fri 29/03/2024

Rupa & the April Fishes, Rich Mix | reviews, news & interviews

Rupa & the April Fishes, Rich Mix

Rupa & the April Fishes, Rich Mix

Charming proof that World Music really exists

I used to argue that there was no such thing as a World Music style, in the sense that, say, indie music or trad jazz are fairly sonically delineated. But now I’m not so sure. Over the past decade or so, most cosmopolitan cities in the world have probably produced at least one band with a line-up that invariably includes an accordion player, a double bassist (rather than a bass guitarist), a violinist (just the one), maybe a horn player or two, and a multi-lingual vocalist.
I used to argue that there was no such thing as a World Music style, in the sense that, say, indie music or trad jazz are fairly sonically delineated. But now I’m not so sure. Over the past decade or so, most cosmopolitan cities in the world have probably produced at least one band with a line-up that invariably includes an accordion player, a double bassist (rather than a bass guitarist), a violinist (just the one), maybe a horn player or two, and a multi-lingual vocalist.

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Excellent review, Howard. I've not heard more than a couple of tracks from them and have been meaning to listen further.

There's something about the inspid preciosity of the singer's prasing - in French (why French?) - that goads me to near psychotic annoyance. Hence I've never been able to listen to their records for more than a few seconds at a time. Obviously she comes over better live, though you didn't say much about her actual singing. And given the delights that Istanbul has to offer, why was she trying to go on youtube anyway?

I think they're a little pretentious (and yet a little cliched) and her voice is bland. It's good background music though, for whatever that's worth.

The singer's main talent seems to be surrounding herself with musicians more talented and innovative than herself and kudos to her on that. Though I enjoyed the concert I went to-- because it's fun to dance around with a crowd, I've felt the recordings are derivative.

John: Because she needs to brush on her censorship laws?

I think they're mind-numbingly pretentious. And while she can sing, there is absolutely special about her voice--it's so vanilla, but I gotta give her credit for having the balls to get up there--whoa.

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