Brothers Robert and Roland utilize their formidable skills to deconstruct and reconstruct familiar songs in fresh, exciting ways. Some have stood the test of time. Others weren't all that much in the first place and reflect the influence of friendships, industry politics and record label loyalties on the Hoku Awards process. The Brothers and producer Jon de Mello do justice to the true classics and revitalize the lackluster songs. There are no duds.
Fresh discoveries await each listening.
A couple of bits suggest the trio might want to refine its perspectives. The American occupation does not automatically excuse or justify every act of violence by Hawaiians. John Berger, who has covered the local entertainment scene since 1972, writes reviews of recordings produced by Hawaii artists. See the Star-Bulletin's Home Zone section on Fridays for the latest reviews. See Record Reviews for some of John Berger's past reviews.