The Latvian traditional folk group Vilcenes (female wolves) are the counterpart to the more widely known male singing group Vilki (wolves); the members of Vilcenes, in fact, are the wives of the Vilki. Vilki has always differentiated itself from other folk groups in that the repertoire consists solely of songs about soldiers and war. The group also brings alive the culture of the ancient Latvian warrior. In accordance, the members of Vilcenes sing the songs of the brides, wives and mothers of those warriors from long ago, awaiting their return from the fields of battle.

Vilki has released several albums over the years, and now Vilcenes has a debut compact disc, Karavīra līgaviņa (Bride of the Warrior).

It must be said that both Vilki and Vilcenes see their main mission as attempting to recreate the traditional way of life of the Latvian and Līv tribes of the 10th-13th centuries. They do this by celebrating the solstices, equinoxes and other agricultural festivals, including familial occasions such as weddings and baptisms, as reconstructed from historical and archaeological sources. In their enthusiasm, they have learned to weave cloth, braid sashes, tool leather and smith the jewelry and weaponry to construct the complete wardrobes of their ancestors 900 years ago.

Song has seemingly always been a part of the peoples living in the Baltics, and appropriately, Vilki and Vilcenes have given singing a large role in their attempts at reliving the past. Astoundingly, many folk songs, especially those about war, have survived the centuries relatively unchanged from their original form, thus giving an added authenticity to the endeavors of these unique folklorists.

This unprecedented authenticity, with a focus on warriors and ancient warcraft, sparked interest in the general Latvian public. What started out as a rather private group of families with a shared interest in ancient history has given rise to two premier Latvian folk groups, Vilki and Vilcenes, performing in public both at home and abroad.

Almost all of the 20 tracks on Karavīra līgaviņa deal with the unenviable position of either awaiting your loved one from war or readying your son for war. That said, the songs on this album are mostly quite melancholy, but never “wailing”—true to our stoic, northern sensibilities. One of my favorites is “Lempis,” in which a young woman rides to battle in the stead of five lazy brothers. The songs are sung either a capella or with a minimal accompaniment of drums, whistle, kokle or ģīga (a stringed instrument that usually plays a bass line). The production level is quite simple, which I assume is an attempt at keeping the sound authentic, rather than “mystical” or “new-agey.” One should also keep in mind that the women of Vilcenes are neither professional musicians nor singers, as they themselves are always quick to say.

The CD insert includes all texts to the songs in Latvian, a short description of each song in English, as well as a short narrative consisting of a grandmother telling her granddaughter about the trials of sending men to war (also translated into English). The graphic design of the CD is comprised of photographs of the Vilcenes and close-ups of the members’ beautiful hand-made costumes. I would recommend this CD to those with a keen interest in Latvian folklore, as many of the songs on the album cannot be heard anywhere else.

A new group is taking Latvia by storm. The group’s name is H20 and with its smash hit single “Uzmini nu” achieving frequent airplay during 2006, it seems poised to be one of the dominant groups of the Latvian music scene in the near future. In fact, “Uzmini nu” was awarded the Latvian Music Award for Best Pop Song in 2006, not to mention being No. 1 in the Radio SWH 2006 Top 40, and No. 2 in the Radio SWH 2006 Latvian music Top 15. Quite the impressive feat for these young musicians!

Of course, those awards were for one song . As we’ve seen in the past, a group can write a hit single, but when time comes to write a complete album, it turns out the group was only briefly able to capture lightning in a bottle. H20 released its debut album, also called Uzmini nu, in May and did manage to extend its winning streak beyond one song.

The primary members of the group are Jānis Strapcāns on vocals and Staņislavs Judins on bass and keyboards. The other instruments on the album, such as drums and guitars, are performed by a number of different musicians. The group’s profile on the Web site draugiem.lv notes that the group came into being on March 3, 2003, with its first public performance of the song “Kā klusums kliedz.” H2O has performed a number of times at the Bildes music festival, as well as many other venues this year. Also, currently rounding out the group are Edgars Ansons-Tomsons (drums) and Juris Kalnišs (guitar). The band’s style is melodic rock and reminds me quite a bit of Tumsa, another Latvian group.

While there are a number of songs I like on this album, overall my impression of this album is that it is very… safe, I suppose. No major surprises, just inoffensive pop songs, generally easy listening, but nothing that makes you pause to take a closer look. Notable songs include the aforementioned “Uzmini nu” (for which, deservedly, the band won many laurels), as well as songs like “Cik daudz” and “Kā klusums kliedz,” all very pretty, not to mention catchy. The rest of the songs on the album do sort of blend into each other after a while, making them hard to recall individually.

The album of course has the obligatory song in English, “Gorgeous” with lyrics like “She was shiny and me too,” whatever that might mean.

While certainly a well-crafted recording with a few standout songs, overall it is a very lightweight album, containing very few surprises. Perhaps that is for the best, as nothing here is too jarring or out of place, just simply crafted and harmless pop songs. The production might be a bit too slick for my tastes. Some of the songs could use a bit of an edge to them, but the album does sound good and all the performances are solid. Certainly this is a solid base upon which to build. As these guys mature perhaps they will try to stretch their boundaries and try something a bit more ambitious to differentiate themselves from the similar crop of groups (not just in Latvia but worldwide). I await H2O’s next album, where hopefully the band will flex its muscles a bit more.

One has to admire the palm tree. Even in the most oppressively hot and dry desert weather, it is able to stay green. In Latvian, this concept is expressed as “palmas zaļo vienmēr” (palms are always green), a phrase that is an expression of hope in the face of adversity. This phrase was most likely coined by playwright Venta Vīgante, who wrote a play with the same title. Late last yar, veteran Latvian group bet bet borrowed the title for its latest compact disc.

bet bet, which celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2006, formed in 1991. Violinist and singer Zigfrīds Muktupāvels came over from the defunct Zodiaks. Well-known Latvian lyricist, drummer, music industry executive and occasional vocalist Guntars Račs came from a short stint in Jauns mēness. Rounding out the group at its founding were Uģis Tirzītis on guitar and Aivis Kalvāns on bass, both also formerly of Jauns mēness. Former Zodiaks guitarist Aivars Gudrais also joined the band briefly in the early days. Bassist Kalvāns departed the group in 2006 and was replaced by Andris Alviķis. The group’s lineup as of the recording of Palmas zaļo vienmēr was Muktupāvels, Račs, Tirzītis and Alviķis.

Six years passed since the release of the band’s previous album, 2000’s criminally underrated Ceļš, kuru iet. Though the group was sporadically working on songs, and a few singles did appear over that time, Palmas zaļo vienmēr finally appeared in October 2006. And it was worth the wait—bet bet has once again released a great collection of songs in the group’s own unique style.

One might think that with the musical pedigree that these guys have, they would create epic and complex works, but their work is of a quite different style. From their earliest work—popular songs like “Man vienalga viss” and “Diena”—their songs were simple, catchy and with a touch of humor that is often lacking in Latvian music. One might compare them to the American group the Traveling Wilburys, also made up of respected musicians and performers who recorded music that was deceptively simple with a touch of humor.

One of the songs on Palmas zaļo vienmēr is the tongue-in-cheek “Nekādu problēmu” (No Problems), with music and words by Račs. The song first appeared on the 100% svaigs Nr. 7 collection, released in 2004. A slow and leisurely song about not having any problems and “es nēesmu nevienam sunim parādā” (I am in debt to no dog), it became very popular. Interestingly, the version on Palmas zaļo vienmēr has been completely redone from a musical perspective. It now is much more up-tempo and Muktupāvels adopts a much rougher sounding voice when singing. To be honest, I prefer the original, slower version.

Another plant that grows in extreme conditions is the cactus, and this plant also gets an ode of its own: “Kaktuss,” with music by Tirzītis and words by Račs. No matter what is going on, the cactus behind the window is colorfully blooming.

It is not always Muktupāvels who handles the lead vocals. Račs handles vocal duties on “Uz jauno krastu” and guitarist Tirzītis sings on one of my favorite tracks, “Mēmais kino.” And not all the songs are cheerful. The somber “Kas mani pie tevis tur” asks the questionm “Kas mani pie tevis tur un neļauj prom iet” (What binds me to you and prevents me from leaving?).

A nod to their influences and a fitting conclusion to the album comes in the Latvian version of the Hank Williams song “Jambalaya.” In Latvian it is known as “Džambulaja” (with Latvian text by Alfrēds Krūklis).

The packaging includes all lyrics, and the cover features an odd picture of the band dressed as mechanics in a sea of tires—perhaps an ode to the fact that these “simpler” songs are more intended for the “common man” rather than some erudite musical scholar. Or perhaps it is just meant to be an amusing picture.

Six years is a long time to wait for any album, but it was worth the wait this time, as bet bet has delivered yet another infectiously listenable recording, full of songs that quickly grow on the listener. The band’s sense of humor and also a sense of joie de vivre are evident. The album confirms bet bet as one of the best and most consistent Latvian acts performing today.