Lullabies From The Axis Of Evil is a clever if also bracing title for an album from the classy Norwegian label Kirkelig Kulturverksted, home of audiophile diva Kari Bremnes. What has George W. Bush's geopolitical term and implicit condemnation of certain nations to do with a wonderful compilation of down-tempo songs which feature vocalists from Lila Downs and Nina Hagen to Rim Banna and Sevara Nazarkhan, from Kari Bremnes to Shofani Jawaher, Rickie Lee Jones and more? It's likely because of where these tunes and some of their singers are from. All the more reason to listen in and crash cultural divisions. If one does, what reveals itself is a strong collection of exotic voices in surprisingly modern settings including far-out backdrops like the National Cathedral Girls Choristers underpinned by massive bass beats. Like Sting's famous "if the Russians love their children too" refrain, Lullabies reminds us that a mother's love for her child cares nothing for class, caste, culture or religion. It's universal. And this album celebrates a few musical facets of that. Go back in time when you were a toddler. Let these women sing you to sleep. It sure beats getting yelled at by some Heavy Metal rocker on acid.
