To listen to audio on Rock Paper Scissors you'll need to Get the Flash Player

Sample Track 1:
"Rock el Casbah" from Tékitoi
Sample Track 2:
"Winta" from Tékitoi
Sample Track 3:
"Dima (Always)" from Tékitoi
Buy Recording:
Tékitoi
Layer 2
CDs are a world away from pop music blahs

Click Here to go back.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, CDs are a world away from pop music blahs >>

So you think today’s rock doesn’t roll like it used to?

That pop music is as flat as a soda that has lost its fizz?

There’s a whole other world of music out there for those who might like something a little different, something more creative or exotic-sounding in their speakers or earphones.

From the soothing and lilting sounds of Brazil and the politically charged and rock-fueled music of Algeria’s Rachid Taha to the romantic, bittersweet allure of Cape Verde ballads and peppery mariachi horns, world music can be a welcome antidote to the musical blahs.

Here’s a look at some recent releases:

Various artists, Acoustic Brazil, Putumayo. Americans have long enjoyed the sensual warmth and rhythms of Brazilian music, even before the ’60s hit “The Girl From Ipanema” brought Astrud and Joao Gilberto to our ears. Bossa nova, samba, tropicalismo and other styles are popular here as well. This 12-tune compilation embraces the diversity of Brazil. There’s a gentle sensuality in the sweet voice of Gal Costa on “Aquele Frevo Axe,” and the easy sway of samba makes Marcio Faraco’s “Ciranda” stick in the ears, while the bittersweet melody and carefree lyric of “Meu Mundo e Hoje” is perfectly delivered by samba singer Teresa Cristina. The enduring Caetano Veloso, one of Brazil’s greatest writers, sparkles on a deceptively simple “Cajuina,” which reflects on life’s meaning after one falls in love. This is music to savor and lollygag by. In Portuguese with a booklet in English, Spanish and French.

Chango Spasiuk, Tarefero de Mis Pagos, Piranha. Spasiuk’s open-throttle approach to the accordion could make you think of Louisiana Cajun or Irish music for its energy and verve. At times, he also evokes the spirit of Argentina’s beloved tango and the innovative Astor Piazzolla, particularly on “El Prostibulo (The Brothel).” Spasiuk, of Argentinian and Ukrainian ancestry, has a very entertaining and mostly instrumental collection of tunes. “Tarefero de Mis Pagos/Alla en el Yerbal” sounds classically Mexican. The soulful “Chamame Crudo” is wonderfully rich and spacious. Spasiuk champions a style of music called chamame, which emerged from Misiones province in northeast Argentina. It is emotional music that swings and is imbued with melancholy and sentimentality.

Rachid Taha, Tekitoi, Wrasse. This fiery and passionate Algerian singer-songwriter rocks; his punk roots are evident as is his love of electronica. But the rock and pop of Tekitoi is flavored with the sounds of the Arab world — North African rai and chaabi, along with instruments such as the bendir, a small drum and the mandolute, a hybrid of the guitar and oud. The Paris-raised, magnetic Taha is a stirring singer, and his songs (some written with Steve Hillage and Brian Eno) are spacious, strong and memorable. His luminous, ironic version of “Rock el Casbah” is a clever take on the Clash’s “Rock the Casbah.” Mostly French with English translations in booklet.

Maria de Barros, Danca Ma Mi (Dance With Me), Narada. The music of Cape Verde is embodied by the legendary Cesaria Evora. Senegal native de Barros is Evora’s goddaughter, and while she also sings the bluesy, melancholy mornas that Evora has popularized, she also sings lively, salsalike coladeiras and funana, a style that recalls meringue. Danca Ma Mi has a lively, contemporary sheen that gets feet itching for a dance floor. “Bo Ke Nha Boy” is rhythmic and has a salsa-Brazilian sound. Rich, romantic and alluring, de Barros’ new work fuses Cape Verde, African and Latin sounds. Her light but melodic voice works nicely with the horns, synthesizers and contemporary arrangements. Songs are in Criuolo, an African-Portuguese language. No English translation of lyrics.

Warsaw Village Band, Uprooting, World Village. Rich, textured Polish folk music is ratcheted up several notches, played with the verve and fire of American bluegrass acts Nickel Creek and the Duhks and the creative edge of those acts and Bela Fleck & the Flecktones. Warsaw Village Band also employs vocals that are harmonic, almost primordial and awash with emotion, sometimes showing a kinship to Trio Bulgarka. They also add the unexpected — scratch disc jockeys and a trancelike percussion. The back of the CD refers to the Village Band’s wall of sound, and that’s an apt description of this lively, involving set. Dazzling musicianship brings the spirit of the past into the present and future. If you admire the work of the Pogues and Les Negresses Vertes, this band will thrill. Booklet is in English, with explanations of the songs.

Nati Cano’s Mariachi Los Camperos, Llegaron Los Camperos: Concert Favorites, Smithsonian Folkways. This wonderful collection by the acclaimed group puts its many excellent qualities on ample display: heartfelt vocals with enthralling harmonies, rich brass, superb instrumentation and mega-watts of energy. Los Camperos’ passion for this music is evident in this nearly hour-long set of concert favorites. A sparkling treat for anyone who loves traditional mariachi music. A booklet includes liner notes and comments on each track in English and Spanish.

Pedro Luis Ferrer, Rustico, Escondida. Many people discovered Cuban music through the works of the Buena Vista Social Club. Like that acclaimed traditional group, Ferrer also plays the Cuban music called son (from which salsa originated). But his approach is not the same. Ferrer taps other styles, such as trova espirituana, a style of singing from central Cuba; Peruvian percussion; and touches of African instrumentation, including the marimbula (a larger version of the African thumb piano). The sound swings a bit and is lush, with a touch of country in feeling. But the real surprise is in the lyrics — more social commentary than you might expect. “Congo Vegetariano” is pointed and ironic, focused on people who are “forced” vegetarians because they live in a country where few can afford meat. Booklet reprints lyrics in Spanish and English.

-Ellis Widner 05/17/05
Click Here to go back.