Shepherd’s Songs

Under support of Concordia FoundationSt Petersburg group  Zhigulin and Co began its work on the new album Sheperd’s Songs. The group is playing their own type of the acoustic underground with some elements of  folk songs.>>

The translation of poetry and lyrics is an especially complicated
task, these are just a few lines that we found can most easily transmit into English the general mood of the album:
“… Could you take me straight to God’s abode, where my Keeper stands
waiting at the threshold…?”
“… And we will sail upon the sea, we will follow You upon God’s path
carrying the light within our hands…”
“… Without time, without space, without terms and rules. It wasn’t because of promises − He simply left a fresh breeze beyond the window, with sheets flapping on the lines just like children at play, and a sun that flares at its rising…”
” … The eternal light of a beautiful star beckons toward a far-off land; the wise-men travel on, and their tracks remain on the heart…”

An interview with the leader of group Konstantin Zhigulin:

What does the audience think about your works?
Opinions vary… In one of the commentaries to one of our videos on the Internet I read, “Now I know where “folk” songs come from … This is amazing.” Can’t say that I was too happy about this comment, I guess I was rather surprised by it.

So you do not regard yourself as a folk-artist?

Even though there is an element of folk in my music, my works are absolutely personal and unique. And yet the new collection of songs was called Shepherd Songs for a reason, there is something folkish in them…

What meaning do you put into the name of this new album?

The word ‘shepherd’ includes some meditativeness, looking around — intensively searching yourself. I always wanted to write something simple, something that seemingly on its own comes from the very heart. One word goes after another, one phrase after another phrase — like beads on a thread… In the field of thoughts and feelings that come out of the very depth of the soul I looked for means of using the principle “I make it up as I am going.” I tried to minimize the number of obstacles between the heart of the person singing and the person listening to the song.

Each word in a way dictates the following word and you sing, and sing, and sing… The first song that I wrote in this manner was “Marusya” from the album Fables and Tales then another song — “Across the azure sky” from the album Day.

Which song from the new album will keep the log rolling?

Which of them will become a song like the previous ones? Well… I don’t know yet. We’ll see…

All of the main songs for this album were written in one evening. That was amazingly joyful and in itself became a strong impulse for sharing the songs with others by singing them.

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