Sejdeme se v Dolly

review by François Couture (www.allmusic.com)

Sejdeme Se v Dolly, Benedikta's first album, is a nice mixture of pop, funk, prog rock, and European folk music elements. The Vánová sisters (Misa on violin and harmony vocals, Petra on lead vocals) lead a bunch of talented musicians, the group's regular three (bassist Jarek Janek, drummer Patrik Benek, and guitarist Honza Kresta) plus a number of guests, including rock guitarist Peter Binder. They are young and enthusiastic, their music varied and light. The opening "Vandrovali Hudci" possesses Sephardic overtones, thanks to beautiful vocal harmonies. "Cihanocka" features a bossa nova feel. "Svekra" comes back to Eastern European Jewish sounds (enhanced by Petra Vánová's alto voice), all the while remaining in pop territory. The funky dance rhythms of "Vojácek" feel slightly out of place, as if the band was trying to be something it is not. On the other hand, the prog rock accents of "V Javorovej Hori" bring it very close to the music of the Polish group Quidam (the bongos keep things from veering into plagiarism). Fans of Iva Bittová and klezmer music will find something interesting here. Sejdeme Se v Dolly is not a transcendent album, but it entertains intelligently.