Ethnic Minority Music Of Southern Laos - Various Artists

Advantages: A truly great CD
Disadvantages: None whatsoever!

...One of my other musical passions is Cajun music. Cajun music is the music of the Cajun people of southern Louisiana. The history of the Cajun people is a tough one. Thrown out of their settlement of Arcadie in Canada (because, as French settlers they declined to swear allegiance to the British Crown) they eventually settled in southern Louisiana. They were a separate people, virtually a race apart, separated by the harsh environment and by their language, a sort of combination of French and some English. Cajun music is largely played using the fiddle and or the accordion, with accompaniment provided by triangles or similar rhythm instruments. Though some guitar might also be used. Cajun music is an exceptionally joyous music. It is almost as if they, as a people, are saying: "Well, our ancestors crossed an ocean, they got forced out... Read review

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Advantages: Very relaxing
Disadvantages: None

...Expanse of Colour is another CD in the "ambient sounds of nature" series. There seems to be a minor error in the Ciao catalogue. It lists the artistes involved in the "ambient sounds of nature" series as being "various artists." The credits on the CDs in my collection show that the composer and performer on the CDs is Levantis. The tracks on this CD are: Past, The Womb of Mother Earth, Expanse of Colour (the title track of this CD) Density of Life, Preservation and Future. As with the other CDs in the series, Levantis takes some sounds from nature (ambient sounds) such as singing birds, crickets, and blends them into a perfect with some rather gorgeous and lush music. Unlike some of the so-called relaxing CDs that are on the market which rely on rather weedy electro-pap music created on ill-tuned synthesisers, the music of Levantis... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent covers of some old reggae standrads
Disadvantages: Sometimes a bit too slick

...The creation of entire albums of music from other artists is nothing new. It has been done to great effect by David Bowie, Bryan Ferry and many more. When UB40 followed up their first 2 albums which contained their own material with an album drawn from favourite reggae songs from their youth. Having established themselves as the conscience of 80s youth with their socially aware lyrics about unemployment and social injustice it could have been seen a s a commercial sell-out and perhaps ultimately it was. It was also, however, a very fine album. That it must have been a labour of love can be heard in the loving way the songs are crafted and every track reproduces the excellence of the original. As a lover of real reggae I do have to make one minor criticism and that is that the album is too good. There is far more added production... Read review

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