"Waking Up"
Maryanne Ito
(no label)
"Slow jams" was the term used in the 1990s to describe songs with slow rhythms, introspective lyrics and heavy, solid bass lines. Vocalist Maryanne Ito and her producers revive that genre with her debut album and toss in an up-tempo dance club cut as well.
Ito has a distinctive sweet and sexy voice that catches the ear on first listen. The singer and her production team also have a knack for romantic lyrics. "How I Feel" describes a perfect romantic relationship. References to "taking a flight" and "sitting on the shore" could place the singer in Hawaii, although many places in the world have shorelines. Wherever the locale, the song would fit on the playlists of R&B/urban radio stations anywhere.
Two male vocalists — Daniel Sauls and mono-monickered Devaun — are prominent guests. Sauls’ is the dominant voice on "No Words," and Devaun gets the spotlight on "Good to Me."
The final track, "WOW Outro," ends the album with unidentified men talking about the experience of working with her, and then Ito’s thoughts on the project.
None of this is Hawaiian music, but "Waking Up" is an album Hawaii can be proud to claim.
"How Do I Feel"
www.maryanneito.com
"‘The Haumana’ — Music From The Soundtrack"
Various artists
(Koops2)
The soundtrack album for Keo Woolford’s indie film won the 2014 Na Hoku Hanohano Award for best compilation album. Nine of the 10 songs chosen from those heard in the film are in Hawaiian. A medley of "Aloha Nu‘uanu/‘Alekoki" blends two classics. The others are newly written. The performances are beautiful throughout.
There is also a Jawaiian song, "I Like The Way We Do It (Pound Pound Pound Song)" performed by Baba B. and Chief Ragga that breaks the Hawaiian format for no apparent reason.
The film, which was released on DVD in late June, gives outsiders many insights into the cultural milieu of hula. The economically packaged soundtrack album adds nothing to that understanding.
The odd thing about this album as a soundtrack about hula is the lack of song lyrics and translations. Hula cannot be performed without lyrics. No information about the lyrics of these songs, or the artists singing them, is provided.
"Kunihi Ka’ala"
http://haumanamovie.com/
"Hali‘ali‘a Aloha"
Eric Lee featuring the Makaha Sons
(Lee Enterprises)
Eric Lee celebrates 20 years in the music business — as a solo artist, a member of Na Kama and now as a member of the Makaha Sons — with this download-only single. The song is a preview of an upcoming 20th-anniversary anthology he’ll be releasing in October.
"Hali‘ali‘a Aloha" is also significant as the first new recording by the Makaha Sons since the death of Sons bassist John Koko in 2012.
"Hali‘ali‘a Aloha" will be released as a digital download Aug. 12 on iTunes and Amazon.com. Pre-order it at www.ericleehawaii.com.
"Hali’ali’a Aloha"
"Paradise"
Kolohe Kai
(no label)
Is Kolohe Kai still a group as seen on the cover of previous CDs, or is it singer-songwriter Roman De Peralta working with veteran producer-engineers Imua Garza and Kapena De Lima and some studio musicians?
Viewed in commercial terms, it probably doesn’t matter. De Peralta was the primary voice on the previous Kolohe Kai projects, and he is the primary voice here. On some songs he sounds like a guy in his early post-puberty teens; on others he sounds a little more mature.
De Peralta sings of his love of the ocean ("He‘e Roa"), his disdain for people who gossip online ("Stinky Air") and of the spiritual boost that comes with making the right choices ("The Right Thing").
"When She Smiles" shows that De Peralta and Garza can construct an appealing Bruno Mars-style love song.
Basic Jamaican-style rhythms predominate throughout, but with "My Last Page," De Peralta closes the album with an introspective acoustic ballad and explores more mature themes.
"When She Smiles"
www.kolohekaimusic.com
"… me ke aloha"
Lito Arkangel
(Palm)
Lito Arkangel sings in a beautiful falsetto voice and accompanies himself on ukulele. Dwight Tokumoto (steel guitar) and Elmer "Sonny" Lim Jr. (acoustic guitar and acoustic bass guitar) are the only guests. Although modern studio technology allows Arkangel to sing all the vocal parts, his harmonizing is exquisitely traditionalist.
The 12 songs represent two centuries of Hawaiian music and stretch from "Hi‘ilawe" and "Ku‘u Pua i Paoakalani" to modern compositions by Robert Cazimero and Keali‘i Reichel. "E O Mai" and "He Mana‘o Aloha" show that he has a strong and smooth tenor voice too.
Arkangel personalizes the older songs as well.
Hawaiian lyrics and English translations are not provided and should be. Perhaps Arkangel will add them to his website, www.litoarkangel.com.
"Pua Olena"
"Boom Box Starship"
Busekrus
(Busekrus)
"Boom Box Starship" opens with a song titled "Never Make It," a song that simultaneously thanks fans and dismisses the people who doubted the group.
The lyrics don’t come out and say it, but Busekrus has not only survived and grown, the band has made itself known beyond the underground scene. The first seconds of the song show why this is. The powerful guitar work and driving rhythm section kick in immediately and carry on through each song that follows.
Busekrus speaks for generations of men with "Stella." The song is an ode to a "perfect girl" but unfortunately for the guy, "she’s like a goddess and I’m just a geek." Countless guys have been there! Other songs address relationships from a variety of perspectives. All of them sound sincere.
The final song, "Don’t Give In," could be taken as the encouragement one friend gives another or as a message from a higher power. Either way it is stirring and inspirational alt-rock worthy of a national audience.
"Never Make It"
www.facebook.com/busekrus
