rancid1993's Full Review: Sounding a Mosaic by Bedouin Soundclash
Most would expect that the members of the best ska/raggae bands would form and have their beginnings in Kingston. The one thing that would be unexpected after listening to Bedouin Soundclash for the first time is they began in Kingston......Ontario, Canada. Many talented musicians have originated from Canada, but the country known for hockey more than anything is one of the last places I would expect a band with this style to come from. However, it's not their style that makes Bedouin Soundclash so great, it's the music itself, from the instrumental arrangements to the lyrics/vocals, this band has quickly became one of my favorite reggae bands. Of their three studio albums, 2004's Sounding a Mosaic is their masterpiece thus far.
The band's lineup on Sounding a Mosaic consisted of three members - vocalist/guitarist Jay Malinowski, bassist Eon Sinclair, and drummer Pat Pengelly. On this record, there are some guest musicians on a few of the tracks. The band's name is almost positively a reference to fellow reggae musician Badawi, who titled an album Bedouin Soundclash, while being much more experimental than the trio that took the name of his album.
Part of Bedouin Soundclash's brilliance is how simple they're able to make their music appear on the outside while the beats, skanks, and basslines when analyzed deeply lead to something more complex. In parts of the songs, only one of the bass or guitar is playing along with the drumbeats. This allows Malinowski's vocals to shine, with his slightly raspy, high pitched voice to take center stage. His voice fits the music style perfectly. Often the bass and drums really dictate the pace and style of the song, with the guitar often being an auxiliary instrument.
Sounding A Mosaic opens with the excellent acoustic sounding When The Night Feels My Song. With its eccentric drum beats and excellent vocals, you get an album highlight right from the start. It's one of the more up-tempo tracks on the album. My personal pick of the album comes from the slower placed Shadow of a Man. With a slow, passionate vocal delivery to the pressing chorus question of "Where's your soul gone to?," it's a song I could listen to over and over. Also particularly enjoyable are the trio of closing tracks. Rude Boys Don't Cry is a song led by driving drums and bumping bass, as well as quickly delivered lyrics. The closer, Nothing to Say is a fast-paced, light hearted ditty with one of the catchiest chorus's on the album, which is high praise because this record is full of them.
The only negatives I've found are the 4th track, Money Worries, which is actually a cover, originally be the Maytones. While in line stylistically with the rest of the record, I find it less enjoyable than the rest. Also, the two re-mixes of songs found earlier on the album spoil the fun a little bit. The tone of the remixed versions ruins the vibe of the originals and essentially makes them worse. They're easy to avoid and forgive, though.
Final Thoughts
Bedouin Soundclash have an excellent collection of thirteen reggae songs on this album straight from Canada. This band brings a great sound and real soul and passion to the music, and that's why they're great. If you like reggae (or really aren't a big fan, like me) and haven't heard of these guys before, this would be a perfect place to start.
When The Night Feels My Song - ***** Shelter - **** Living In Jungles - **** Money Worries - *** Gyasi Went Home - **** Shadow of A Man - ***** Jeb Rand - **** Criminal - **** Murder on the Midnight Wire - **** Music My Rock - **** Rude Boys Don't Cry - ***** Immigrant Workforce - ***** Nothing to Say - *****
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