Search - Paul & Margie :: 40 Most Popular American Folk Songs

Upbeat and Contemporary M. E. Music

Wendy A. B. Whipple | Chicago, IL USA | 03/12/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD has great liner notes, and the music is varied and fun. It does have a lot of electronic elements to it -- but it is "modern" after all. This is contemporary music with an upbeat feel. The songs are kept from being too "pop" with complex rhythm and melodies that have some depth. A great CD set!The liner notes translate the song title, and explain the emotion behind it. For example: "Balla Tghanni Ya Mourkos (For God's Sake Mourkos Sing) Please, Mourkos, sing and let this beautiful girl dance to your Lebanese music." This really enhanced my enjoyment of the music. Since I don't speak the language, even that brief translation gave me some understanding of what the music was all about. Dancers who like contemporary music will really enjoy this set. Modern Bellydance from Lebanon has a very talented writer in Sayyah. Much of the selections are very light and energetic, which would probably make them great for performance. It's hard to listen to this music and maintain a dark mood."