Life Will Be Fine

Zebula Avenue, which began under the name 47UMa by singer/songwriter/guitarist Gail Baker in Detroit in 1996, have developed into a true hybrid ensemble that matches R&B and rock roots to a variety of world music styles, especially including reggae and South African music. The tracks may be sung in English, French, Spanish, or Swahili, and the group has long since become much more than just a vehicle for Baker, who shares vocals with Maggie McCabe and Maureen Honoré. Honoré in particular is an important element, not only because of her multi-octave voice, which she shows off on such songs as the sexy "Hold Me," but also because she contributes as a songwriter, on that track and others. James Niemi's hard rock guitar solos keep the music familiar, even when the rhythm section, with its exotic percussion, is engaged in a trip around the world. It almost seems too much eclecticism to fit into one band, but somehow all the disparate musical pieces work together without any of them being subsumed. Lyrically, one might hope for something more substantial than the alternately starry-eyed and simple romantic sentiments, but it's hard to complain for long when the beats, the melodies, the singing, and the playing are this engaging.