Brave Combo is the best band you never heard of. To say they are "America's premier contemporary polka band" really doesn't do them justice. Their music covers a myriad of styles and genres: Tex-Mex, rock-n-roll, blues, classical..you name it. The sheer musicianship of its members is incredible.
BC has been around since 1979. I'm almost embarrassed to say I only learned of them about 10 years ago, which is a good story in itself--Dale and I had been dating for a few months and one day he asked if I wanted to go see a "really weird" band he and his friends really liked. Up to this point Dale's musical taste was impeccable (and still is), so I said sure. I had also not yet met any of his friends, so this was to be what I now jokingly refer to as my "trial by polka." The show was great, and I met all the friends and I have been a BC fan ever since. I chided Dale for being worried I wouldn't like polka music...I AM from Milwaukee, aina?
I picked up the new BC album "Polka's Revenge" at their show in August. It has been in constant rotation on my iPod ever since. Every song is great. "At the Polka Fest" is a tribute to making the world a better place through polka music. "Let's Get Going" is a fun song that sounds like the singer is on helium. They changed Bach's "Ode to Joy" into the "Joy Waltz" and they kicked-up The Who's "I Can See For Miles"--even adding some of Sting's "Every Breath You Take" for good measure. My favorite is "Swir, Swir Oberek". I don't know what's going on in that song, but it has one insane tempo. Plus a couple of Polish and Czech songs for good measure.
Check out their site and get yourself one of their CDs.
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