One of the only Russian rock bands to nurse out a sound that resists an easy comparison with a Western source, Auktyon are consistently and wholly original. They are a legend in their homeland and a cult band in continental Europe where they spend half of their time on tour.

Their sound constantly changes and now?complete with assorted percussion, a multi-reed player, a trumpeter, and a tuba-player?it approaches the tight jazzy arrangements of Charles Mingus or Radiohead?s ?Kid A.? Sure, they?ve traveled from psycho theatrics to lo-fi trickery to Beck and back, but with the constants?vocalist Lenya Fedorov?s crusted-molasses voice, the clearly relished fret buzz, the tragicomic horns, and the truly bizarre stage presence of clowning percussionist Garkusha?still in place after 15 or so years, they are quiet simply one of the most compelling bands out of Russia today.