CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

.

Ceasefire

by: Emmanuel Jal

Release Date September 26, 2005
Southern Sudanese Emmanuel Jal and Northern Sudanese Abdel Gadir Salim are the epitome of contrast. First, they represent the opposite ends of their country's political/religious, the former a young Christian, and Salim a Muslim and an elder of his country's music tradition.

Jal, now 25, was one of the thousand of young children forcefully removed from their homes by the insurgent guerrilla movement pitted against government forces. In Salim's case, having been brutally stabbed and barely surviving the attack of an orthodox Muslim man enraged with Salim's impious music, violence is no stranger.

Musically speaking, whereas Salim, Emmanuel Jal is an example of African music diving into Western music, most ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

.

All Rebel Rockers: +DVD

by: Michael Franti

Release Date August 18, 2008
Although the first two tracks are the highlight of this album, they aren't the only good things here. Lyrics are poingnant and moving. Hey World is a great track. And while i'm not sure it's as good as hist last studio album... it's still better than most other albums out at the moment. if you like Franti - it's a must! Be strong for me, i'lAll Rebel Rockers: +DVDl be strong for you.

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

.

Ethiopiques - the Very Best of Ethiopiques: Hypnotic Grooves from the Legendary Series

by: Various Artists

Release Date August 13, 2007
Hey pop pickers! Do you despair at the state of British indie music? Need that itch seriously scratching? Man,this is one wild and groovy ride. Weird and wonderful and very much deserving the attention of any curious and open minded music fan.I ain't no world music fan ,but the currently very stale indie scene forces one to search further afield to satisfy ones needs. If you like this, watch the film: Broken flowers (Bill Murray). Alot of this music soundtracks that film brilliantly. Also try Tinariwen (for seriously cool desert blues)or Kasai allstars.
We have people like Damon Albarn to thank for drawing our attention to such brilliant music. Nice one.Fair play to bands like Vampire weekend and The Good,the bad and the queen for mixing ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

.

I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too

by: Martha Wainwright

Release Date May 12, 2008
Believe me, it's usually the other way round. Usually I have nothing but praise for the man and his show that introduce me to so many fantastic artists. But in the case of this album, seeing Martha Wainwright perform on that show before purchasing `I Know You're Married, but I've Got Feelings Too' has ruined me, because if I hadn't seen her perform live I would have been blissfully unaware that in the right form this collection of songs presents an absolutely incredible portrait of a uniquely charismatic singer/song-writer. But not when they're delivered with decidedly less passion on an over-produced album that is not a proper showcase for these beautifully written songs and the tortured/passionate voice that always performs to perfect spine-tingling ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

.

One Giant Leap - What About Me? [2008]

by: One Giant Leap

Release Date June 09, 2008
Before I ordered the movie, I was quite curious about it from reading reviews. But after watching it I got a little bit disappointed. In my opinion, it is not very well presented and only scratches the surface of spirituality (if this is the point of the movie). It is kind of ironic that in the movie they mention that we are constantly bombarded by images from the media but the film itself is a bombardment of images, interviews and sounds from all over the world, taken out of context and juxtaposed to each other.

The concept of traveling around the world and doing accidental interviews with well known people and recording interesting musicians seemed intriguing. But I'm afraid that the end result is not very astonishing, may be because there ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

.

Poor Man's Heaven

by: Seth Lakeman

Release Date June 30, 2008
Well, album number 4 from Seth Lakeman finds him backed by a major label. Not good news for someone who's used to recording albums in kitchens. So, it was with some scepticism that I listened to Poor Man's Heaven and it was to say the least, a huge letdown. For a start, I don't personally LIKE the songs. They are bland to the extreme, and as several reviewers have already noted, mostly at the same tempo. Did his metronome break or something? Not good. On the plus side, I do like Crimson Dawn and Solomon Browne. The latter is a slightly obscure subject but is poignant and comes across well, despite sounding cluttered - a sparser sound may have suited it better and let the lyrics breathe a little.

To me it all sounds far too mainstream orientated, which ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

.

Tchamantche

by: Rokia Traore

Release Date September 08, 2008
Rokia Traoré is better than ever. Her voice is stronger and so is the material she is performing.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

.

The Mande Variations

by: Toumani Diabate

Release Date February 25, 2008
If you do not want the hair on your neck to stand up and goosebumps to appear on your arm then don't buy it, because this CD is truly brilliant. It's different to his others but that is the greatness of this guy. Some of the tunes relate to his experiences in the UK and he even plays with us in Cantelowes when you hear the start of the sound track for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Hey this guy has humour as well as brilliance.
With the world falling about our ears and all the talk of greed and corruption just buy this and take your mind to some calm and peaceful place. This can really contribute to your sanity. I'm off to chill out with this CD. I have all his CDs but this is really set apart, perhaps it stands out becasue it is less traditional, please buy it ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

.

The Imagined Village

by: Various Artists

Release Date October 15, 2007
I think this is probably a great album and certainly a sterling effort to bring together a range of influences both old and new to fuse a new UK folk perspective. The first talking bit sounds like Stanley Unwin on that Small faces album though and it can get just a little bit self indulgent - Hopefully like me though it will inspire you to re look at the rich heritage of traditional music this country has to offer

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

.

Venus On Earth

by: Dengue Fever

Release Date June 09, 2008
Dengue Fever are a group of eclectic LA hipsters fronted by a bona fide Cambodian pop star (Chhom Nimol), who make a heady brew informed by retro spy-movie soundtracks, psychedelia, lounge jazz and rock and roll. Apparently influenced by organist Ethan Holtzman's trips to Cambodia in 1997 when a unique local 60s-era rock was still prevalent, the band's sound is fleshed out with wide ranging influences from Ethiopian jazz, surf, and garage rock. Nimol's sings mostly in Khmer, giving it distinct Eastern melodies, while the sonic landscape is a mish-mash of retro stylings that would make it ideal for a Quentin Tarrantino or Jim Jarmusch soundtrack. In fact, if you like this you would do well to pick up the latter's Broken Flowers OST, which features the likeminded Holly Golightly ... Read More: