Rating: * * * *
Verdict: Refugee band's reggae revolt.
First, the story behind how this band from war-torn Sierra Leone came about. Originally from capital city Freetown, Allstars founder Reuben M. Koroma and his wife found themselves in a refugee camp in neighbouring Guinea during the late 90s.
There was no sign of the war in their homeland abating so, along with a handful of other refugess they started a band. And since 2004 they have had a steady rise to recognition, from the release of first album, Living Like A Refugee in 2006, to sharing the stage with, er, Aerosmith.
It's obvious that out of violent times and years of suppression come inspiration and revolution, because what they come up with on second album, Rise & Shine is an uplifting and, more often than not, sunny sounding record.
There's the traditional mantra and chant style of lo-fi and scratchy opener Muloma; then there's the harder, relentless reggae grooves of disarmament anthem Global Threat, the jumped-up ska of Jah Come Down, and the fast, croaky dancehall of Gbrr Mani (Trouble); then on to celebratory numbers like jaunty delight Living Stone and crazed six-minute carnival tune Tamagbondorsu (The Rich Mock the Poor).
There are also unexpected outbursts of reedy, boozy sounding brass that add to a brilliantly catchy and heady mix of music.
It's for fans of everyone from Bob Marley and Burning Spear, New Zealand acts Unity Pacific and Katchafire, right through to those into the many and varied beats and rhythms of other African countries.
