Customer Reviews

We Are Three

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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?

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.

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.

This is sound innovation that is pure entertainment. I felt elevated and elated at the same time and the rythmic mix takes you to a distant place, unknown to many. An true tribute to the elder brother. Keep up the innovation!

I use all of Joi's music for my Belly Dance Classes. They are a fun alternative to the traditional music.

Honestly, I would like to rate Joi's second album somewhere between three and four stars, but I'll round up. Its simply that this CD's a mixed bag, albiet better than many others. The tracks that are great are great: the wonderfully emotive build-up of 'Journey', the melodious crescendos and orchestrations of 'Prem', the pounding breaks of 'Tacadin'. Most of the rest, however, while not exactly lackluster, are simply more of the same. Which isn't exactly a bad thing, seeing as how that means the album on the whole is much better than most of the stuff out there. The long and the short of it is that if you're looking for some more Joi, here it is, and, to quote Jack Nicholson in Mars Attacks, "that ain't bad."

I ordered a copy of this album prior to its release, based on the quality of their previous album, "One and One is One",which is a rich, complex and highly musical recording. What I got with "We are Three" is disappointing, to say the least. Gratingly repetitive, uninteresting themes and a continuous velocity with almost no breathing room, it comes off as a quick-to-the-retailers compilation of banged out riffs that would hopefully ride the coat tails of a carefully crafted first album. You can do alot better than this, guys- we already know what you're capable of. You set the mark, now raise it. Don't release anything other than your best.