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khaliji corner

Everyone has their own opinions on music. Here are mine. Don't shoot me if I recommend something you end up buying and hating.
And don't yell at me if I diss one of your favorite bands. OK?
That said, let the fun begin.  
All albums are rated on a five star scale. I love most Arabic music, so most albums will have at least a three, but I'll try to be objective. 
Coming soon, a page with listener reviews, submit your thoughts on these albums below, your new favorites, or your old favorites and before you know it, you'll be famous with your review on AMIS's site.

OK folks, I sometimes get criticism that I'm too harsh with some reviews or right on with other reviews. Featured below are links to some guest reviews from this site's fans. Enjoy.
 
 
Artists featured here:

The Khaliji Corner has more Music Reviews for: 
Abd Al-Majeed Abdullah, Mohammad Al-Mazem, Kathem El Saher, Fatouma, and the Kuwaiti Miami Group

Archives has Music Reviews from 1997
Includes: Ragheb Alameh, Waleed Toufec, Ehab Toufec, Najwa Karam and more

posted 08/06/98

Quite simply stated if you like Amr Diab, you will like this album. If you don't like Amr then you won't. The first single, Awadouni, is a pretty global sounding song. It's a bit richer than his last big hit Nour Al Ein, but it doesn't have the same hit appeal is Nour did. (same goes for the video!) Ya Habeeba is a nice slow song which is quite nicely composed and actually has something original in its sound. As on most of Diab's albums you will find that there is a nice blend of Oriental, Western and International beats.

All in all, I was quite disappointed in hearing this album, as I was looking forward to this release since early summer. Besides three good songs you are left to wallow in boredom over song after song which sound the same as every other Amr Diab song you have heard over the last decade.

Mom-meter: my mom (who is cool) thought the album was a bit average sounding. Her reply on my asking if she liked it was,"Ya3ni."
Friend-meter: Two out of three friends were very Unimpressed with this album.
Notable songs:Awadouni Kul Al Kalam Layali Al OmarYa Habeeba

Recommended if you like: Amr Diab, Raghib Alameh, Hisham Abbas, Hameed Al Shaeree
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posted 03/05/99

More Info:
SoundsTrue.com

Buy from Amazon.com:
Zaghareed

This is a wonderful album with nice traditional wedding music, but its greatness can't fully be appreciated unless you have seen this Palestinian dance troupe's act. I hope this label releases a video of this group live. The choreography is unique and very nontraditional - combining Modern Dance with Jazz, Ballet and traditional folkloric dance. Their costumes are amazing with their great modernization of traditional dress with bright colors.

Back to the matter at hand - a review of this album...this is a fun album to listen to. There is nothing too creative about the music, they have added a modern touch to the traditional Palestinian wedding music and they have added more upbeat instrumentation to the songs.

El-Fanoun gives you a full taste of a Palestinian wedding with a nice twist. This album is a modern interpretation of a Palestinian wedding following the story of Miriam who chooses her own lover to marry despite her parents' plans for an arranged marriage. Follow along with the "tulbah" - when the groom asks for his bride's hand, to all the traditional activities emanating from the wedding including the "henna" hand decorations and the groom's bath (hamam) all the way to the wedding scene.

Notable songs:Fardah Adornment of the Bride TulbahA New Love Groom's Bath

Recommended if you like: Caracella
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posted 09/16/98

Marcel's latest release is a compilation of his contributions to the Lebanese dance troupe Caracella's last two ballets: Queen of Carthage and Andalusia. As always Marcel delivers us beautiful compositions which combine modern sounding orchestra with traditional Arabian sounds.

The liner notes describe Marcel as an "unwearied traveler, " and as you listen to this album you will truly feel that you are on a musical journey being transported from one aural experience to another, ranging from very classical flowing ballads to Rahbani debke sounding tunes.

While I truly miss hearing Marcel singing alongside his music (in fact some of his older songs are some of my favorite Arabic songs of all time) this is one man whose contributions as a composer have really impressed me enough to forgive him for not singing anymore.

Mom meter: my mom (who is cool) liked what she heard and said the music reminded her a lot of Fairuz and the Rahbani productions.
Notable songs: Love Duet Departure from Granada Horsemen
Recommended if you like: Simon Shaheen, Rahbani compositions
Artist Information: http://www.arabworld.com/nagam, nagam@aol.com
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posted 06/16/98

A fan of this site once said I don't write up enough reviews on female singers. Well, this review is just for you, wherever you are my friend. I didn't think this album was worth writing about, one reason being that I figured noone ever heard of this woman, the other being that I doubted anyone ever would. So then I figured, wow the power is in my hands to introduce the web world to this little known woman. So here I am standing on my soap box telling you about Nadia Mustapha.

Nadia belts out the songs like the best of them. The music is typical Arabic pop, and your head will be bouncing along soon enough. The choruses are fun enough that you don't pay attention to the lyrics. Mush Eadee is the best of the album, fun and bouncy and such a number one hit that you will be singing along with it without realizing it.

Notable songs: Mush Eadee Lahak Naeesh
Recommended if you like: Najwa Karam
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posted 03/29/99

Regular visitors of this site are famiilar with my regular slamming of this Syrian singer. In the past I have called his voice nasally and quite drole sounding. I am happy to say that Georges (I don't know why it's written Georges and not George...) is going to escape my slamming with his newest release. I knew from my first sampling of the three songs below that it was a step up from past releases.

Surprisingly, I liked this album's six songs. I found it much less dependent on Georges as a solo artist and more focused on catchy choruses and nice accompanying music. That was key for me as his voice really used to annoy me. I was pleased with this release and I believe you will be too.

Notable songs: Tikhsar Rihanak Habeebi Wal Zaman Tabeeb Jarrah
Recommended if you like: Lebanese pop music.
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Thanks to Nagham.com for the CD.

posted 02/07/99

More Info:
SoundsTrue.com

Buy from Amazon.com:
Vol I, Vol II

These are two strong albums featuring sacred music from the annual Fes Festival in Morrocco, transcending national and religious boundaries. Each volume features two CDs and is chock full of some of the best world sacred music out there.

You will find some neat trance like tracks featuring Sufi chants and some amazingly beautiful acoustic sounds; and probably one of the highlights on the Vol I release is the Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra of Bosnia-Herzegovina's Call to Prayer. Many fans of this site have contacted me in the past asking where they can find the beautiful sound of the call to prayer or the "muezzen" - and here it is the most beautiful sounding call to prayer I have ever heard. All of my friends agree.

Mom meter: my mom (who is cool) absolutely melts over the Call to Prayer. I actually replaced the default call to prayer WAV file in some Prayer software I have with this track.
Notable songs:Call to Prayer (vol I), Children of Abraham (vol II)
Recommended if you like: Gregorian Chants, World Trance Music, Sufi Chants, Sacred Music

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