{"id":2009,"date":"2021-05-15T01:44:41","date_gmt":"2021-05-15T00:44:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/?p=2009"},"modified":"2021-05-16T22:42:54","modified_gmt":"2021-05-16T21:42:54","slug":"the-fakes-real-thing-live-ep-klub-buda-krakow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/the-fakes-real-thing-live-ep-klub-buda-krakow\/","title":{"rendered":"The Fake’s Real Thing. New live EP from Wroc\u0142aw-based four-piece, a tour-de-force of brooding psych-rock energy"},"content":{"rendered":"

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What is most striking about <\/span>The Fake Live EP<\/i><\/strong>, recorded in the late Summer of 2020 just before lockdown in Klub Buda<\/strong><\/a>, Krak\u00f3w, is how it doesn\u2019t actually sound like a typical live recording. There are various thoughts on the merits of live albums and I sit somewhere on the fence. There are renowned live albums that have struck me hard the first time I listened to them, I think of Neil Young\u2019s <\/span>Rust Never Sleeps<\/span><\/i>, Queen\u2019s <\/span>Live Killers, <\/span><\/i>Rush\u2019s <\/span>Exit Stage Left\u2026 <\/span><\/i>\u00a0That said, there\u2019s a raw immediacy to live music that recording can deaden, smoothen out; extracting, in the process, most of the \u201clive\u201d out of it until you are left with a shallow tinny mess that sounds \u201clive\u201d, but not in the positive sense. This may seem like I am about to embark on a tirade against The Fake\u2019s live endeavours, but, in fact, these songs have really piqued my curiosity; it\u2019s a fine recording of a captivating live performance by the band. I tip my hat to the sound engineer on duty that evening \u2013 Konrad Moso\u0144.<\/span><\/h5>\n

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Honing their trade since 2014 and amassing a dedicated follow in the process, The Fake<\/strong><\/a> are a multi-kulti encapsulation of modern-day central Europe, with members hailing from Norway, Turkey and Poland. The original line up is<\/span> Anil Dursun<\/strong> (bass, vocals); Nicolai Stensland Szewczyk<\/strong> (guitar, vocals); Wojciech Rutkowski<\/strong> (drums). Recently they\u2019ve been rather busy, releasing an EP <\/span>The Fake EP <\/span><\/i><\/a>in September 2018, and later their first full length offering \u2013 <\/span>The Fake Album<\/span><\/i><\/a> \u2013 released by <\/span>The New Thing Records<\/span><\/a> on the cusp of the pandemic in February 2020. It was all recorded, mixed and mastered by Szewczyk. That unusual year offered the band a chance to reformulate and refocus; the welcome addition of keyboardist, Dominik Durejko<\/strong>, sees them explore more diverse and psychedelic soundscapes for their live shows. <\/span><\/h5>\n

[\/nk_text][\/vc_column][vc_column css_animation=\u201dnone\u201d width=\u201d1\/2\u2033 awb_type=\u201dcolor\u201d awb_stretch=\u201d1\u2033 awb_color=\u201d#d8043c\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1621036893401{background-image: url(https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2021\/05\/TheFake_Klub-Buda_Krakow-Music_01.jpg?id=2018) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}\u201d][nk_block_quote vc_css=\u201d.vc_custom_1621034697886{padding-top: 400px !important;}\u201d icon_color=\u201d#ffffff\u201d]<\/p>\n

The Fake are a multi-kulti encapsulation of modern-day central Europe, with members hailing from Norway, Turkey and Poland.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

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\u00a9 All photos by Adelina Krupski Photography for Krak\u00f3w Music<\/span><\/h6>\n

[\/nk_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d equal_height=\u201dyes\u201d content_placement=\u201dtop\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1621035594278{background-color: #d8043c !important;}\u201d][vc_column width=\u201d1\/2\u2033][nk_title like=\u201d\u201d style=\u201d\u201d vc_css=\u201d.vc_custom_1621039325122{padding-top: 35px !important;}\u201d]Live EP at Klub Buda in Krak\u00f3w. August 2020<\/em><\/span><\/strong>[\/nk_title][vc_raw_html]JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZvcGVuLnNwb3RpZnkuY29tJTJGZW1iZWQlMkZhbGJ1bSUyRjR3UzB0WDFUM2RHdHhIZEt3ZWhVM3clMjIlMjB3aWR0aCUzRCUyMjMwMCUyMiUyMGhlaWdodCUzRCUyMjI1MCUyMiUyMGZyYW1lYm9yZGVyJTNEJTIyMCUyMiUyMGFsbG93dHJhbnNwYXJlbmN5JTNEJTIydHJ1ZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93JTNEJTIyZW5jcnlwdGVkLW1lZGlhJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGaWZyYW1lJTNF[\/vc_raw_html][nk_block_quote icon_color=\u201d#ffffff\u201d]The song [Waiting] sees the band relax into their stride with a hectic opening that moulds itself into stoner free-style sonic meandering, before a bridge dizzyingly explodes out of nowhere and we are back where we started again. It\u2019s great fun and, more importantly, you know the band are loving playing it just as much as the listener listening.<\/em><\/span>[\/nk_block_quote][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/2\u2033][vc_single_image image=\u201d2038\u2033 img_size=\u201dlarge\u201d alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row equal_height=\u201dyes\u201d][vc_column width=\u201d1\/2\u2033][nk_text vc_css=\u201d.vc_custom_1621113533290{padding-top: 35px !important;}\u201d]<\/p>\n

The opening track, <\/span>Breathe<\/strong>, <\/span><\/i>was released as a single 2 years previous to this live performance. It\u2019s really intriguing to see how a song can develop and mature over time, building character and expressiveness. Here it has so much more swagger than the studio recorded version, the angrier fuzz bass, the live keys filling out the sonic spaces, tasteful bursts of wah-wah guitar and a nice reverbie-spacey effect on the vocal suiting the dreamy mood. It\u2019s a fine opener with the band channelling their inner Zoroastrian spirit, with the lead vocal chanting \u201cI\u2019ve got Fire, I\u2019ve got Water, I\u2019ve got Earth, I\u2019ve got the Elements within me\u201d<\/em>. They leave the carcass of the original recording on a mountain in Iran for the vultures to pick at. <\/span><\/h5>\n

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Medicine<\/i><\/strong> is the second song from their first full length<\/span> LP<\/span><\/a>. The lyrics echo the cycle of restraint and relapse than many of us have to contend with in life, occasionally surrounding ourselves with people or things that may not always be the best for us in the long run. Yes, it\u2019s often hard to severe the umbilical chord of dependency \u2013<\/span> \u201cBut sometimes I break down, and I need my medicine, I keep falling down, give me my medicine\u201d. Live, it\u2019s slightly faster and more uptempo than the original and I would have pushed the muddy vocals higher in the mix here, but, that said, it\u2019s still a stomping, infectious slice of psychedelic-pop with some lovely backing vocals floating above the ether of the band\u2019s groove.<\/span><\/h5>\n

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The filthy, bluesy grind of<\/span> She Floats <\/i><\/strong>is smothered in Szewczyk\u2019s tasty Cream-era Clapton guitar licks, sublime yet fleeting synth fills, with vocals reminiscent of a tantalising blend of Dave Gilmore and Jonathan Donahue (Mercury Rev), to take nothing away from Szewczyk\u2019s vocal skills and ability to carve his own niche. The stifling claustrophobia of expectation and obligation tears away at the protagonist \u201cI can see her everywhere I go\u2026.she is my destiny I\u2019m told, I\u2019ll only regret it when I am old\u201d \u2013 the perfect lyrical foil for the luscious melodies of the chorus where it constructs a world made of candy-floss and chocolate. The malevolence of the dark lyrics seethe underneath the saccharine veneer.<\/span><\/h5>\n
New instrumental number, <\/span>Waiting<\/strong>,<\/span><\/i> has some great pulsing, diaphragm-shattering bass, while the lead guitar and Rutkowski\u2019s pounding drums combine for an all-out assault on the listener, reminding me of Hendrix\u2019s <\/span>Let Me Stand Next to your Fire.<\/span><\/i> The song sees the band relax into their stride with a hectic opening that moulds itself into stoner free-style sonic meandering, before a bridge dizzyingly explodes out of nowhere and we are back where we started again. It\u2019s great fun and, more importantly, you know the band are loving playing it just as much as the listener listening.<\/span><\/h5>\n

[\/nk_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][nk_gallery_images columns=\u201d3\u2033 images=\u201d2058,2060,2057\u2033][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=\u201d.vc_custom_1621038425442{padding-top: 35px !important;}\u201d][vc_column][nk_text]<\/p>\n

The Fake have their musicianship chops proudly on display, as well as the rumbling discontent and unapologetic angst of rock, but there\u2019s always room to grow \u2013 classical and jazz influences could also playfully coexist within this genre, there\u2019s space for odd instrumentation to come to the fore, and, with a little conjuring, they may even invoke what Robert Fripp calls \u201cthe presence of the Good Fairy\u201d. Closing new number, <\/span>Zeus<\/strong>, <\/span><\/i>haemorrhaging with unnerving zeitgeist, sees the keys take centre stage during the intro. The slow build is violently shattered when the band rip open the heavy Krak\u00f3w summer sky with a meat-cleaver and summon thunder to a challenge. The chorus\u2019s ominous and spectral vocal refrain \u201cHe\u2019s our god, we follow Zeus\u2026almighty god, a gruesome god\u201d, is a real highlight, yet it unsettles me in its apocalyptic yet disquietingly reassuring tone which taunts: resign yourself to your fate. Our apathy empowers our masters as they continue to make \u201cgold from our frustration\u201d. It\u2019s a chilling critique of a society approaching a post-covid impasse, where the new world that awaits may just be as strange and unsettling as the reality we were plunged into, without warning, 15 months ago. Irrespective, live music with a live audience <\/span>will <\/span><\/i>and <\/span>must<\/span><\/i> return to our lives for we desperately need it. I sincerely hope The Fake will come back to Krak\u00f3w this summer to celebrate the release of this record. <\/span>The Fake Live EP<\/span><\/i> has made me realise how much I have missed live music \u2013 I\u2019ll be sure not to miss them if they do.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n

[\/nk_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][nk_gallery_images columns=\u201d4\u2033 images=\u201d2065,2066,2067,2064\u2033][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column width=\u201d1\/2\u2033][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/4\u2033][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/4\u2033][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The new Live EP from Wroc\u0142aw-based The Fake is a tour-de-force of brooding psych-rock energy. Recorded in the late Summer of 2020 just before lockdown in Klub Buda, Krak\u00f3w, it doesn’t actually sound like a typical live recording.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2010,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"The Fake's Real Thing: A Review of the Live EP in Klub Buda | Krak\u00f3w Music Blog","_seopress_titles_desc":"The new Live EP from Wroc\u0142aw-based The Fake is, a tour-de-force of brooding psych-rock energy. Recorded in the late Summer of 2020 just before lockdown in Klub Buda, Krak\u00f3w, it doesn't actually sound like a typical live recording.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[33,98],"tags":[95,28,4,274,272,43,275,39,94,271,273],"class_list":["post-2009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music-reviews","category-new-album","tag-alternative-rock","tag-klub-buda","tag-krakow","tag-live-album","tag-live-ep","tag-live-music","tag-live-recording","tag-psychedelic-rock","tag-rock","tag-the-fake","tag-wroclaw"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-21 19:04:59","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2009"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2079,"href":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009\/revisions\/2079"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krakowmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}