Rough Guide To Planet Rock

[coll]: Rough Guide to Planet Rock (WorldMusic)
Reviewed by Sadie O., 6/14/06
Rough Guide to Planet Rock – with a major emphasis on “Planet”, but plenty of Rock. At least four tracks have already been through the a-file recently and gotten lots of love – the other tracks are just as good. Mad variety of styles, but all of em rock.
This is a GREAT comp – even if you never play “World”, check this out and see how much fun the rest of the planet is having!
FCC track 16. All tracks kick massive ass. I like 9-10 slightly less than other tracks, but that’s because I’m mean and they’re sweet.
1. Farfisa and psychedelia, female vocals in Khmer – spy movie feel.
2. Starts with solo male vocals in Arabic, then complex percussion, almost trance-y until the electric guitars kick in after a minute. Rock ‘n’ Rai!
3. Somewhat uptempo electrified Tuareg call and response, rootsy yet modern and urgent.
4. Heavy metal wanky finger guitar and Guinean vocals, turns into sweet slightly uptempo groove a bit like samba in feel.
5. Oh, utterly insane! Klezmer Latin Hip Hop! Note: you need a very open sense of humor for this. I love these nuts…
6. Big guitar alternating with Eastern European roots instrumentation.
7. Tuvan throat singing version of Inna Gadda da Vida, just like it says. I expect this to go number 1 with a bullet!
8. Uptempo, Indian classical vocalized percussion (takkita-tickety-takkita-ta), complex percussion, LOTS of energy.
9. Jazzy midtempo swing from La Reunion/Indian Ocean with female vocals. For the sweetness in you.
10. Another sweet and jazzy number, this from Portugal with a hint of Fado in the female vocals, some accordion and a nice bounce.
11. “Hungarian speed-folk” - sums it up, but also add fun female chorus and lots of attitude.
12. Pretty folky intro belies the manly ska to come. Slow for ska, with lots of big Ukranian sound.
13. Funky, bass-heavy midtempo groove with female Palestinian singer. A bit dubby and menacing – cool!
14. Slow, loping, bluesy shuffle with electric guitar and male Wodaabe vocals. A hint of desert trance.
15. Uptempo, electric likembe (thumb piano) and lots of syncopation, call and response vocals. Very unique sound. Long track.
16. FCC @ 1:15 and 1:59: “motherfuck it”. Manic punk rock with violins and screams.