FEATURE WORLDBEAT ALBUMS 

Kinky – Reina (Nettwerk) Global artists who want a bigger presence in the competitive North American market need more than just a straight forward approach. So, it helps when your band name is ‘Kinky’. This five-piece from Monterrey, Mexico has now set up a branch office in Malibu, California to help them build an American fanbase for their new CD called ‘Reina’. But, things didn’t go exactly as planned. They set out to record the album in a quiet cabin in the Southern California hills, only to have their sessions interrupted by a giant mudslide. Singer, Gilberto Cerezo explains, “Working inside a studio completely covered in mud was like being inside a huge chocolate cake. It made us think of the Mexican Quinceanera parties where parents make a giant celebration out of their daughter’s fifteenth birthday. The girls wear big, uncomfortable dresses just to be Queen or Reina for one day.” Already fixtures in Mexico’s alternative underground, Reina should give Kinky a shot at establishing a beach head on the international music scene … literally. There’s more English on this new disc but it hasn’t diluted their quirky style of electronic rock or their twisted sense of humor. Standout tracks include the first single, Sister Twisted and Monday Killer, a kind of ‘Son of Low Rider’ that features former Men At Work frontman, Colin Hay.

 

Calexico – Garden Ruin (Quarterdeck Records) In Southern Arizona, the US Mexican border is really just a line in the sand. Here, the Sonoran desert ripples with heat waves and bristles with giant cactus. Joey Burns and John Convertino have made Calexico’s sound reflect this rugged wilderness and its people, on either side of the fence. Calexico recently made the move from city life in Tucson to the isolated Victorian mining community of Bisbee, Arizona. There isn’t even cell phone service in Bisbee, because the town was built in a steep ravine. But, that hasn’t kept the band from their fans and friends in global music. They recently contributed to the new album by the French collective, Gotan Project and they performed a celebrated concert at the Barbican Theatre in London. Burns and Convertino admit they tend to dive deep into political waters when they are songwriting and that tradition continues on Garden Ruin … so do their gorgeous atmospheres of mariachi –style horns, lonesome pedal steel and spaghetti western guitars. The album opener sets the tone with a breathtaking comment on environmental corruption called, ‘Cruel’. Hopefully with Garden Ruin, Calexico will lose their reputation as ‘the best band you’ve never heard of’.

 

Elisete – Gaagua (Longing) (IMP Records) As the experts struggle to find difficult solutions to complex global issues, the joy of sharing simple pleasures is an effective tool which is too often overlooked. Elisete is a striking performer who was born in Salvador de Bahia, the daughter of an officer in the Marines. Duty called him in 1991, and Elisete found herself living in Israel during the time of the Gulf War. She chose to stay there and use her gift of music to help ‘bring simple joy to the hearts of the Israeli people’. Showing her extensive talents and amazing determination, she has released five albums and numerous videos which have been well-received in Israel and around the world. What’s most impressive is that Elisete writes the lyrics in her native Portuguese and then translates and sings them in Hebrew! She says, “Good vibes are something people in Israel need very much. It’s a difficult country and artists have an obligation to try and improve the society they live in.” Gaagua is the follow-up to her other international release available on these shores, called ‘Luar e Café’.  Both albums are brimming with soft and breezy melodies over samba-driven beats ...a perfect prescription for personal or collective melancholy.

 

Ziggy Marley – Love Is My Religion (Tuff Gong) Bob Marley’s first born has become a master songsmith in his own right. And, like his father, Ziggy has the knack for introspection and global awareness. His new solo album, the second after ten years with The Melody Makers, was written in locations around the planet. Over reggae grooves and African percussion, Ziggy meditates on universal themes like brotherhood, spirituality and of course … love. His devotion to the power of love inspired the album’s title track. The song tells the story of “a man, searching for inspiration, being tempted by different influences and then finding his own path in love and freedom."

Its message of unity is something which Ziggy believes “needs to be preached in the churches, mosques and synagogues.” The disc finds Ziggy Marley, on the road to his own spiritual enlightenment where ‘Love Is My Religion’.

 

Buika – Mi Nina Lola (Warner) Concha Buika was born in Palma de Mallorca, surrounded by a rich diversity of Spanish sounds. Her parents came from Equatorial Guinea to settle in Mallorca’s predominantly gypsy community. But, it was while she was in London, studying music interpretation that she accepted an invitation to see jazz guitarist, Pat Methaney in concert. That show changed her life and inspired her to combine all the musical elements she had grown up with. Her sandpaper voice and emotional delivery have prompted comparisons to Tina Turner, Lola Flores and Sarah Vaughan. On Buika’s first solo album, she blends flamenco soul, jazz and funk to dramatic effect. But don’t paint this talent into a corner. Buika is adding other musical styles like House, Dance and Electronica to her growing repertoire. She’s also taken on production projects for stage plays and movie soundtracks.

 

CSS – Cansei De Ser Sexy (Sub Pop) With a population of eleven million and an area of over fifteen hundred square kilometers, Sao Paulo is the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s grown so quickly that major traffic jams are part of everyday life. So, it was a stroke of luck that CSS found a deserted stretch of highway where they could shoot their debut video. Watch for it on word.beats. The band is the product of the blind ambition of five girls and one guy. Like the early punks of the 80’s, CSS couldn’t even play their instruments when they started. But, they wanted to create something new that thumbs its nose at pop celebrity while shamelessly glorifying its appeal. Their new album on the notorious Sub Pop label is a raw and cheeky reproach of pop culture. The songs are unpretentious and unpolished with titles like ‘Let’s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above’ or ‘Meeting Paris Hilton’. Kudos to them for notching up the curiosity factor. By the way, CSS stands for Cansei De Sur Sexy or ‘Tired Of Being Sexy’.

 

 

Michael Franti & Spearhead – I Know I’m Not Alone (Anti-) When Michael Franti told his management that he wanted to visit Baghdad, his team was prepared for a logistical nightmare. The truth is, Iraq is currently considered American-occupied territory and a US citizen is only required a valid passport to enter … that, and of course, a lot of courage. Franti’s new DVD, ‘I Know I’m Not Alone’ chronicles his adventures into this war zone with remarkable stories and insights. Unlike other pop music culture global do-gooders, Franti allows the images and emotions to pass directly to the viewer without editorializing or drawing attention to himself. The integrity of his conviction to the concept of peaceful coexistence is undisputed as he places himself in the crosshairs for the sole purpose of discovering some greater truth. The images are packaged neatly with concise editing and continuity and are accompanied by some heartfelt and intimate new songs.’ I’m Not Alone’ has been praised for revealing the “oneness of the human family”. It was a winner at the San Francisco World Film Festival and the Slamdance International Film Fest. Check out Michael Franti and Spearhead’s new studio album Yell Fire while you’re at it.