Barry Flanagan and Keli'i Kaneali'i offer "Love."
Hapa’s latest album
a real winner
In the Name of Love: Hapa (Coconut Grove Records)HAPA'S self-titled debut album was launched in 1993 with one of the most carefully calculated and successful local public relations blitzes in recent memory. The momentum carried the duo to a near sweep of the 1994 Hoku Awards. Hapa won six Hokus, and Barry Flanagan (The Blond One) turned the awards show into his personal talkathon.
Flanagan's hubris did not endear him to the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts membership. Hapa's second album won zip.
This one should make Hapa a winner once again and regain the unquestionably talented Flanagan the respect he lost in '94. He's done great work here in crafting what is Hapa's best album yet.
From the first explosive chords of "E Hele Ana E" through the final notes of "Sleepwalk," it's clear that he has grown tremendously as a musician, composer, arranger and producer. His vision is broader, his lyrics more articulate, his choice of material more ambitious, his skills as an arranger more cosmopolitan. He even succeeds in offering fresh insights into two familiar Top 40 oldies, a rare feat indeed in the local record business!
Those who know "Europa" as it was defined by Carlos Santana will appreciate Flanagan's revisions. He stays closer to the original Santo & Johnny arrangement of "Sleepwalk" but again adds some original ideas. He augments U2's early manifesto, "Pride (In the Name of Love)" with Hawaiian chant and a sound bite from a Martin Luther King Jr. speech. It's effective and thought provoking.
Flanagan has enjoyed previous success as a composer -- two of his songs figured in Hapa's 1994 sweep -- so it seems likely the remakes were included as personal favorites rather than as bait for the local radio station music directors who often seem to prefer remakes over originality.
The originals are his best to date. Two instrumentals, "Pahinui Aloha" and "Waikiki (At about 3...)", display his range as a guitarist.
The six others find him doing his best work yet as a lyricist, articulate, introspective, never trite or mawkish (Charles Ka'upu and Ki'ope Raymond share credit for translating his lyrics into Hawaiian).
And then there's Flanagan's not-so-secret weapon, Keli'i Kaneali'i (The Quiet One). Their harmonizing is heard at its best as they honor Princess Kaiulani with "Na Wele O Kai'ulani" and commemorate a romantic interlude with "Kahea U'ilani."Harmonies provide essential counterpoints on several other arrangements. Both men are also featured as solo vocalists.
Kaneali'i fans will particularly enjoy "Manoa, in the Rain." Don Ho joins him on "The Waikiki Beachboy Song."
The striking cover art is enhanced by a booklet of song lyrics, photos and a quote that hints at where the duo is coming from.
It seems unlikely that "In the Name of Love" will match the success of "Hapa" if success is measured in terms of winning Hoku Awards. Measured by any other criteria, this album eclipses the other. This is one of the year's best local albums.
John Berger, who has covered the local entertainment scene since 1972, writes reviews of recordings produced by Hawaii artists. See the Star-Bulletin's Home Zone section on Fridays for the latest reviews.
See Record Reviews for some of John Berger's past reviews.
