AMG Review of Radio Bemba Sound System

Drago Bonacich
All Music Guide

In July 2002, Manu Chao performed a live show in Japan, ending a worldwide tour carried out with his band, Radio Bemba New System, a multicultural group consisting of ten talented musicians from different countries. From Jamaican reggae to Latin alternative pop/rock, including rock en español, hip-hop, flamenco, and French rock, The Live Album delivers a collection of hits from 1998's Clandestino, 2001's Ultima Estacion Esperanza, and Mano Negra's legacy, the Parisian rock outfit named in honor of an Andalusian anarchist group that served as Manu Chao's breakthrough in the music industry. In addition, the 29-track record features the previously unreleased "Bienvenido a Tijuana," "Rumba de Barcelona," and a version of the classic Afro-Caribbean-inflected hit "Blood and Fire." Recorded at Paris' ~Grande Halle de La Villette in September 2001, The Live Album is a multilingual and experimental live experience featuring the best of Manu Chao.