The songs of The Good Ones, played on acoustic guitar and minimalist percussion and often sung in tight two-part harmony, are not easily placed. At times, their repetitive picking patterns and melancholy melodies recall the sound of Sahel blues.
When — as here — violin and cello enter, one might momentarily imagine the Appalachian Mountains. Were it not for the lyrics: despite their English titles, they are written and sung in Kinyarwanda — the national language of Rwanda, home of The Good Ones. The songs of Adrien Kazigira (guitar and vocals) and Janvier Havugimana (percussion made from found objects) tell stories from their country, reflecting not only the bloody history of the genocide nearly thirty years ago but also the harsh living conditions of people in a society changing at breakneck speed.
In this sense, Rwanda Sings With Strings stands in a folk tradition akin to Woody Guthrie or Bob Dylan. Yet the music’s warmth and deep generosity of spirit also recall that The Good Ones were originally founded as a quartet uniting members of different ethnic backgrounds, seeking to heal the traumas of Rwanda’s genocide. An album like no other right now.
