Marcel Khalife's "At the Border" Reissued on CD!

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I've wanted a decent copy of this for a long time now. What I have was taped from a dying cassette copy, which introduced some interesting effects at certain points, but all the same, I would rather hear it approximately as it was meant to sound. As I listen to some of the audio clips, I am wondering if some songs have been re-recorded, but I think at least some are the original tracks remastered. Either way, I'm happy to see this released.

Some have found the album is a somewhat odd eclectic mix of styles, but it holds together for me. (I think it helps to be a little familiar with the way Lebanese music makes use of western classical music.) Some of the melodies are absolutely gorgeous, and those songs alternate with songs with more dance-oriented (debka, probably) rhythms, as well as instrumental passages. I think the person who originally loaned me the tape said that Marcel Khalife's sister sings on this. Anyway, he had a very high opinion of her singing, and he had little time for anyone but Oum Kalthoum and Fairouz. Her voice is a bit like Fairouz's in some ways, not as virtuosic, probably, but more natural sounding. Khalife's oud playing is very hot.

Thematicaly, the album includes political songs, particularly focused on the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and love songs.

You can hear clips here.

― Al Andalous, Friday, 12 September 2003 01:09 (twenty-two years ago)

For those who are demanding more information, you can check out his web-site.

(I can't stop thinking that the sudden CD release of three of his albums--I suspect three of his most popular albums--for the first time reminds me of Neil Young. There is something vaguely Neil Young about Khalife. He writes controversial political songs. He builds a reputation for being serious and socially conscious, and then he writes very erotic love songs. His fans love his songs, so he composes album after album of instrumental works. Etc. Musically, I wouldn't say they have much in common.)

― Al Andalous, Friday, 12 September 2003 02:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Drum machine and oud. You cannot resist.

― Al Andalous, Friday, 12 September 2003 02:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Some have found the album is a somewhat odd eclectic mix of styles

Why do my sentences so often sound like bad English translations of sentences written in a foreign language? That could be in the liner notes to a French edition of a Khalife CD. Lots of editing, not enough attention to details.

― Al Andalous, Friday, 12 September 2003 02:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Listening to this now. It's originally from 1980. The drum machine is hardly the most wonderful aspect of the album, and I am not much of a fan of drum machines any more, but I do like it here, and I can't help thinking that it sounds like the same sort of equipment that Ultravox, for instance, was using at around the same time; although here it is combinde with oud and so forth.

The liner notes have the lyrics in Arabic and English, which is handy. It makes sense of the children's artwork on the cover and the children's chorus in one or two of the songs, since some of these songs talk about the Israeli bombing in Lebanon from a child's perspective.

― Al Andalous, Monday, 15 September 2003 22:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll have to check this out. I like a cd of his called Arabic Coffeepot.

― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Saturday, 20 September 2003 04:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Steve, do you really? I just bought that one too, though I've known about it for a while. I couldn't get into most of what I heard. No recordings I've heard by him done since the 80's (which is most of what he's put out) really have the same impact as that earlier stuff.

― Al Andalous, Sunday, 21 September 2003 00:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually I haven't listened to it, and a cd called Dance, I think, in years when I believe I wrote a little preview concert pick item for him. I need to bring them both out and play them again but I recall liking 'em both.

A guy out of Philly who sometimes calls himsself rockist scientist used to post items about middle-eastern music. Maybe he'll see this...

― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Sunday, 21 September 2003 13:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know if you're joking or not. I am the former Rockist Scientist. (I still don't feel settled into my new name. "Al" doesn't quite fit me, by itself.)

― Al Andalous, Sunday, 21 September 2003 15:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't keep up on all these name changes...I've figured out Jess Harvell's and Blount's...I still haven't listened to those Khalife cds again yet. I've got a Ravi and Anoushka Shankar at the Kennedy Center preview pick due Tuesday so I'm in Indian mode right now.

― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Sunday, 21 September 2003 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

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