India is known for the Qawwali of Pakistan -- contemporary popular music -- as well as the traditional sounds of Bhangra. The Ali Khan Band fuses these Indian forms with jazz fusion and rap, creating a World Fusion sound that is captivating. On Zindagi (City of Tribes) male and female voices are looped and interwoven with a rich instrumental background.
Russia is a country that, musically speaking, has everything from underground metal to various kinds of ethnic vocals styles. Natalia Nazarova (Entertainment Paradise Group) is defefinitely easy-listening with a Russian accent. Listen With Your Heart is sultry and smooth, combining elements of pop and jazz. The album features osngs in both English and Russian, and has a sort of "showtune" feel to it -- which is no surprise, since in her native Moscow Nazarova is known as the "Russian Julia Roberts" because of her film career. It's now time to come full-circle with another Irish release. However, this time around it is not traditional Irish vocals and whistles -- it is high-energy, Celtic rock from The Prodigals. go on scores an even "ten" on the Richter scale and captures the "jig-punk" style which the band brought to their recent tour of the United States. Hailing from Ireland and New York, The Prodigals have been described as NYC's answer to The Pogues, with a fast-growing audience and commitment to hardcore Irish rock. Previous Previous Features
