Review of The HU

Live at Glastonbury

Album Review

Review by Mick Sayce

If you have read any of my reviews before, you, dear reader, will know about my interest in the Mongolian band The Hu. Combining a mix of ethnic Mongolian and western insturments, their folk rock songs are driven by the pride and reverence they hold for all aspects of their illustrious history, especially Chinggis Qan, known in the west as Genghis Khan. One thing you probably don’t know is that I have a lifelong interest in military history and in particular, the Mongols. Therefore, breaking with tradition a little I have decided to not only review the album but also to give a brief insight into some of the songs themselves. Hope it helps you understand more about Mongol history, culture and music.

Consisting of eleven songs, the album holds no real surprises in the tracks: 1) Shihi Hutu; 2) The Gereg; 3) Shoog Shoog; 4) Eseerin Vasahina; 5) Tatar Warrior; 6) Upright Destined Mongol; 7) Black Thunder; 8) Through the Never; 9) Yuve Yuve Yu; 10) Wolf Totem; 11) This is Mongol. There are also two radio edits, one of Tatar Warrior and the other is Upright Destined Mongol.

1) Shihi Hutu. A raucous introduction leads into a thumping bass and strident guitar before the lyrics start and the instruments take back stage. Shihi Hutu (or his westernised name of Shigi-kutuku) is the most well known of the Great Khan’s civilian staff. He was captured by the Mongols at a young age but eventually was Chancellor to a number of khan’s and was renowned for his honesty and integrity.

2) The Gereg. Another bass drum busting intro with a mouth harp as accompaniment. The growling lyrics shower praise on the warriors who rode hundreds of miles a day to deliver messages all across the empire. The gereg was their diplomatic passport and woe betide anyone who got in their way.

3) Shoog Shoog. Similar to the beginning of Wolf Totem with the chant, the band yell out Shoog which was a shamanistic call to get the gods attention before prayers were offered; prayers for greatness, promised offerings etc.

4) Eseerin Vasahina. A western sounding metal song until the lyrics start. Quite a catchy number that is almost anthemic in its sound.

5) Tatar Warrior. With the voices set to a deeper growl than usual, the heavy drum and bass leads into an almost roaring sound of the vocals. The Tatars, or more commonly The Tartars, were a tribe in what is now Mongolia who were incorporated into the Mongol hegemony under Chinggis Qan. More recently the term has been used to describe various Tatar tribes in Russia.

6) Upright Destined Mongol. Another tune that starts with a somewhat discordant sound but soon develops into the ubiquitous Hu style chant before the lyrics start. This song extolls the virtues and fighting prowess of the Mongol warriors who rode to war under the Black Banner, the banner of war, the White Banner was that of peace.

7) Black Thunder. Slightly slower in tempo than the others, with most of the lyrics sung in a deep low-register throat singing style. Another song about the prowess of the Mongol warriors equating them to rolling thunder as they attacked.

8) Through the Never. A Metallica cover…only in Mongolian. Nuff said.

9) Yuve Yuve Yu. The song that bought the HU to the attention of most western listeners. It is almost a lament on where did the pride of ones ancestors go, almost a plea for the Black Banner to return to restore the country to its former glory.

10) Wolf Totem. Another track that raised western awareness to the band. It is about that no matter who numerous or large the enemy, with the leadership of Chinggis Qan, victory is assured.

11) This is Mongol. Yet another thumping tune that gets the head nodding, hair flying and the feet tapping. Again, the lyrics sing of a better future when guided by the ancestors, including of course Chinggis Qan.

Altogether a great album and if you already have all the tracks on other albums, it really doesn’t matter, this one is a must have even if only for the experience of the HU in front of a huge, live audience.