Rebirth
This World Of Ours
(independent)
Valley band Rebirth has one of the most unusual origin stories you’ll hear: the band formed a few years ago when its members lost a friend, activist Julius Ford. Bassist/guitarist/vocalist Cinamon Blair told the Advocate in 2011, “I truly believe Rebirth would have eventually formed with Julius as a member if he were still in the physical form.”
The music of Rebirth is an unusual mix of influences. There’s often a rollicking, gentle rhythmic bent that evokes African pop, but there are also clear nods to smooth ’70s vocals and bass-heavy funk, not to mention a healthy dose of Latin danceability.
The members of the band sometimes share songwriting duties, but also contribute individually penned pieces. That lends This World of Ours an array of sensibilities. Some tunes veer toward an almost folky feel, with abstract lyrics that don’t quite take flight with the same punch as the soaring, moving music. But the band really hits its stride on a couple of Spanish-language tunes, “Oye mi Gente”and “Ritmo Beat.”
Both offer particularly accomplished singing and infectious Latin beats, but “Oye mi Gente” is the album’s dramatic high point, though it’s the last tune. It begins with a stew of jungle-flavored ambient sounds, and the vocals take no prisoners, covering a wide range with equal energy and giving way to a chorus of voices that employs harmony and dissonance to build toward the rewarding release of a conga beat. The track’s brevity probably accounts for its late placement, but it contains an energy that really sticks with you.
Rebirth’s album feels like the work of a band in the habit of having a very good time at live shows, and if you’re in the Boston area, you can check them out July 9 at House of Blues. On Aug. 28, Rebirth plays closer to home at Easthampton’s Luthier’s Co-op.•
