CD Review: Painted Caves' Self-Titled Arab-American Release

Painted Caves
Painted Caves
Primitive Records

Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based, Painted Caves, presents us with an exciting Arab-American release of guitar fusion and world music on their self-titled release. The group is headed by Ali Lubbad on vocals, guitars, trap set, and Arabic percussion, while Mike Kashou plays the oud, bass, percussion, trumpet, piano, and adds background vocals. There are also other musicians on Native American flute, qanun, congas, didgeridoo, and conch shells. Anyone familiar with Wisconsin music will be familiar with the great Paul Cebar on backup vocals. There is an emotive fusion of instruments that come together to form interesting unions that seem to work just fine. The instrumental arrangements possess a little psych/experimental sound indicative of music from the 1970's in parts of the Middle East and South Asia. The tracks are named as cleverly as anything by Dengue Fever, which provides some influence here; especially on "The Behavior Of A Certain Snake," "Paper Tigers," "Man Is Coy Behind Animal Tears," and "Morse Code." Anyone interested in various traditional instruments played in a contemporary setting will love it. Painted Caves emerges as a great work of art! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra's 'Abdul The Rabbi'

4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra
Abdul The Rabbi
Self-Release

The whirling dervish melodies of 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra are not your typical musical fanfare. For example, the instrumental group combines heady, brass-inflected rhythms with a slight Afro-beat repertoire. The music is distinctly Klezmer and Balkan with light jazz, rock, psych, and avant-garde elements to boot. The group plays trumpet, reeds, sax, trombone, guitar, bass, and drums. The writhing mix of sounds is very entrancing and delightful with little room for complaints. The Atlanta-based group combines funk, jazz, rock, big band, and experimental sounds for a good dose of melody and rhythm. The truly pan-world sound is contemporary and traditional. The punchy rhythms and funkadelic jams are akin to Dengue Fever's arrangements--if they came in contact with some Balkan brilliance. Anyone familiar with instrumental Balkan music will love the Klezmer connotations and West African connections. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Okapi Guitar Band's 'Plenty'

Okapi Guitar Band
Plenty
umHUTU

Australia’s Okapi Guitar Band is a truly world music act creating music that spans numerous countries and continents with ease. The giddy guitar rhythms, vocals, lap steel, bass, pedal steel, dundun, keyboard, drumkit, congas, doumbek, cowbell, trumpet, trombone, sax, and other instruments make up the band’s unique sound. “Man In The Fluoro Vest” seems like a concoction brewed by the Cambodian/American band, Dengue Fever. The psychedelic melody and quirky lyrics is a winner. The folksy “Cut And Run” is anything but cut and dry, since its galloping tune reflects a little Afro-Caribbean and Congolese presence. Plenty is aptly-titled, because there are many reasons to love this album. Each track is different and seems to reflect a different part of the globe. The nearly one-hour-and-ten-minute length is definitely worth the money. There are tropical rhythms, Latin touches, African brilliance, and Aussie splendor that is not to be missed. This is a great album for world music or fusion fans. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: The Cambodian Space Project's '2011: A Space Odyssey'

The Cambodian Space Project
2011: A Space Odyssey
Metal Postcard

The Cambodian-based band, The Cambodian Space Project, is made up of a Cambodian singer, Srey Thy, and a cohort of French and Australian ex-pat musicians. The result is a candid, folk-rock, and surfedelica that explores the Golden Age of Cambodia's hit-makers--Pan Ron and Ros Sereysothea. The Klezmer-like sound of the opener, "Snaeha Doc Toek Kmom (Love Like Honey)," is a catchy tune with accordion, clarinet, and all the familiar bass, keyboards, and guitars that made the nostalgic music so popular. The traditional tune, "Tek Tum (Big Water)," is great work with harmonica drones, accordion sounds, and a solid beat that is as magical as it is creative. The 60s pop sound of "Pros Kangaroo" is a perfect little tune with a California-sound that is uniquely Cambodian. The words of Ros Sereysothea's "Kolos Srey Chaom (Love God)" features the melody of the Dutch band Shocking Blue's 1969 hit, "Venus." All in all, The Cambodian Space Project is the rock-child of America's Dengue Fever. ~ Matthew Forss