Street Level are a Cape Town record company at the forefront of the effort to create a resurgent South African pop and rock market with local bands. Their particular attention is paid to the singles charts and the bands that have so far appeared on their roster all fit this description as evidenced on their "Bare Essentials" compilation.
As on that, the pick of these bands is The Usual and here Street Level have released a six song maxi-cd priced as a single cd, with obviously better value. The first three singles are all here - "The Shape That I'm In" (singer James Stewart displaying an uncanny resemblance to Sting), "In My Head" ("there are angels and demons in my head") and "I'm Going Nowhere". Tom Fox adds his distinctive guitar touch.
Good value this.

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Qcumba Zoo - Big

The inhabitants of Qcumba Zoo - Owl, Levannah and Tsatsiki have created an album that fuses world rhythms, English and "Universal" lyrics and layered harmonising into an intelligent and happy South African pop experience.
Hidden at the end of the cd is a full-on techno rave that probably exposes the "Zoo's" true leanings. But David Gresham has backed this group to spearhead the S.A. pop rennaisance and they may just do it.
Lots of strong single material here - "The Child"(inside) and "Cloud Eyes" (I'm scared, you're scared...) have received extensive airplay, but my personal favourite is the sweet "Big" which crops up again remixed at the end.

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Baaba Maal - Firin' In Fouta

"Firin' In Fouta" is regarded as Baaba Maal's finest work combining recordings he did of traditional musicians and singers covered on a trip to his hometown Podor, with new material recorded at his studios in Dakar. A strong western dance feel permeates but does not overpower Baaba Maal's compositions.
With African music moving steadily toward widespread acceptance, it is artists such as Baaba Maal, Ismaël Lo and Salif Keita who are leading the pack.
I'm maal for this.

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Tim Parr - Still Standing

After years on the South African music landscape, in such diverse bands such as 'The Zap Dragons' and 'Elemental', Tim Parr finally gets to do his solo shot. Seems he kept most of his best stuff for this album although it's a bit short. It's like those old Ronnie Lane and Slim Chance albums. A couple of friends in a big house in the country making Tim's album.
'Love Will Find A Way', suprisingly, has not received the airplay it deserves - one of the songs of this or any year. They are playing 'If You Rush...You Crush' with its "freedom, freedom...thats what we all say..." chorus.
This album clocks in at about 39 minutes but is still a worthwhile buy. About parr !

Bright Blue - Open Your Eyes

The Blue are back and in great form. This three song cd single is hopefully a taster off a new album, but still a thing of beauty and value. The single 'Wouldn't Miss It For The World' is not only a great song but should have done the business as either a better national anthem or at minimum the new constitution song. Singing obviously about being part/past, present and now in the future of our wild and cool new democratic country, "You know I wouldn't miss it for the world, you know I've been waiting...."
The other two songs are reasonable in this company, but its a good addition to your cd singles pile.
Very bright !

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