VILNIUS - Proving that "quality pop music" doesn't have to be an absurd contradiction in terms, Jurga is a young Lithuanian singer/songwriter who has won acclaim well beyond the borders of her home country. She plays regularly in Vilnius, the next concert being at Tamsta Club on April 25.
She recently won the 2007 MTV European Music Award for Best Baltic Act, and not altogether without reason. Jurga's voice is so pure and esoteric, she makes Enya sound like Bonnie Tyler.
Emerging five years ago as a backing vocalist for Lithuanian pop hero Andrius Mamontovas and winning a series of televised music competitions, including something called "Fizz Super Star," she starred in a couple of hit musicals.
Hot off the heels of that she released her debut album "Aukso Pieva" (Meadow of Gold). It was indeed that, and it was reaped to the full to produce hit after hit. The album was a sensation on the Lithuanian pop scene, selling in excess of 20,000 copies 's not bad in a country of 3.4 million inhabitants.
Each of its hits still has the power to perk up radio listeners around the country, in cars and cafes, through corridors and factories. Jurga's debut hit, "Nebijok" (Don't Be Afraid) was played to death on the radio for months, and was eventually voted "Best Lithuanian Song 2005."
Jurga and her backing band worked hard for the privileges of success, playing close to 100 concerts in Lithuania and Latvia in the 18 months following the album's release. She was showered with accolades through 2005-06.
If you'll bear with me, I'll take a moment to describe "Aukso pieva." Who knows, in 100 years' time it may be considered a milestone in the history of Lithuanian music.
It starts off promisingly. The opening title track is gentle jazz without being sentimental, the unusual melody and distant sound of congas perhaps evoking a sense of Eastern longing. The first three tracks wouldn't be out of place on a Cafe del Mar compilation.
Mamontovas produced the album and supplied the lyrics to some of the tracks and, this being Mamontovas, there are frequent references to birds, flying, the sea, etc. 's so far, so breezy.
Then it goes a bit wrong. The fourth track, "Trouble," resorts to an awkward mid-80s soft-rock arrangement as Jurga has a stab at singing in English: "One is a trouble, two is a couple, which often makes troubles out of nothing./People are creative 's that's our native." There's only one other track on "Aukso pieva" in English. Good.
The album takes a while to recover. Heavy seas of synths, dated drum'n'bass, and Bronski Beat-era Euro pop drown out everything until the ninth track. "Geliu takai" (Paths of Flowers) brings back the gentler waves of sound that compliment Jurga's voice so well. The closing "Vakar lijo cia" (It Rained Here Yesterday) is mesmerizing and haunting.
In 2007, that difficult second album appeared. "Instrukcija" (Instruction) didn't quite have the sparkle and innocence of the debut. Like its predecessor it quickly went gold, but it didn't turn out to be a golden meadow of hits.
Jurga's sweet voice is lovely to cushion your head against, and while some of the tracks stick to a stilted jazz arrangement, Jurga's esoteric side is allowed to open up on tracks like "Smelio zmones," released as a single in English as "Sandman's Child." Oh, and the English has improved a lot.
Jurga has polished her live sound through several years of experience playing sizeable Vilnius venues like Galaxy at the Forum Palace. But she should feel more at home at the cozier, more atmospheric Tamsta, where her more mystical songs will hopefully be given a chance to breathe.
Jurga plays Tamsta Club, Subaciaus 11, Vilnius, on April 25.
