Just another Chicago-based band that fuses punk, klezmer and a lot of eastern European and Middle Eastern ideas. 'Cause, y'know, Chicago. Actually, the basic truth of that sentence is why, despite the passing of Steve Albini, Chicago remains the spiritual center of American weird music.

Fugu Dugu Bucky Wanko and the Legend of Baba Yaga (self-released)

Weird is kind of a catchall for music that encapsulates a wide variety of musical traditions, schools and ideas. It makes perfect sense that Mekons moved there 30 years ago (even if there is more of a Mekons diaspora these days). In any case, Fugu Dugu is based around the songwriting of Madame Broshkina (Olya Prohorova) and Bucky Wanko (almost certainly a performing name as well), and the band is very careful not to repeat itself. Prohorova is a fine violinist who can switch to a fiddle style mid-measure. And Mr. Wanko has all the goofy frontman energy necessary to pull off this high-energy assault.

The third song is You Should Be Dancing", which is pretty much the connective tissue of these songs. Perfect for combat boots or ballroom slippers, these sinuous tunes never let up their insistent rhythms. Is it silly? At times. Dancing is a joyous act, and joy overflows in these songs.

One could connect Fugu Dugu to acts like Gogol Bordello or Firewater, and there's definitely plenty in common. But this stuff is both more electric and punky and acoustic and, um, kinda authentic. Fugu Dugu pushes all the boundaries and leaves exhausted ears in its wake. Blisteringly wonderful.

Jon Worley