We Are Three

Joi | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 2, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Real World
• ASIN: B00004XO76
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #329,357 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What a difference a day makes..., January 25, 2001

By 

morgan1098 (Colorado Springs, Colorado USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: We Are Three (Audio CD)

Upon first listen, I thought this album was simply too "techno" - a headache-inducing array of repeated musical phrases and mind-numbing loops without the musical flow of Joi's first release, "One and One is One." However, after listening to the record a few more times, I'm starting to really enjoy it. Farook Shamsher makes good use of the acoustic source material recorded by his brother in Bangladesh, and in fact, several of the tracks have a distinctly organic feel despite the electronic underpinnings. The tabla playing on "Journey" sounds great, and the acoustic instruments and voices mesh perfectly with the keyboards and drum machines on "Flying with You" and "We Need Your Vote." Unfortunately, sandwiched between these two outstanding tracks is the album's weakest song, "Tacadin" - a tune that will likely annoy fans of world music and bore fans of electronica. Overall, however, "We are Three" is enjoyable and unique - where else are you going to hear modern pop music from Bangladesh?

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Enduring Power of Joi, April 25, 2003

By 

DJ ProFusion - WorldFusionRadio.com "DJ ProFu... (Evanston, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: We Are Three (Audio CD)

The Bottom Line: An inspired album that shows us the true spirit of music - that love and beauty can survive tragedy and loss.

I had mentioned in my review of Joi's first album that it occasionally showed their inexperience. Their second effort shows they have definitely evolved. It also shows how the surviving brother has carried on despite the tragic death of the other brother.

After the completion of their first album, Haroon traveled to Bangladesh to lay down tracks with local musicians for a follow-up album, only to die suddenly of a heart attack upon his return to England. Though devastated, Farook managed to complete We Are Three as a tribute to his brother.

An inspired Farook shows us that the spirit of Joi lives on; that love and beauty can survive tragedy and loss. The album immediately grabs you with the tabla stylings of 'Journey' that sets the tone for what is to come - a spirit that will not be overcome. The next four tracks carry on the theme of lively tabla based electronic breakbeats superbly alternating Asian and Western rifts and rhythms. Then with 'Triatma,' the album take and abrupt turn into a dreamy acoustical guitar-based song that conjures images of breezy beaches. That theme continues with the hauntingly beautiful 'Flying With You' which does an excellent job of setting the title to music. Then almost jarringly, the mood switches again with the in-your-face 'Tacadin' that captures the spirit of the Asian Underground club scene while defiantly transcending it. The album culminates with the inspirational, uplifting 'We Need Your Vote' that deftly captures the feeling of enduring hope and love. More than a few times I have played that song over and over while I drive. It is that good.

Still, beneath all the musical artistry, you have the bittersweet feeling it is a damn shame Haroon will not be around to lay down more of his massive hooks. We can only earnestly hope that Farook will continue the legacy and promise that he and his brother began.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Not One And One Is One..., April 24, 2003

By 

mike r baker "ediblebrain" - See all my reviews

This review is from: We Are Three (Audio CD)

Yeah, it's Joi, and they sound pretty much like they did on One And One Is One but I think We Are Three shouldn't be compared to it. If one is looking for Asian Underground that one can dance to, this is definitely a 5 star album. The two Joi albums appeal to different tastes so I can understand a low rating from anyone expecting to find more of their first release - We Are Three does, indeed, lack much of the intelligent spiritually that made One And One Is One so great - but for anyone looking for something to move to, this is still an intelligent choice. And it bears more than a cursory listen to. I agree, if you're expecting more One And One, skip it. But if you just want some excellent world dance music, this deserves a place in your collection.