Brave Combo Albums (18)
What The Critics Say
Over the years, Brave Combo has applied their patented formula to everything from "Double Vision" (Foreigner) and "Purple Haze" to "Tubular Bells" and the "Theme From Rosemary's Baby." It really should come as no surprise that they're now ready to tackle the classics. Fifteen classical melodies, some known to just about everyone, others less familiar, are given the Brave Combo treatment, and the results are as much fun as you'd expect from these guys. Themes from Mozart, Bach, and Chopin are transformed into polkas, cha-chas, and even a disco song. The best part is that the tunes go beyond being merely kitschy and actually succeed on their own terms, whether you recognize the original melody or not. Box of Ghosts is more good, clean fun from Brave Combo. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
'Kick-Ass Polkas'
Release Date 9/11/2001
Tracks 12
Label Cleveland Int'l
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Just a few weeks after Brave Combo's 1999 Polkasonic won the Grammy for Best Polka Album, The Process hit the record stores. Although band founder Carl Finch saw The Process as a side project of sorts, the album is a delightful testament to his songwriting capabilities. Rather than tackle more polkas and other forms of traditional dance music, Brave Combo broke the mold on The Process and presented a pop album. Although "Why Oh Why" is a polka (a remixed version of a track from Polkasonic), The Process delivers mainly hook-filled pop songs. Still, the band's trademark hard-driving instrumentation that is so prevalent on their polkas permeates most of the songs here, too. "Golden Opportunity" utilizes some elements of polka, but owes more to ska. The reflective "For Me" features soothing background vocals from Stephanie Nadonly. "I Think I Lost Something" is an odd but catchy tune that could just as easily have come from They Might Be Giants. "My Tears Are Nothing" is, for the most part, a cha-cha. "Human" is the album's strongest and most accessible track and is probably most representative of the band's effort to get more airplay. "Nothing Earthly" is the type of lilting, somewhat cheesy waltz you'd hear coming from a carousel. And "Double Vision"? Well, it's no surprise they included yet another irreverent cover of a classic rock song from a '70s band. In Brave Combo's hands, the song becomes a haunting mambo. A definite eyebrow raiser, but then again, the only REAL surprise the Combo could have come up with would have been to include no surprise at all. ~ Ann Wickstrom, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Brave Combo's Polkasonic captures more of the group's "nuclear polka" inspiration. Songs like "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie," "Conchita the Waitress," "Skytrain" and Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" get polkasonic makeovers on this album, which should please fans of this quirky and engaging group. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
'Polka Party with Brave Combo: Live & Wild'
Release Date 4/7/1998
Tracks 12
Label Easydisc
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Group Dance Epidemic'
Release Date 6/10/1997
Tracks 12
Label Rounder
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What The Critics Say
Leave it to a bunch of fun guys like Brave Combo to find their own spin on the group-dance phenomenon with a collection of originally rendered versions of everybody's favorite dance tunes -- and a few more that might not be on everybody's dance card. Perhaps the best thing about this anarchic combo is the obvious relish in playing the music they so clearly love. Originally formed as a dance combo -- albeit a weird, cross-genre, cross-cultural one -- Brave Combo has always been able to find the dance-floor wallop packed into the most unlikeliest of tunes (as they do here on the theme from "Jeopardy" or the beautiful "Mana Vu") and with tongue planted firmly in cheek, they turn in weird and wonderful versions here of such favorites as "The Chicken Dance," "Mexican Hat Dance," "The Hustle," "The Bunny Hop," "The Limbo Rock/Hand Jive" and two different takes of "The Hokey Pokey," one of them done as a heavy metal grind. Never losing sight of the fun aspect of such an endeavor, they end up sounding like the ultimate wedding band from outer space. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide
