The Sim Redmond Band Life Is WaterGenre: American World BeatNext of Kin: Paul Simon, Lucky Duber2 stars out of 5

The Sim Redmond Band may be out of Ithaca, N.Y., but their sound is from somewhere a lot warmer. Whether mixing American pop with reggae, west African or Middle Eastern influences, The Sim Redmond Band’s new album Life Is Water sweeps the listener away to milder climates.

Life Is Water aspires to Paul Simon’s great American world beat albums Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints, but lacking the authenticity of the musicians on those albums and rhymin’ Simon’s poetic lyrics, the Sim Redmond Band lands closer to Rusted Root and String Cheese Incident territory.

That isn’t such a bad thing really. The mellow vibe and nature-themed lyrics ensure that Life is Water goes down easy and makes for an enjoyable listen throughout. The band floats best when Sim Redmond yields the vocal duties to singer Uniit Carruyo on songs like, ‘After Sense’ and ‘Somewhere to Land’ and when the percussion takes center stage on tracks like ‘D-Fumo’ and ‘Pedza’. The centerpiece of these instrumental tracks is the excellent Mbira (a traditional Zimbabwean melodic percussion instrument) playing by Sim Redmond.

Unfortunately, the album’s buoyancy, while initially an asset, drags the release down in the long run. Too many songs about birds and no tracks that really challenge the listener makes Life Is Water ultimately forgettable. In this cold weather, the Sim Redmond Band offer a refreshing detour, but when the album is over, it leaves the listeners right back where they started.