Search - 3 Mustaphas 3 :: Friends Fiends & Fronds

For real 3M3 fans only

Eleanor Skinner | 03/07/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This record was the biggest disappointment in my latest Amazon order. It's basically a collection of B-sides and unreleased tracks - mostly "out-of-context" and mixed together without much understanding. It's a far cry from their "grand" records (which are mostly not available at Amazon, like "Heart of Uncle") and was filed under "other" soon afterwards.You will still find some quite good songs on it, but I prefer to hear CDs as a whole, and this is not much fun here. But the main reason why I don't put the pop-up menu to zero stars is that the band is just phantastic with innovative and virtuous musicans. But why should I buy their dropout songs that even they wouldn't like to have on their records?"

Good listening and some excellent music for belly dancers

Eleanor Skinner | 12/22/1998

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I am a member of a middle eastern dance troupe and we have used this contemporary album for 2 routines. Music is rhythmical and different from the standard fare heard at most dance festivals. We have really enjoyed it. Best suited for troupes and intermediate level dancers."

'You can't coat a wolf in chocolate . . .

Eleanor Skinner | Albany, NY United States | 09/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

". . . because a wolf already has its own fur.' Maybe I'm not a true Mustapha fan because I haven't been able to find any of their other albums in the past 5 years, but I love this band because of this album. It's a huge mixture of styles (sometimes one per song, sometimes more), kind of like Ad Vielle Que Pourra only (much) more Balkan and with more of a spirit of rock, even when they're not playing rock. Si Vous Passez Par La is a beautiful French or Algerian accordion sort of song and Buke e kripe ne vater tone is the most wonderful, heavenly blaring Albanian piece ever, sort of like tuning bagpipes riding to battle with the occasional country & western line thrown in (and run over). Kac Kuzulu Ceylan and Kopanitsa are also terrific (Turkish rock and Bulgarian fairly-trad-if-fast) and Starehe Mustaphas and Fiz'n are unforgettable after enough listens just because they're so weird. Okay, I can live without quadruple Lindas and Maldita Guajira, but who cares? The only albums that have absolutely *nothing* bad on them are The Machines by Alan Replica, 7 by Apoptygma Berzerk, and Pink Floyd's The Wall. Go buy them. But buy lots of Mustapha first."