage economy, doesn’t it?

Like I said, it’s a charming compilation that captures the spirit of a time when people wanted change as well as one girl’s talent. She was even tipped for international stardom, until the regime banned her as an instrument of American imperialism. It’s a true document of history, which gives a glimpse behind the Iron Curtain and the soul of a society that wanted to get funky.