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Album: Rise And Shine
Avg rating:
5.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 183









Released: 2010
Length: 4:49
Plays (last 30 days): 0
(no lyrics available)
Comments (30)add comment
Bumping from 7 to 8, now that I know more about their background. And dammit, they've got such an infectious, positive groove - I can't help but smile when I listen to their music.  Good stuff.
 Sasha2001 wrote:
Is the band's name supposed to be ironic?

 
Nope. They're all refugees from Sierra Leone, which saw one of the most brutal civil wars in recent history. Kudos to them for becoming so popular. See 'Our Story' on the band website.

Great song for a hot humid summer day! {#Sunny}
 Sasha2001 wrote:
Is the band's name supposed to be ironic? It's bizarre to think of refugees having a sub-group of all stars. How bad would it suck to be one of the refugee bench warmers. Or, to not be good enough to make the refugees team to begin with.

 
IMDB "The story of a group of courageous musicians who form a band in a West African refugee camp to keep their hope alive."

Is the band's name supposed to be ironic? It's bizarre to think of refugees having a sub-group of all stars. How bad would it suck to be one of the refugee bench warmers. Or, to not be good enough to make the refugees team to begin with.

This is like listening to "Why Can't We Be Friends?" by War.  Some awkward wording and absolutely lousy singing, but oh, the HEART behind it, and that Reggae beat...  Hard not to like it.  Harder still not to tap one's foot to it.{#Bounce}
 Dangerpussy wrote:
I'm going to see these guys tonight. Happy your played them! {#Clap}
How were they???? 


I thought perhaps the guy didn't enunciate. Perhaps it's his dialect. He's like a Sierra Leone version of Elton John. "Hold me closer Tony Danza."
I'm going to see these guys tonight. Happy your played them! {#Clap}
This is bad.  Sorry.

 
FluorideFreeMN wrote:
Can't get into this group....refugees or not, their sound just isn't appealing to me.
 


They do have some really good tunes though; I tried to upload some and got rejected, but I have some more earlier stuff from them I am going to try now that I see that B and R like them enough to put them on the station.{#Yes}
 RobRyan wrote:
Conflicted. I HATE passionately the events that caused them to become refugees, and would LOVE for the African continent to achieve its potential. I admire them for finding a creative outlet and, in fact, for even surviving. That said, I just don't enjoy the music. Thus, I haven't assigned a rating.
 
I feel you.  I personally think that it is ok to like music even though the person who made it is less than perfect (lots of examples of this one) and likewise I think it is ok to dislike music even though you hold the musician(s) in high personal regard.  Its all about the music man.
Can't get into this group....refugees or not, their sound just isn't appealing to me.
Conflicted. I HATE passionately the events that caused them to become refugees, and would LOVE for the African continent to achieve its potential. I admire them for finding a creative outlet and, in fact, for even surviving. That said, I just don't enjoy the music. Thus, I haven't assigned a rating.
 Cruzan wrote:
Man, I really dig this song but can't find it on iTunes :-(

 
Here

Man, I really dig this song but can't find it on iTunes :-(

"We are the Rolling Stones..."
cornerstone baby !!! living stone ~ ya hear? lol what situation...?
dont know anything about their background, and dont need to to know this is good, inspired music.
 meltingptofTrees wrote:
Really nice groove and incredibly inspiring considering what I just read about their background.  Apparently these guys were on a PBS documentary a while back, here's the synopsis from website: https://www.pbs.org/pov/sierraleone/

If the refugee is today's tragic icon of a war-ravaged world, then Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, a reggae-inflected band born in the camps of West Africa, represents a real-life story of survival and hope. The six-member Refugee All Stars came together in Guinea after civil war forced them from their native Sierra Leone. Traumatized by physical injuries and the brutal loss of family and community, they fight back with the only means they have — music. The result is a tableau of tragedy transformed by the band's inspiring determination to sing and be heard. A Diverse Voices Project co-production.
 
The documentary was cool, a little contrived ("all stars" is a bit of a reach), but still good to watch. Available instantly on Netflix.

 
8

thanks, coy.    6=>8 knowing the story{#Sunny}

coy wrote:

thanks meltingpotofTrees

'The name is from the spanish sierra (mountain chain) + leone (lion), meaning lion mountains, which refers not to the roar of lions (they are not found in this part of africa) but to the noise from claps of thunder from storm clouds constantly surrounding the mountains'

 


more like gall stones and kidney stones...
Feels true and real to me. An inspiring 8

Another great example of how music is so much more than what comes out of the speakers. Enjoy the story, enjoy the music!
 meltingptofTrees wrote:
Really nice groove and incredibly inspiring considering what I just read about their background.  Apparently these guys were on a PBS documentary a while back, here's the synopsis from website: https://www.pbs.org/pov/sierraleone/

If the refugee is today's tragic icon of a war-ravaged world, then Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, a reggae-inflected band born in the camps of West Africa, represents a real-life story of survival and hope. The six-member Refugee All Stars came together in Guinea after civil war forced them from their native Sierra Leone. Traumatized by physical injuries and the brutal loss of family and community, they fight back with the only means they have — music. The result is a tableau of tragedy transformed by the band's inspiring determination to sing and be heard. A Diverse Voices Project co-production.
 
thanks meltingpotofTrees

'The name is from the spanish sierra (mountain chain) + leone (lion), meaning lion mountains, which refers not to the roar of lions (they are not found in this part of africa) but to the noise from claps of thunder from storm clouds constantly surrounding the mountains'

I agree about the vocals, nothin' special, but somehow it works perfectly.  Love the groove.  {#Sunny}
Really nice groove and incredibly inspiring considering what I just read about their background.  Apparently these guys were on a PBS documentary a while back, here's the synopsis from website: https://www.pbs.org/pov/sierraleone/

If the refugee is today's tragic icon of a war-ravaged world, then Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, a reggae-inflected band born in the camps of West Africa, represents a real-life story of survival and hope. The six-member Refugee All Stars came together in Guinea after civil war forced them from their native Sierra Leone. Traumatized by physical injuries and the brutal loss of family and community, they fight back with the only means they have — music. The result is a tableau of tragedy transformed by the band's inspiring determination to sing and be heard. A Diverse Voices Project co-production.
Catchy...I like.{#Drummer}
Oy, I don't dig that singer.  Mumbly and off-key.  Music's OK; can always use more trombone.