Music Rough Guides: Off the Beaten Track

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 17, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: World Music Network
• ASIN: B000EJ9KSA
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #270,988 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Ene Negn Bay Manesh - Girma Beyene

2. Aguis Mahasnik Biman - Rasha

3. Chereko - Nyota Ndogo

4. Vingaravyo - Ikhwani Safaa Musical Club

5. Era - Vakoka

6. Lang La - Bob Brozman

7. Dezile Al Mi Amor - Kol Oud Tof Trio

8. Rythmes Gitans - Alma Sinti

9. Djeli Mara - Saban Bajramovic

10. Come L'Aria - Banda Ionica

11. Preiere - Laurence Revey

12. Silaihuar - Urna

13. Az Ghami Tu - Nobovar

14. An Elephant's Swan Song - Thai Elephant Orchestra

15. Ruperta - Peru Negro

16. Canto A Nande Reta - Chango Spasiuk

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Nice Introduction to Rough Guide's Collection, October 21, 2006

By 

Tesseract (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Music Rough Guides: Off the Beaten Track (Audio CD)

Off the Beaten Track is an eclectic collection of songs from around the world that celebrates the diversity of world music perhaps more than any other album Rough Guide has published. In compiling the album, Rough Guide compiler and World Music Network co-founder Phil Stanton took the opportunity to sample a variety of locations and styles rather than focus one one geographic area or musical genre as Rough Guide albums usually do. Off the Beaten Track takes the listener on a whirlwind tour of the world, hitting so many different countries and styles your head will spin. It's a musical carnival that includes traditional Sudanese vocals by "the Norah Jones of North Africa," the infectious R&B-style beats typical of modern Kenyan pop, gypsy swing in the style of Django Reinhardt, the light-hearted island grooves of Madagascar, electronica-rap from Tajikistan, a French cafe singer backed by slide guitar, the chamame musical style of Argentina, Mongolian folk music, and more. While it may seem a hodgepodge of nations and musical styles at first, the geographical progression of tracks around the world presents a sort of musical evolution that helps the listener hear and comprehend the connections in the roots of music styles around the world. Although not every track will appeal to everyone, its very diversity means there's something here that nearly everyone can enjoy. I personally like nearly all of them. I think one of my favorite things about this album is that listening to it, you realize that when people are singing, language barriers don't matter anymore. The language of music is truly universal. Off the Beaten Track is definitely worth checking out for the price.

Standout tracks include "Ene Negn Bay Manesh," "Preiere," "Rhythmes Gitans," and "Canto a Nande Reta."

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The U.S. main stream media mesmerizes us that the only music is Hollywood-pop-radio-au currant junk, June 11, 2007

By 

Michael Cook - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Music Rough Guides: Off the Beaten Track (Audio CD)

The rest of the world is out there and has been making music that connects to the human soul far deeper than the top of the pop that record company shills insist that you consume. Listen to the world.

Michael Cook

Santa Barbara