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Album Details

• Artist: Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
• Album: Living Like A Refugee
• Label: Anti
• Year of Release: 2006
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2006-12-16

How can such amazing music come out of time when such atrocities and extreme Civil War situations were rampant in Sierra Leone? It is a known fact that music is healing and that is what this large group of "refugees" known as Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars got together. They were found with a group went in to create a documentary about the refugee camps and they were surprised to find music to be the center of everything. The title track of this album was recorded around an oil lamp in one of the camps in Guinea. It's amazing to hear such hope and happiness in the voices even though the topic is so dreary. That's what Living Like A Refugee is all about, hope in a time of despair.

This music is some of the best world music I have heard all year. It's got the traditional feel to it and yet there is such a modern twist on it as well. There is a lot of reggae type back-beats being used, just one of these is on "Smile". You can hear the roots of reggae coming right off of this album, even though this album is so new. The musicianship should be noted too. The guitar and percussion are stellar.

Take this album, dance to it, receive the message that Sierra Leone's Refuge All Stars have about the horrors and tragedies of Civil war. Cry, laugh, have a good time. This album could be used in so many ways, it just needs to be heard.

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