Released in 1993, Hawaiian musician
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's second solo album,
Facing Future, found a world-wide audience nearly a decade later thanks to its ukulele-led "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" medley appearing on several TV and film soundtracks. Co-produced with
Jon de Mello, the follow-up to Ka 'Ano'i includes a combination of Hawaiian-language material, hapa haole tracks, and Jawaiian- (Island reggae) based songs, alongside a cover version of
John Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads." ~ Jon O'Brien