Emir Kusturica and the No Smoking Orchestra Recorded live at Warehouse C during the 49th International Film Festival of Thessaloniki. The songs of Zabranjeno Pušenje (No Smoking Orchestra) range from punk to rock, quite frequently arranged to feature trumpets and saxophones, adding to the unique sound of the band, along with many samples and soundbites from the period. Zabranjeno Pušenje captured the feel of Sarajevo, its idols and local heroes along with tales of love and loss, in a distinctive and often humorous way. Very visual and cynical, the band's lyrics were progressive enough to show the last stages of Yugoslav socialism (songs "Dan republike", "Srce ruke i lopata", "Abid", "Guzonjin sin"), alternate clubs and gays ("Pišonja i Žuga u paklu droge", "Javi mi") as well as providing morbid hints for the upcoming war ("Kanjon Drine", "Zvijezda nad Balkanom"). Their youthful energy and awareness of their surroundings made Zabranjeno Pušenje much more than the sum of its parts, a band that seemed able to record a great song with ease. |
by Manolis Spanakis
by Manolis Spanakis