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And speaking of cultural catharsis what can you
say about a gypsy-rock group formed in LA, led by a Fijian Indian
Marcus Nand who cites Led Zeppelin as a major influence? Bring
it on, I say. Marcus was raised in Andalucia and it sure shows
with his smoky voice replete with genuine emotion and a facility
on acoustic guitar that eschews his formidable technique in favour
of expression. Moving from friendly flamenco rumba-rock to hypnotic
North African rhythms all marked by a charismatic sense of arrangement
and composition their eponymous debut on the Triloka label takes
the listener on a journey through English and Spanish language
flamenco-pop that is genuinely infectious and soulful at the same
time.
As Ziroq wends its way past midpoint the CD seems to accumulate
in interest with superbly interweaving guitar parts, jabbing violin
breaks and string arrangements. It is here that Marcus reveals
his Andalucian soul in a couple of jawdroppingly beautiful guitar
pieces before moving into some exciting flamenco over Jamaican
ska rhythms. Whew! You can safely add Ziroq to the list I cited
above and I aint talkin about Oscar or Armik.
Richard Jasiutowicz Feb 2003