In his first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2013’sGuardians of the Galaxy,James Gunnproved that a good soundtrack can be as crucial to a movie as any other element. The film’s carefully selected array of ’60s and ’70s pop hits breathed new life into decades-old songs and provided a crucial piece of character for protagonist Peter Quill. He repeated the trick in the 2017 sequel and the 2023 threequel, proving that a good soundtrack isn’t just about providing background music, but can speak to the inner lives of the characters and the world of the film.
Now, over a decade since debuting Peter Quill’s “Awesome Mix,” Gunn has brought that keen skill for needle drops to his new role as creative head of the DCU. This is on full display in theDCU’s first official project, Max’s animated seriesCreature Commandos,which features a rich playlist of mostly obscure tracks that give the series a specific sonic identity. But while there are many bands featured across its seven-episode first season, one band is featured more than any other, making them the unofficial house band of the Creature Commandos.
Creature Commandos
The Band That Gives ‘Creature Commandos’ Its Sound
Arguablythe band that is the most integral to the world ofCreature Commandosis Gogol Bordello, a self-described “gypsy punk” band from New York City with a rotating list of members from around the world. Currently, the band boasts members from Russia, Ecuador, Brazil, and the US, led by the Ukrainian-born frontman Eugene Hütz. Since their debut in 1999, the band has built a loyal fanbase for their energetic live shows and an eclectic musical style that reflects their global roots.Hütz has also dabbled in acting, appearing alongside Elijah Wood in Liev Schreiber’s directorial debutEverything is Illuminatedin 2005, and Madonna’sFilth and Wisdomin 2008.
Their music fuses punk rock with Romani and Eastern European styles and instrumentation, with prominent use of violins and accordions to evoke the sounds of Hütz’s home country.Their songs appear in nearly every episode of the show’s first season, soundtracking some of the series' most high-energy sequences, like The Bride’s centuries-long fight with Eric Frankenstein in episode two, or Rick Flag and Eric’s brawl with Clayface in episode six. Their presence is so crucial, in fact, thatGunn and director Sam Liu even took the time to have them appear in animated form during that episode two montage. Given the time and resources it must have taken to animate that sequence, this couldn’t have been a casual decision.
Gogol Bordello’s music is an ideal fit forCreature Commandosfor a few reasons. Most obviously,its Eastern European flair easily evokes the setting of much of the series, the fictional country of Pokolistan, a place inspired by real-world embattledEastern European nations. Its eclecticism and global fusion makes it an effective complement to the Commandos themselves, a ragtag group of misfits whose individual powers combine to create something bigger. And naturally, its punk energy underscores the Commandos' penchant for destruction and their middle-finger attitude toward authority.
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‘Creature Commandos’ Musical World
Beyond Gogol Bordello,all the music chosen forCreature Commandosfits this template, drawing from world music, Romani, and cabaret styles to craft its sonic identity. The show’s theme song, “Moliendo Café” by the Romani Balkan brass band Fanfare Ciocǎrlia, melds the Romani influence with a sound that leans towards Mariachi music with its prominent brass section. Other songs like Firewater’s “Hey Clown,” heard in the final moments of episode six, draw from a similar musical well as Gogol Bordello, with a scrappy kind of punk energy that feels like a fight could break out at any moment.
Other musical cues throughout the series speak to the inner lives of the characters, or complement certain character-defining moments. Episode three, “Cheers to the Tin Man,” centers around the repurposed Nazi-killing machine G.I. Robot, and his climactic moment of zen mowing down the Sons of Themyscira is soundtracked by the Dresden Doll’s “Coin Operated Boy,” a jaunty cabaret tune that provides a counterpoint to the brutal violence while also feeling like a perfect song to represent the sweetness underpinning G.I. Robot’s murderous programming.
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Other songs effectively mine the psychology of the characters,acting almost as their inner monologue.The season finale, “A Very Funny Monster,” explores the backstory of Nina Mazursky, from her childhood as an outcast to her years as a teenager bullied by her peers. During one flashback sequence, Nina is picked on and shunned by her fellow private school students, leading her to leave home and seek a life in the sewers. The sequence is set to The Dead Brothers' “I Am All I Got,” a song about not being able to depend on anyone but yourself, which perfectly underlines Nina’s isolation and her decision to go it alone.
James Gunn has proven time and again that he understands the value of a good needle drop, andCreature Commandosis just the latest example of this ethos in action. No doubt while fanswait for season two, Gunn’s upcomingSupermanmovie will have plenty of great musical moments all its own.
