Fans of alternative music are in for a treat because St. Petersburg band Messer fuer Frau Muller (Knife for Mrs. Muller/Nosh dlya Frau Muller) has re-released the album "Allo, Superman" (Hello, Superman), which first came out in 1999.

Messer fuer Frau Muller emerged out of the band "Bukva O" (Letter O) in 1991. They chose an alternative music style – punk rock with a touch of psychobilly and hardcore, incorporating some amusing melodies. And their ability to combine different musical styles in a humorous way is as strong as ever.

Elements of ordinary Russian pop, hardcore, jazz and even rock ‘n' roll can be heard in every track, along with movie themes, quoted phrases from Russian and Western films and the voices of movie stars. The band members have managed to combine the seemingly uncombinable so effectively that the listener gets swept away by the music.

They aren't afraid of making use of every possible sound from industrial din to, literally, animal sounds, as in the song "Iris Kis, Kiss," where the band gives lessons on how to meow properly. Fans who can't go a single day without saying goodbye to everything and everybody should listen to "Adieu Yahoo," where the refrain is repeated again and again. Several of the songs seem to have been recorded with ritual shamanistic dancing in mind; you just can't listen without feeling a strong desire to build a fire and dance around it savagely – the song "Koshmary" (Nightmares) is a perfect example of this.

Admirers of the odd and inscrutable will adore this album, which could be listened to at a wedding or a funeral, and be great either way.