Cheb Kader - From Oran to Paris (CD)

All Music Guide

From the leader of the newest generation of rai comes this sophomore album of the work of Cheb Kader. In many ways perhaps best known for his role in the 1,2,3 Soleils concert with Rachid Taha and Cheb Khaled, Kader is an outstanding rai singer in his own right. Beyond his obvious vocal abilities, though, one will note his exceptional composing style. Incorporated into the basic framework of rai, Kader adds touches of rock (much like Taha's work, but to a lesser degree), as well as bits of reggae beats and what would seem to be a bit of European dancefloor sensibility here and there. It's an interesting mix of sounds, but the focus always returns to Kader's able vocals. The lyrics of the songs deal largely with the usual poetry embraced by rai, that of love in all its forms, with a special focus on unrequited love. Added to this, though, are notes on the condition of exiles and others living abroad and the problems faced by the French Algerian groups. Given its embrace of eclecticism, this is a sound far removed from the rai popularized in the West by performers such as Cheb Mami, but the sound is worth hearing, especially as Kader stands poised to take the mantle of the current generation of musicians. The 1,2,3 Soleils album is also recommended to listeners for its contrast in specialties in the different generations of singers.

- Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide