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Richard LaVallierehas traipsed through a few musical genres since his pioneering Milwaukee punk and post-punk bands, TheHaskels and Oil Tasters. The name of his latest band offers a clue as toLaValliere's unforgotten Brewtown roots. Brooklyn, N.Y.’s Polkafinger revives theidea of melding Eastern European folk dance music to punk sensibilities.
That idea has beenmanifesting in various guises since the early ’80s, but singer/bassist LaValliereand the two women accompanying him on keyboards and drums get especiallycrazed, and occasionally puerile, at fusing their constituent elements into afresh approach. Pump organ and celesta tones wail alongside percussionpossessing the ferocity of ’80s hardcore, klezmer and regional Mexican duranguense.
Songs about Internetporn and unattended luggage aren't apt to give the 'Finger a mainstream polkafollowing, but oldies and originals concerning favorite topics like sausage andbeer could make it happen.
