Island Mele
Friday, February 15, 2002
O-Shen, who was raised in Papua New Guinea and is now a Hawaii resident, brings a distinctive Melanesian pidgin ambience to Jawaiian/"island music." His second album, assembled with Roni "Hobo Diggler" Yurong and the Hobo House team as his studio partners, reaffirms his place as a major "island music" talent. There are no pop remakes here! "Rascal in Paradise"
O-Shen
(Hobo House on the Hill)O-Shen addresses romantic, cultural and Rastafari religious themes, with insight and commercial appeal. "Cool Fever" and "I Tried (Bad Girl)" capture the positive and negative sides of love. "Throw Away the Gun" and "God Bless Family" present important social messages. "Carry on Rootsman" speaks ironically of island people who "don't keep they roots," as if the "island music" scene isn't about rejecting Hawaii's roots music in favor of Jamaican styles.
www.hobohouseonthehill.com
Mpeg Audio Clips:
Lonely Souljah
Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info
Frank DeLima's anthology commemorating his 25 years in show business lacks both a cover and annotation. He's been selling the coverless disc on the road for months; it is now available in stores. DeLima says that if enough copies sell he may do a "second edition" with a cover. But the music and humor are the main thing, right? His old-time fans will enjoy the memories as is. "Silva Anniversary"
Frank DeLima
(Pocholinga Productions)The 23 selections include "Filipino Purple Danube," "Beef Stew and Rice" and "Glen Miyashiro." Delima's political repertoire is represented by "Bishop Estate Trustee." "Abdullah Fataai" remains one of the most problematic creations, but still a classic. On the plus side, the inclusion of "Save the Opihi's" acknowledges the early work of The Deans (Lum and Shimabukuro), DeLima's old-time sidekicks.
"Lucille" and "Waimea Lullaby" are here too.
frankdelima@hotmail.com
Mpeg Audio Clips:
Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info
Rod Young is usually remembered as the guy who recorded "Puka Shells," but he also did well enough as a disco era Waikiki lounge act that an enthusiastic fan dubbed him "a divine Rod." "God Bless This Country"
Rod Young
(Moon Surfer Productions)Young makes his comeback as a local recording artist singing two compositions by producer Gordon Broad. The title song is Broad's response to the 9-11 attacks; Broad combines an expansive orchestral arrangement with the promise that "We will not rest, until all the terrorists around the World are fully eradicated."
"Oldie But Goodie Love" is a light nostalgic look back at a long-lost first love. It could become a hit with local jukebox and karaoke fans. The production values are a bit better than karaoke and sufficient for a patriotic memento of this sort.
Write:
Moon Surfer Productions
P.O. Box 953
Hau'ula HI 96717
Mpeg Audio Clips:
Quicktime | RealPlayer | MPEG-3 info
See Record Reviews for some past reviews.
See Aloha Worldwide for locals living away.John Berger, who has covered the local
entertainment scene since 1972, writes reviews of recordings
produced by Hawaii artists. See the Star-Bulletin's Today
section on Fridays for the latest reviews.
