Namahana

The latest release from the fusionary Hawaiian group Hapa. This album sticks to some degree more to the traditional Hawaiian sounds that the group has become known for. There is less interplay with rock, essentially. The compositions are largely original works this time through, primarily penned by Barry Flanagan. The album starts out with a few numbers, alternating between instrumental and vocal tracks. The first track, Pu'uanahulu," goes back and forth from Hawaiian to English. Flanagan's "Stars in the Morning Sky" follows, making a vaguely slack-key impression. From there, a bit of poetry is added in the following track, followed by another instrumental, and another round of poetry. Earl Klugh's "Debra Anne" makes an appearance, followed by the traditional "He'eia." Another alternation of instrumental and vocal works follow, to be followed themselves by the title track of sorts, "Aloha Namahana," which makes use of bagpipes as well as the usual Hawaiian fare, showing off the other side of Flanagan's influences. The interplay between the pipes and the Hawaiian guitar work is surprisingly good, making a stunning finale track for the album. Pick up this one as a fan of the previous work of Hapa, but for newcomers, something that showcases some of the other aspects might not be a bad choice, such as Pride (In the Name of Love).