Rwanda Sings with Strings

Rarely does a band remain as grounded and unpretentious as the Good Ones, a bare-bones folk act from a small Rwandan village whose four previous albums have been recorded live in the field by American producer Ian Brennan. Their original songs about heartbreak, poverty, and the brutal genocide its members survived in the mid-90s are delivered with unexpected warmth and sweetness. They are an unlikely success story who have toured internationally, recorded for hip indie labels like Dead Oceans and ANTI-, and realized dreams far beyond their meager origins. Despite this, the simplicity of their approach remains unchanged. The Good Ones are essentially the duo of Adrien Kazigira, who sings and plays acoustic guitar, and his childhood friend Janvier Havugimana, who also sings and plays percussion on various non-musical objects (farming tools, boots, an empty cup). In the past, they have occasionally been complemented by a third member, but the core duo have maintained their partnership since the beginning. On Rwanda Sings with Strings, the Good Ones fifth album, they are joined by cellist Gordon Withers and violinist Matvei Sigalov, two musicians hired by Brennan who had never met each other, nor the band, before the session date. Aside from the setting -- they recorded in a Washington, D.C. hotel room rather than Kazigiras rural African farm -- and the new recruits, their recording method was the same as on each preceding album. Over a three-hour period, Brennan recorded them playing 19 songs live in the room with the string players improvising to music theyd never heard. Somehow it worked, with the unobtrusive string parts adding an ethereal counterpoint to the pairs rugged and poignant folk songs. Ten tracks from this marathon session were chosen for the album. Singing in the Rwandan language of Kinyarwanda, the Good Ones emotions are implicit and often explained in descriptive song titles like the mournful "I Love You So Much, But You Refused to Marry Me (Your Beauty I Cannot Unsee)" and "One Red Sunday, You Lied & Tried to Steal My Land," which, despite its tragic implications, is rather beautiful with bright harmonies and a lilting melody. Opener "Agnes Dreams of Being an Artist" is another highlight with an inspired performance by the duo and a lovely off-the-cuff violin part from Sigalov. Apparently, hearing his songs accompanied by strings was a lifelong ambition of Kazigiras, who was so overcome with emotion afterward that he lay on the couch hugging Withers cello. The Good Ones may sing of hardship, but their gratitude and love of life are always apparent, especially when presented in such an unadorned and compelling way. In the overprocessed age of modern recording, such spontaneity is rare and welcome. ~ Timothy Monger