Having just reviewed a compilation of Turkish Rock Music from the 60s and 70s, I thought I'd stay in the region with "Hard Rock From The Middle East" - the album is somewhat misleading, there's no hard rock, it's more 60s soft rock, the album was rather innovative at the time of its release.

Released in 1967, not only is it not really hard rock but it's not completely from the Middle East either... it's a line-up of musicians from New York who were either Middle Eastern immigrants or descendants and were able to play traditional instruments, producer Pappalardi put them together.

The tracks on this album are either traditional songs - some from Greece and Turkey and other from Arabic countries or written in the same style, they are then given a rock touch which really actually works. Stuck on the end is a version of Misirlou which is not the track it traditionally is but rather a stylish crooning song.

It's a pretty innovative album and may be the first folk rock fusion of an Arab nature in the US, apart from Misirlou of course which was given the surf rock treatment. The album was a commercial failure, no one would go near it because it was released at the same time The Six Day war took place and radio stations baulked at the idea of playing the album.

Today it stands out as a good piece of music though and whilst I don't really have a favourite song, it's enjoyable listening that doesn't require too much thinking.

1 Wala Dai
2 Nahna U Diab
3 Karkadon
4 Selim Alai
5 Isme
6 Besaha
7 Shisheler
8 Kley
9 Hala Laya
10 Treea Pethya
11 Misirlou

This review was also posted on my website http://www.musicneverdied.com