This project, driven by Juilan Urigotta, began in 2002 with the laudable aim of giving nomadic musicians a creative outlet by producing "structured pop songs for smoky black voices".
Based in London and Barcelona, the common meeting point is the 08001 recording studio in Barcelona, named, like the band, after the area code for the El Raval district.
With so much pain and conflict in the world, a group of global citizens coming together harmoniously to make peace loving soul music should, in theory at least, produce only warm and fuzzy emotions.
Unfortunately, the stark cover image for the band's third album is at odds with the bland content of the record.
Repeated platitudes about letting the music take you higher and believing in the power of joy do not make for the most thrilling listen.
The political naivety of a track like I Feel You 2 ("hey parliament y'all should be ashamed") is just plain embarrassing while Mr. Cop is the wimpiest song about police harassment I have ever heard ("you can take away my guitar but you can't stop my song").
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Expressing the need to overcome obstacles to forge a better world (Life & Lessons) and the No Pain No Gain message of the title track are genuine enough but are couched in the kind of language that belongs to tacky greeting cards.
And even Hallmark might balk at idea of affirming that "my love is like a red red rose", a line used without apparent irony on the track Red Rose.
Equally, the 'children are the future' viewpoint of the single Children Rise may be rooted in truth but surely the lyricists could have come up with more original advice than "open your eyes".
I don't doubt that each of the contributors of this album possess admirable levels of courage and self determination but none of this strength and passion is communicated in their music.
08001's website
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