Bedouin Soundclash returns with a new album this year as well as a new drummer. Jay Malinowski, now with a solo album under his belt, has carried some of his songwriting from that session over into this new album it would seem. Opening track "Mountain Top" is a catchy and upbeat Bedouin track which is synonymous with the group's sound. Aside from that, the only other really upbeat song is titled "Rolling Stone". The rest of the tracks are slow movers and builders. A little bit of Bedouin's sunshine faded I think when Pat Pengelly exited the band. Bedouin can still write a crafty, beautiful song but I think Pengelly's input on certain songs and especially his harmonized backing vocals are sorely missed here. Track 4, "Brutal Hearts", features guest vocals from québecoise Coeur De Pirate and features a balanced portion of both vocalists on the track. The track entitled "Elongo" happens to be one of my favourites as its chorus reverberates joyfully while featuring layered vocals from Malinowski. The final track on the album, "Follow The Sun" finds Bedouin in an almost Pink Floyd mode with lots of echoed vocals and lots of reverb and chorus effects on the guitars. You almost expect to hear them break into "Money". Sekou Lumumba, Bedouin's current drummer seems to fit the mold of the band and doesn't stray to far from what Pengelly was doing. Having seen them live at the Dragonboat Races in Ottawa back in June, Lumumba has done a good job of taking over and even adds his own twist to old favourites. The band did seem to have a renewed energy on stage rather than going through the motions. Lumumba is not however a singer and therefore some of Bedouin's classics lack the punch they once had with Pengelly's vocals accompanying Malinowski's. This is still an excellent effort from Bedouin Soundclash, but I can only hope that they do actually "Follow The Sun" in an effort to recapture the brightness that made Bedouin so fun to listen to.
www.myspace.com/bedouinsoundclash
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