Rupa & The April Fishes

Extraordinary Rendition

2008-04-28

One of the best things about Extraordinary Rendition (Cumbancha) by San Francisco-based Rupa and the April Fishes is that the music doesn't sound the least bit like a product of the USA. Unlike most homegrown world beat, this blend of gypsy swing, French cabaret, tango, and other styles comes across with an oddly organic charm that never seems forced. That's because American-born Rupa Marya brings the fruits of her upbringing in southern France, the US, and India, welding her wanderlust to a chanteuse persona. Peak tracks like "Plus Que Moi" (#9) are like little slices of a rousing, rollicking theatrical revue from a bygone era, full of tempo changes, mood shifts, and ungodly clatter. The pistonic throttle of "Poder" (#3) puts the ghost of Brecht-Weill in overdrive. Rupa and her Fish wriggle into not just the cleft between cultures, but also the fissure between eras. Even slow cooker "La Pecheuse" (#6), which drifts into a dreamy middle section with falsetto vocal, feels as if it's been sprinkled with nostalgia. -- Bob Tarte

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #World

  • reviewed 05/2008

    TREMOLOCO
    Dulcinea

  • reviewed 04/2014

    AJ DAVILA
    Terror Amor

  • reviewed 09/2007

    EASTERN BLOK
    Folk Tales

  • reviewed 08/2007

    SOMI
    Red Soil In My Eyes

  • reviewed 03/2012

    SOJA
    Strength to Survive

  • reviewed 12/2007

    TABU LEY ROCHEREAU
    The Voice of Lightness

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.