The Ukrainians

• Genre: Balkans/Eastern Europe
• Hometown: Leeds

About

This Eastern European-style acoustic rock quartet was formed in the early 1990s by ex-Wedding Present guitarist Peter Salowka. They combine a driving rock feel with folk instrumentation (fiddle, accordion, mandolin) and pungent close-harmony vocals, and have played everything from Ukrainian (the country, that is) traditionals to an EP of Smiths covers -- the latter providing curious listeners with a new translation for the word "bigmouth," among other virtues.

- Will York