Este Mundo, the second album by Rupa & the April Fishes, elaborates on the style they laid out on their successful debut CD, Extraordinary Rendition. No matter how serious the topics (immigration, tolerance, social integration), the tone is always cheerful, with a subtle nod to the golden age of the circus. Rupa Marya has been living for several years in a Spanish-speaking part of San Francisco and this had a distinct effect on the new album. Many of the songs were written in Spanish, not its “official” version but a hodgepodge of dialects from various places in Latin America. It’s the language she picked up from the many immigrants in her own neighborhood. Playing with language has been second nature to her ever since she lived as a small child in India, France and the U.S., and had to communicate with kids whose languages she didn’t understand.
The April Fishes’ lineup closely resembles that of a typical klezmer band, with—in addition to drum, bass, guitar and accordion—jubilant fireworks from trumpet and clarinet. But there are also distinct Mexican mariachi flavors, shades of Indian raga and French musette. Este Mundo takes off at a higher tempo than its predecessor, which reduces the similarities between Marya’s music and that of Mexican-American singer Lhasa de Sela. About halfway into the album, an unexpected guest makes an appearance: rapper Raymond “Boots” Riley of The Coup, a nice contrast with the sweetness of Marya’s vocals. Probably infected by Boots, she also tries her hand at rapping a little later. It sounds a little unaccustomed, but rather charming because of it.
