Zombie

YES this is the kind of music I was hoping to find on here - artists/music/genres I've never heard of but instantly like and appreciate. This musician's bio was awesome to read - he's had such an influence on so many people

Politically charged, yet makes me wanna party. Thats a combo I can get down with.

I’m keeping this one. You can have it back later.

I love me some Fela Kuti, but I've listened to his early-70s stuff more than the rest. My favourite album is "Gentleman", and I stand by that as being his best work. However, "Zombie" is close behind, and I hadn't fully appreciated it until now. The album was a critique of the Nigerian military, and it resulted in violent suppression of Kuti, his family and his followers. But the music is also worth holding up on his own terms. The original record has two 12-min tracks (the other two are reissue bonus tracks), and as usual they are energetic explorations of funk and jazz, matched with African rhythms and call-and-response. "Gentleman" has an even better elastic energy to it, but "Zombie" is a little more polished. Many of Kuti's albums do follow a blueprint, but it's such a good and original blueprint that it doesn't matter! Perfect 5 for this one.

This album delivers the 2 things I felt were missing from Monday's Fela album, so I have no choice but to give it a 5. The album cover alone is worth a 5. Sue and I drove to Toronto in 1987 to see them at Lamport Stadium and the concert was cancelled due to "VISA issues" which, in retrospect, I understand to mean the Nigerian government didn't want Fela travelling the world singing about Zombie Soldiers. I have a much greater appreciation listening all these years later, after hearing his influence popping up in the 3 decades of Acid Jazz that have been released since.

This is generally not my genre. That said, the sheer unbridled energy brought to music on this album is infectious. It's 100% a protest album and also 100% and act of creative freedom. It was his way of saying "screw you I'm going to be me and be free no matter what." And you have to respect that. Even so, it really really wasn't my jam. So I can't give it full marks.

A phenomenal album with a funky sound, an artist with an admirable commitment to freedom, and lyrics that are easy for an English speaker to understand but with hidden depths and a biting political message. No complaints.

Did a quick Wiki on this and mad props to Fela Kuti. He showed integrity and the importance of making your voice heard through your art, and he suffered so much from it. The music itself lacking context is also really good

Wow, this album seems to have quite a tragic and bloody history, which I guess makes the lyrics some of the most potent ever. Musically, there's nothing I don't like, per se... but if you were to cut off ~4 minutes at the start and end of every track (leaving the call-and-response vocal bits) I'd probably rate it a lot higher. It's the kind of music which, if a live band was performing it, I'd have an absolutely great time dancing to for 5-10 minutes... before gradually losing enthusiasm over the next hour until I was swaying out of habit only; a little dead behind the eyes and secretly, desperately wondering when it was going to end. 2.5 stars.

The mighty Fela! You have to admire a man who can marry 27 women and still survive another two decades after that. This album is one of a bunch of classic releases by him in the 70s. The original only have two pieces on it, each slightly under 13 minutes but both having such an impact both politically and musically. If you ever wondered where the Talking Heads got a major influence from. Even McCartney talked about seeing Fela play when flew to Lagos to record Band on the Run. I usually try to rate just the original album but that would already have received 5 stars. The bonus tracks I think add to the original release and the album still maintains it's original vibe with them added. If you're looking to get into more of his music checkout out Roforofo Fight, Gentleman, Sorrow Tears & Blood, or Expensive Shit. All of these along with Zombie are probably his strongest releases.

Fela you've never done me wrong. African Jazz is some of the best shit we, as a species, have ever come up with (not that I can take any credit for it). ONE OF THE FEW ALBUMS ON THIS CURSED LIST THAT IS TOO SHORT INSTEAD OF TOO LONG.

“Music is the weapon. Music is the weapon of the future.” -Fela Kuti

Wow, this was just... amazing. Really hit that jazz craving I need every so often. Reading the background of the album was essential to this as well. Definitely going to seek out more of his work.

Great for cooking and chilling

LOVELY, thicc jazz

What a groovy, fun album! The first track Zombie is the more upbeat of the half, with a clear blueprint for the incredible opening track Born Under Punches on Remain In Light, released three years later. Clearly an important political album, criticizing the Nigerian military of the day. It's impossible not to appreciate such a cornerstone.

Zombie was the most popular and impacting record that Fela Kuti & Africa 70 would record -- it ignited the nation to follow Fela's lead and antagonize the military zombies that had the population by the throat.

Refreshment, and yet another African record that I imagine being cool live.

Very long, horn-y songs

Petite touche de soleil dans ce monde tellement morose

Apparently this album is a "scathing attack on Nigerian soldiers using the zombie metaphor to describe the methods of the Nigerian military" and its release resulted in the military attacking Fela Kuti's home and studio, beating Kuti and killing his mother in the process. . The album is comprises only two tracks. Both are powerful and funky with politically charged lyrics. The metaphor is clear once the context is known, and both tracks appear to be questioning soldiers following orders like the titular zombies and Mr Follow Follows. Away from the heavy context, considered just as a piece of music, this is an enjoyable and fun listen. With the context this is powerful and engaging. 4/5.

This album has two songs and last just over twenty-five minutes. One of the few EPs here! Afrobeat and African popular music are not really my styles (I enjoyed 'The Age of Pleasure', though, and I don't mind a bit of jazz, funk and reggae, which have influenced the style). Nice antiphony on the title track. Combined with the political lyrics, a very memorable song is created. (The antiphony on the other track is also good. It's one of the features that makes the album obviously African). This really reminds me of Frank Zappa's 'Hot Rats'. Someone else said this album is acid jazz, which 'Hot Rats' is as well, so maybe I'm not the only one. I thought 'Hot Rats' was great but '70s instrumental jazz is not my thing. 5.5/10.

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: I did, not my usual genre at all but this one was unique! Favourite song: Track 1 - Zombie

I was not kuti with this felas album

Murderer, rapist turd.

On top of absolutely honking, this album has the best Wikipedia article I’ve ever read.

If this album doesn't get you moving, you're probably dead. Protest music with bite from a time and place where that put your life at risk. Powerful lyrics and infectious grooves. a deadly combination for the authoritarian regime. 5 stars.

Wow, very into this. I’m gonna be looking up the discography. My first 5 star moment. Come through Fela!

Zombie is a studio album by Nigerian Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti. It was released in Nigeria by Coconut Records in 1976, and in the United Kingdom by Creole Records in 1977.[1] The album criticised the Nigerian government; and it is thought to have resulted in the murder of Kuti's mother Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and the destruction of his commune by the military. The album was a scathing attack on Nigerian soldiers using the zombie metaphor to describe the methods of the Nigerian military. The album was a smash hit with the people and infuriated the government, setting off a vicious attack against the Kalakuta Republic (a commune that Fela had established in Nigeria), during which one thousand soldiers attacked the commune. Kuti was severely beaten, and his elderly mother was thrown from a window, causing fatal injuries. The Kalakuta Republic was burned, and Kuti's studio, instruments, and master tapes were destroyed. Kuti claimed that he would have been killed if it were not for the intervention of a commanding officer as he was being beaten. Kuti's response to the attack was to deliver his mother's coffin to the main army barrack in Lagos and write two songs, "Coffin for Head of State" and "Unknown Soldier", referencing the official inquiry that claimed the commune had been destroyed by an unknown soldier. Kuti and his band then took residence in Crossroads Hotel as the Shrine had been destroyed along with his commune. In 1978 Kuti married 27 women, many of whom were his dancers, composers, and singers to mark the anniversary of the attack on the Kalakuta Republic. Later, he was to adopt a rotation system of keeping only twelve simultaneous wives.[2] The year was also marked by two notorious concerts, the first in Accra in which riots broke out during the song "Zombie," which led to Kuti being banned from entering Ghana. The second was at the Berlin Jazz Festival after which most of Kuti's musicians deserted him, due to rumors that Kuti was planning to use the entirety of the proceeds to fund his presidential campaign.

More African shit

YES YES YES YES YES YES. i absolutely loved this and it was the perfect soundtrack to playing my nyt games

music for the soul. while this is not something i would listen to regularly, i still really like it. this is top tier, and i really vibe with the message he conveys. oh my shit after additional research i discovered that he apparently created afrobeat wtf lmaoo? this guy was a genius overall, i rlly like this!!

Really enjoyed this. Good music, and the political messages were well delivered. Shame about the attack: autocrats rule in and with fear. It's also a shame that he had to give up all 28 wives, but it wasn't good for them to be jealous of each other.

really fun and best jazz i've heard in a while.

One of the best afrobeat albums + it's short. 9/10

Back in highschool I blind-bought Expensive Shit/He Miss Road and loved it. I'd always intended to go back for more but never did until today. Felt like hitting the jackpot when this dropped.

Ooh, loved this. Such a groove, and considering what the subject matter is, loving the vibe. Been swithering but I’m feeling generous so 5 it is

flawless. incredible music, message, and bravery

A very nice way to wrap up the week! Love this one, and honestly all the Fela Kuti I’ve heard. I’ll take more of this over Morrissey any day.

zoombie zoombie zoo-o-o-mbie.. nyt ei ole pätkitty lyhyihin paloihin vaan annetaan mestarin mennä minne haluaa.. afrikkabeat kunigas.. kutikuti, kutittaako.. tänne sieltä. kutikuti.. tuuppa vittutännepäin. niih. AINA seitsemän minuutin intro ja sitten lauletaan jalallalallalai lallalalla lallalai USKOMATON CONCEPTI. vähän eurooppalaista sivistyneisyyttä ja afrikkalaista hullunkurisuutta menetelty yhteen tässä heh... ei sanoi ei europeans, aftobeat dis is afro beat.. tajuttu että sinne alitajuntaan niitä influensseja kerääntyy hiljalleen ja hankalasti saa pois heh ei ole helppoa.. zombie

Zombie

Day 19: Zombie - Fela Kuti. Zombie is an album by Fela Kuti, who singlehandedly created and pioneered Afrobeat music, and may be the most recognizable Nigerian musician of all time. The album is a very innovative album that explores a plethora of ideas. The album features four tracks. Each of its tracks is longer than twelve minutes. Each track goes in various different directions. The album is politically-charged, as Fela Kuti fearlessly criticizes the military in Nigeria. It is really impressive that an album like this was released back in 1977. This is a very ambitious album. It still holds relevance to this day. It can resonate with people from all over the world. I wish that "1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" featured more albums like this, for I'd rather listen to this than generic Britpop. Personal Enjoyment: 5/5. How Much It Belongs Here: 5/5.

Mesmerising Tantalising

barring the insane political context of this album, this is a magnificent piece. very intricate, complex, demanding of attention on a solemn listen, yet catchy, energetic, danceable, and charged with righteous anger. this feels like a cultural monument, and it fills me with endless fascination that i couldn't realistically do justice by talking about it in a condensed one-day format of this challenge.

A really good album with some fascinating history behind it. The world needs more musicians like this.

Phenomenal horns and saxophone in these bangers. For all the drama and odd cultish behavior from Fela and his followers, he sure makes some good tunes. Best of the Black President is a great compilation of his works, that showcases a lot more than a couple tracks.

Cool African groove!

Loved it. Great mix of jazz and African traditional music. Fela was an interesting guy for sure and would probably be a big star today with music being much more globally available. He had a way of never going too far in any one direction but not being boring either. More people should listen to his work.

Oh, this band is so funky... I did some searching to see what other reviews were out there, and some that I came across described the consistent rhythm, the pidgen lyrics, and rough recording style as "difficult" (Sound Collective, I'm looking at you). I love this record exactly because of all those aspects; they are features, not bugs. The mixture of African polyrhythm, jazz and funk is infectious and compelling. The political content of this album is powerful (so much so that it prompted violent retribution from the Nigerian armed forces). Fela is the real deal, no compromises, and funky as hell while he is doing it. Fela recognised the power of funk (especially James Brown) and its African roots, and translated it back into an African context. The Lost Notes podcast has a really great episode on how Fela evolved his 'highlife jazz' into Afrobeat during an ill-fated tour of the USA (https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/lost-notes/fela-kuti-los-angeles-afrobeat). This record is surprising, powerful, political, and, above all, you can dance to it.

African protest music? Now we're talking. This is definitely an album I probably never would have come across if not for this list, which is what I was hoping for. The genre and topics are well out of my wheelhouse, but both still resonate while listening. Plus it's a just pretty good album. The music is fun, which helps with the length of the songs. There are set grooves that persist through each track, kind of like with American funk. The vocals come in and fill the middle section while there are extended sections of just beat and groove that begin and end each song. The lyrical topics were generic enough to be subtle, though I'm guessing they were plainly obvious to his intended audience. Clearly they made an impact based on what the wiki says about the aftermath. My main negative was that there just wasn't much there. Going off the original album, it's only two tracks. They were good, but it made the album feel incomplete while running short (a little over 25 minutes). It came off more like a half-album than a full one. I guess I could evaluate it with the two CD bonus tracks, but they didn't get added until way later (20+ years, if Google is to be believed). I'm hesitant to rate something based on tracks that weren't part of the actual product. In all, I liked both the music and that it had a deeper meaning. The style isn't my usual listen, but I still enjoyed it. Had it had more to it, I think I would've ranked it a bit higher. As it is, I found it a pretty good album and I'm glad I heard it. Overall: 3.6/5

I love the energy! And this is my favorite era of music.

Listened before?: No, never heard of Fela Kuti Funky protest music. I loved it.

Dang, this is great. When I saw today’s album was Fela, only 4 tracks, but 54 minutes long, I knew this would either be amazing or horrible. This album is delightful. The parallels are tenuous, but this album has adjacent vibes to Hawkwind’s Space Ritual that this project served up earlier this week.

Global jazz, long intro and build, beefy organic sound, super warm

VERY chill afrobeat vibes songs are 12 minutes long, which proved to be difficult when listening through the entire thing but doesnt diminish the chillax vibes

I appreciate this. I read up on the story behind the album and the meaning of the songs and it feels like a powerful and enduring work. However, there's shallower layer where Fela Kuti also reminds me of when it's the 90s and you're hanging out with a dude and he keeps playing his Fela vinyl and he's digging it more than he's digging you and it triggers an existential crisis. Maybe we could have had a 1001 albums date.

When I first saw it was only four song, without checking the time length, I assumed it was a fairly short EP. Then, before I knew it, I had listened to almost an hour of some pretty groovy jazz. Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would (especially since the album cover is less than appealing). Not going to add it to my library as I don’t imagine I will ever listen to it again, but it was definitely a great album. 4/5.

I was going to say, as a joke, that a nice change from the Fela album we heard a few days ago is the half dozen or so of his wives who joined to sing back up vocals.  But after reading wiki, they might all actually be his wives. Fuck I'm funny!   On general principle, I can't give the same same artist two 5s in one week even though I like Zombie more. I feel like the boxing judge who is worried he scored an early round wrong so makes up for it by fudging the score in a later round. 

Pleasant enough! It is interesting that music about some difficult conditions can sound so happy.

Bros just not for me too long/ too jazzy, theoretically good tho 3/5

Another album I probably wouldn’t have heard if it wasn’t for this game. Got his combo with ginger baker from wax lyrical last month, enjoyed this too.

A funk world album is such an awesome combo and I really hope there’s more of it on the list later on mmmmmmm

Ciekawe. Niewybitne ale też nie nudne. Taki afrykański jazz? 3/5

It’s not my sound but I recognise the musicianship and support the courage of the protest

70s afrobeat. Funky. Massively political. Brass-heavy jazz. Very long songs. A bit repetitive.

I really liked the song Zombie then I felt like I kept listening to it the whole rest of the album.

even if its masterful its boring

The songs are well constructed. But not really my thing.

This drummy trumpety rhythm album resulted in the death of his mother and the destruction of his home? What?!

Good background listening if in the mood for some jazzy sax and horn repetitions. Not a style or genre for continuous listening, definitely feels of the 70's.

Definitely not my style. This music maybe better suited to being played during the ending credits of a 70’s cop show or blacksploitation karate movie.

oh no…. there’s no way is it just the same stuff repeated in every song also why is there 4 songs but it’s 53 minutes i don’t think there’s a world in which i would ever listen to this

Steely Dan is an ok artist with about 3 decent songs. His album with reeling in the years on it was acceptable. This is just pushing it. It’s alright but there is nothing that says to me ‘this is in the top 1001 albums ever written’

This is a treat to listen to. I've listened to a lot of Thievery Corporation (who did a song with one of Fela's sons) and the inspiration they take from music like this is very clear. There's an awesome groove to it. There's a lot going on, but it doesn't feel busy or overwhelming. The lyrics are powerful. The songs are long, but it doesn't drag the experience down - and the album is pretty short overall. Awesome album.

It's fucking great. Giving a bonus star to because it's protest music that's both meaningful and good (a rule I made up just now). RIP Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who died because music has power.

I will not include the CD reissue bonus tracks in this review. I've heard of Fela Kuti before, but never sat down to listen to his music until now. I recognized his influence as the principal pioneer of Afrobeat, a genre rooted in West African rhythms and melody with the harmonic nature of funk and soul, and the improvisations of jazz. What I did not learn until now was his political strife, a torch he carried from his mother, women's rights activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. During the 1970s, Fela and his backing band, Africa '70, recorded and released several records with striking political commentary, inspiring his audience to stand up against the oppressive military-controlled Nigerian government. Tensions reached a boiling point with the success of this record, Zombie, which infuriated the government to the point of burning down Fela's commune and fatally injuring his mother. Given the content and messaging of this record, it's hard not to see the spark. Relentless, upbeat sonic jams of chicken-scratching guitars, blaring baritone saxophones, and shuffling percussion establish an enlightened identity minutes before Fela and his backing vocalists came in with their call-and-response. It is such an immaculate groove that they had in their pocket that they could maintain this energy for over 12 minutes each track. Not to mention how hard-hitting the lyrics were, using the zombie metaphor on the title track to criticize the Nigerian military's blindness as they followed corrupt orders, and "Mr. Follow Follow"'s doubling down on that theme while also suggesting to open one's eyes and realize the error of their ways. An opportunity to think critically in the face of propaganda and political division, should they choose. Both tracks were equally hypnotic and biting in their compositions and lyrical content, and I could sympathize with Fela's plight. Yet I've wrestled with this record longer than I expected, because it's only the two tracks. This was not the only time in Fela's discography that an album had only one or two tracks, which I noticed when checking out Confusion and Expensive Shit on the same day. I was contemplating whether it was a problem that I wanted more out of a single record. Perhaps there was a necessity to get these tracks out as quickly as possible, given the presumed limitations of recording technology at the time and the oppressive government that loomed around the corner. It would have been hard to know when the last record would truly be the last, whether getting arrested for dubious reasons, or getting raided because the government was looking to censor, but would claim otherwise. But then another thought came to my mind; perhaps a fire was lit inside me from listening to these records that ignited that desire to hear more. It certainly feels resonant these days to partake in art that expresses a free spirit against political tyranny. Maybe that's the takeaway I should have. That, to me, is how powerful and poignant Zombie is as a record, and I'm glad to have finally sat down and understood Fela Kuti's legacy.

Ultra geil

It's been a minute since I've heard the tracks on this record, but I know it'll get a 5. Such a fun and different sound, I'm glad I was introduced to Fela.

Excellent. Tight, focused, concise.

Love love love this funky shit

10/10 goat

I’m not familiar with its political background, but musically the album is great. Made me want to dance

Nothin' else like Fela.

Timeless classic, more relevant than ever.

so good I didn't even realise it's over

Another great Fela Kuti's album. What a great musician.

Not typically a fan of Jazz and it's derivations but this is a classic that should be heard by everyone.

Loved this. Great album to put on while you’re making dinner with all the windows open in the Summer. I miss Summer. I can’t wait to listen to this again in a few month, with the windows open, while making dinner.

Very good album though the songs are a bit repetitive after a few minutes. Its not a huge issue on the original which was only 2 songs but I'd likely drop the extended reissue by a point for this.

In your heaaaad in your heaaaad. Zombie, zoooombie, zoom bie ie ie.

It’s hard to digest this as the protest music that it was, because to my ears the music is so upbeat, groovy and joyful, which is often in contrast with the lyrics. I don’t know if there are other artists like Fela who made similar great music but just didn’t break through the way he did, but he certainly feels unique in his style and his impact on other genres. I’ve seen complaints about the song lengths, but I think the two album tracks are more than engaging enough to earn their runtime. The first bonus track on the reissue plods on a little too long though.

Backstory is insane

Amazing. No words. The play with multiple instruments is beautiful.

I don’t listen to jazz but I really enjoyed this album

9/10 Afrobeat is a wide-ranging and somewhat difficult to parse genre for people more familiar with western music traditions. Its stylistic and regional spread has resulted in it covering a wider range of musical output than the earlier categorisations would cover, but it all started with Fela. He pulled influences from American jazz, funk and soul and injected a dose of Nigerian and Ghanaian rhythms and vocals to create a musical style that persists to this day. This album was a bold statement against the Nigerian military, one that came at significant personal cost to him, his family and the wider Nigerian people. But while the historic and political importance of the album is significant, it would be nothing if the music wasn’t up to scratch. Luckily it’s absolute killer stuff. It moves and grooves throughout, flowing effortlessly through various phases, with so many excellent performances from Fela and his band that it’s hard to really appreciate everything in there in a single sitting. This is music to savour and to lose yourself to. The grooves are infectious, the vocal sections engaging and hooky and the performances strike just the right balance between loose and tight that it feels incredibly organic and drags you along with its flow. While it's not a perfect album, and focus on the small moments where things get a touch too loose a brought into sharper focus by its short length, it is pretty damn close and it may even get there when I listen to this again and again. And again. Zombie - The groove on this is great. It’s all a little bit loose, but that makes it feel so organic and full of life, and they bring everything in nicely for the key rhythmic hits. People sometime accuse jazz playing of being a bit sterile and technical rather than emotional, but you can really feel the drive behind the playing. It’s infectious and engaging in such a satisfying way. The opening third is funk infused jazz, but it becomes more funk focused for the vocal section in the middle. It’s got so much feel and it moves with so much groove and passion. The keys into the final third are a touch high in the mix, which exposes the looseness a tiny bit, but it’s a minor gripe and it doesn’t last long before we’re back in the funky groove. Mr Follow Follow - It’s a change of pace into the second half of the record, but it’s such a compelling groove. It’s so smooth and pretty much impossible not to move to. All of the musicians throw in little moments here and there, with the drumming being a highlight. There’s so much movement and feel in the playing. I could get lost in music like this for hours. I can imagine that some would find it repetitive, but there’s so much actually going on that just organically shifts and moves as they play but could easily get lost with background listening. Again, he has a vocal section in this one and he does so much to inject feeling in, with the call and response style of the main theme creating a solid and memorable hook. I bet Fela was ridiculously good fun live.

The inspiration I need to get out there and protest ICE in my neighborhood, but it's a little alarming to get this today.

Like James Brown before him, Fela was orchestrator, arranger, & vocalist, so that when you listen to his music you're really listening to the music of a collective consciousness. For every Maceo (saxophonist) James had, Fela had his Tony Allen (drummer). Allen was, to be fair, director of the music, but Fela was the mind and cultural foreman of Afrobeat. Unlike American funk, heralded by Brown, Afrobeat is overtly political, i.e., you're not getting 'I'm Black and I'm Proud' on Zombie, you're getting an immediate, immersive response to the situation at hand. In this sense, Afrobeat is like reggae, tho the sound is derived from jazz and funk, not rock 'n' roll. It so happens that Zombie is an all-time classic of the genre, a rhythmic + shrewd sensation.

I'd heard of Fela Kuti before and probably heard some of his music. This is the first time I've actually sat down to listen to an album. It is great. He sounds just like my favourite Ottawa band, the Soul Jazz Orchestra, only 40 years earlier. Hearing stuff like this is exactly why I am doing this project.

Lotta stuff happening here! Having this immediately after Earth Wind and Fire kind of blunts the impact, and while I like EW&F, this is a head and shoulders above in creativity and execution. A mix of like, ten different things in a big stew that gets you moving and thinking and grooving and moving and well, that's what music does. Definitely forcing my kids to listen to this.

Excellent. A great introduction to this kind of music. Funky and, in its own way, rockin'. I'd listen to this again happily.