Partisans & Parasites

A very politically themed album. And also edgy in a punk way. Very enjoyable

What Daniel Kahn and The Painted Bird serve up here isn't entirely new. Their description of themselves as *"Verfremdungs-Klezmer: Yiddish Punk Cabaret"* might sound unique, but you'll hear echoes of Gogol Bordello, Kurt Weill, The Dresden Dolls, Tom Waits, The Pogues, Oi Va Voi, and even The Tiger Lillies scattered throughout the album. Yet it never feels like a copy. Kahn and his multinational Berlin collective bring enough of their own personality to the mix, helped by the switching between languages every now and then, and the sense that this music grows naturally from the city's cosmopolitan cultural scene rather than being a theatrical exercise. The cabaret and Weimar influences are impossible to miss, but unlike some artists working in that tradition, this feels more authentic than performative. The songs are funny, political, melancholic, and often surprisingly uplifting. Most importantly, they sound like they're being played by people who genuinely believe in them. It's music that puts me in a good mood and make me want to join the revolution

Interesting to hear something else than mediocre American bands.

I applaud the intention and it's certainly different and beats the majority of the uninspiring dross that ends up here but it's not my thing I'm afraid. As someone else mentioned in the reviews this is more akin to a theatre musical soundtrack.

Certainly among the most Jew-y albums I've ever heard. It was interesting. I wanted to like it, especially because he's from my home town, but it came off as sort of kitschy, almost musical theater-like, which I'm not a fan of. I don't know, overall it was just okay for me. 3 stars.

Always appreciate when the list reveals one of my cultural blind spots and fills me in a bit. I’ve heard some klezmer before, but didn’t know the label existed. This was a good listen once I settled in to the mix of protest lyricism against lavish string band instrumentation – some of the tracks run 1-2 choruses too long, but for the most part are equally entertaining and principled. Mixing Yiddish protest music of old with modern artistic sensibilities is a potent artistic platform, and it’s a niche I never would have discovered on my own.

Partisans & Parasites is a modern klezmer album by German band Daniel Kahn, Painted Bird. It is entertaining, but not really special. Comparing it to artists like Tom Waits and Woody Guthrie makes no sense at all. It contains decent klezmer sounds and some other folky/bluesy style songs. The performance and production are ok, but it does not excel anywhere tbh.

June 22, 2026 HL: "Rosen auf den Weg gestreut / Embrace the Fascists", "Six Million Germans / Nakam", "Dumai / Think", "Mayn Rue-Plats/Where I Rest" Enjoyed! A dark cabaret & political folk borscht that would make Tom Waits proud Bonus points for submitting an album (partly) in a language I don't hear all that often (Yiddish)

it turned me onto this artist which is cool. 4s.

Not the usual fare… interesting in both a musical and historical way.

Klezmer, punk rock, folk. Está bien. Un 4.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Yosl ber, Dumai

Some pretty good klezmer

It’s certainly different and an under represented genre, that alone is enough of an argument for it to make the list. Not really my personal taste though, doubt I’ll return to this one.

And now for something completely different...

It was fine

The folk punk soundtrack to a terrifying musical

Not sure what to say about this

Klezmer has never been a big factor in my musical diet, though I don't dislike it. This is solidly performed and clever. A little heavy on the quirk for my tastes. But I don't begrudge the time spent listening to it.

Weird and bad