Reviews (page 10 of 12)
Really cool, I started by having it on as background music but got into the groove of it as it went on
I liked it a lot but would like it more if it were full instrumental
This was a cool album, I enjoyed the beats
No es lo mío pero es interesante.
I suspect this is one of the more truly political albums we'll get in this collection, and it's really weird to read about the context (as well as the lyrics) from nearly 50 years ago, in a very different place and time. If I hadn't read the Wikipedia entry for the album, I doubt I would have guessed at *any* of the lyrics or their intent, and probably would have simply enjoyed the tracks for the music alone. And I also wouldn't have ever realized that the title track not only caused riots in Ghana, but the album effectively killed Fela Kuti's mother and destroyed his home and his community. It's also sad that this album marked the end of his band Africa 70, apparently because he chose to fund his presidential campaign instead of paying them after the Berlin concert in 1978. Given that there have been nearly 45 albums by Fela Kuti between 1970 and 1990, I kind of wonder whether this was a good choice to showcase him and his music? "Zombie" (the song) is a fun listen, at least musically, but some of the others aren't particularly distinctive, and kind of drag along at times, both before and during the lyrics parts. (And I only belatedly realized that the original LP only had "Zombie" and "Mr. Follow Follow", but I still feel that way even with the LP's second track/side.) But with all the context of the album and its aftermath, it's hard to give it fewer than 3 stars, given how much he sacrificed (and sacrificed of others) for his music (and I feel a bit guilty for only 3 stars).
It was okay, a little bit different.
Exceptional rhythms and Afro-beats. The saxophones and horns on this album are amazing. My main knock on it is that the political driven lyrics get a bit repetitive after a while in these longer songs.
its ok
Yeah, this is cool. A really awesome sound and each song feels really complete and separate, which isn't always the case for me in this genre.
not bad, kinda interesting. Reminded me of something ... Groove Collective maybe?
A solid groovy jam-filled album. Quite enjoyable.
OK. Nothing to scream about. Good rhythms and sound overall.
An interesting album. The subject matter is quite intense which is at odds with the upbeat music. I think I'm put off a bit by the "jam-band" element of it. Standout Track: Zombie
Really cool mix of jazz, funk, afro and latin music.
Just listening to this without context, I thought it was just OK- a cool funky beat with some nice saxophone instrumentation, but gets overly long and repetitive. ... but after reading the Wikipedia page and understanding the real-life consequences of this album (led to the Nigerian head-of-state sending an army to attack Fela Kuti's compound and murdering his mother), it takes on some extra weight. Puts into perspective the serious risks this guy took (and the price he paid) compared to the American musicians putting out anti-war protest songs in the 60s.
Jazz pero un poco mejor que lo anterior
I got excited when I saw that there were only 4 songs in the album, but it's pretty much the same length as a normal album, so that was pretty disappointing. Nice little jazz album, nothing too exciting, enjoyed having it in the background.
It's alright, got some nice beats and grooves here, but it didn't really grab me or anything like that. Really interesting backstory on this album tho
Zombie the song is repetitive. Decent stuff all around. You'd probably have to be tuned in at the time to understand how groundbreaking this album would be. I was not.
Not my kind of stuff, but nothing wrong with it. Pleasant listening. 3. I feel that it deserves more of a review than that, but can't really say more.
Shock horror. An album from this genre I enjoyed! What has this 1,001 list done to me? Doesn’t hurt to occasionally enjoy something outside my normal lane. This was a lovely soft melodic funky jazz, as opposed to the overly clever nonsense I usually run away from. A very solid 3.
This is great, I love the rhythms, repetition and vibe, the call and response, just so much going on. It's apparently a protest album against the Nigerian government. It's difficult to tell how much of a protest it was with the sparse lyrics, but the end result of the antagonism was for Fela to be beaten up, his commune burnt to the ground, and his mum defenestrated. God knows what might have happened if he had really gone to town with them Billy Bragg style. Still, like most normal people, he took solace by marrying 27 women to drown (or is that to add) to his sorrows. Poor fella. But his music is great and I would have loved to have seen him live in concert as it sounded like a party! (Maybe the Nigerian Government didn't like parties?). A mid 3
Not really my kind of nusic but really enjoyed the background story of the artist - very interesting
The title track is fun, not as into the rest of it but overall not bad.
Nigerian Funk Jazz Charismatic
Didn’t mind this
Good vibes and awesome horns
I was stoked to get another Fela Kuti album. I loved the last one that was on this list. I enjoyed this one but it definitely grab me like the last one. Zombie was a great song and Mr. Follow Follow was pretty decent but I don't feel like Observation No Crime was as engaging. It got a little repetitive to the point where I didn't even want to finish the song.
This is not my bag, but I did enjoy the listen.
Quite enjoyable. The upbeat, dancey vibe does not convey the serious circumstances of the album.
Very enjoyable
Interesting listen for sure. If you wanna listen to political music in the car? In the AM? Have a go at this.
Zombie by Fela Kuti is an electrifying Afrobeat anthem that channels the raw intensity reminiscent of James Brown's legendary performances. Fela's masterful fusion of funk, jazz, and traditional African rhythms creates an infectious groove that captivates listeners from start to finish. The title track, Zombie, stands out as a tour de force with its relentless energy and politically charged lyrics. However, while the title track shines brightly, the remaining three tracks on the album struggle to reach the same heights. Despite Fela's inventive dynamics and musical arrangements, they don't quite live up to the explosive energy of Zombie. Nonetheless, Fela's innovative approach to Afrobeat and his fearless exploration of social commentary make Zombie a timeless classic worth experiencing. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 1 STAND OUT TRACK - Zombie
Sjov nok plade, med en tragisk historie.
Oh goody goody back to our regularly scheduled 70s music. Thank GOD its not another white British man this time. When I saw this album had 4 songs and I was like yay it won't be too long and I looked at the time and it's 53 MINUTES BRO what is this, space truckin by deep purple. Favourites: zombie intro (5 minutes long), all the instrumentals. Overall enjoyable sound but the length of each song is too much. 3/5
Love that the generator is finally giving us some more unique music that I wouldn't have heard of before. Honestly even though it wasn't my favourite thing ever, I think that more albums like this one that force an average listener to go outside of their usual genre/scope should be included on this list. I really appreciated finally getting to hear something that wasn't from an American, British, or Irish artist. The songs were long, but they were pretty funky and enjoyable. I probably need a bit more time with this one to fully appreciate it, but I'm going with a very solid 3 for now
Cool
I appreciate this album’s inclusion, and am glad to have listened to it. I like the grooves and the sparse, call-and-response melodies. And yet, it’s quite long and repetitive, seeming more like attending a jam-band’s concert than listening to a well-conceived album. So, though the album is interesting, I don’t think I’ll be listening to it again.
the first song is something i’d expect to hear in a heist movie. cool instrumentals, love the jazz, funk and soul, but it’s not what i usually go for. i appreciate it but not my favourite
Very enjoyable would listen again
Very specific genre, but good in its zone
Looked into the history of this one. Very interesting. Vive la revolution
This is my mowing music.
Good stuff, feels like I'm at a carnival
Lengthy tracks! Good though.
This was a great reggae jazz album
This would be my first time intentionally listening to Afrobeat. FK is one of those artists that I feel like Numero really likes. Initially, I'm liking it. The delicate and complicated guitar work on the title track forms this rhythmic base. Really well recorded bass and drums give this a tight sound. Then you get this sweet rock organ (that in some ways is almost cheap Casio-like in the best way) coming in. There's an almost Steve Reich like quality to the composition and the layering. Easy to get lost in the grooves in here. Also hearing some sounds that remind me of Santana's sort of mystical, tranciness. There seems to be a lot in common between Afrobeat and it's contemporary in latin rock and jazz around this same time period. I was also reminded of a couple of Grover Washington Jr. records from the same era. Really enjoyed this record!
Reading the history behind the music and Fela Kuti’s story was fascinating however it wasn’t enough to make me enjoy the music. I’ve definitely heard worse on this list. The jazz was tolerable as background noise but it wasn’t musical or interesting enough for me to pay attention for longer than 30 seconds.
I found this to be an enjoyable listen, I didn’t love the song/album structure but I know social media has atrophied my attention span. I just found the songs way too long, I loved when the vocals would kick in but it would only be towards the back of 10+ min song; but the album is very well executed and well done.
Solid but horns aren't really my thing and this seems like a showcase of them.
Sounds like a call and answer; cool rhythm and sounds but a bit repetitive
Powerful album.
It’s alright. Kinda long
Sounds like this was a very important album *politically*. I don't know a lot about Nigeria so it doesn't speak to me from that perspective, but it's impressive that it caused such a stir. For me the music is decent.
I've never listen to a soul jazz album before but enjoyed this. I think this would be particularly good live. I enjoyed the ongoing rhythm throughout.
Definitely not for everyone
Can't fault a man for jamming but I would've loved to see this without 8 minute intros to each song too
Pocas veces un disco tiene una repercusión sociopolítica tan impactante como tuvo "Zombie" en 1976. A ritmo de música afro-beat Fela Kuti creó todo un himno contra el dominio de los militares, asociando a los soldados a la palabra "zombie", de manera que, siguiendo el sonido contagioso de la música, la gente empezaba a caminar como un zombie cada vez que se cruzaba con ellos por la calle. El régimen militar de Nigeria, tal y como podía esperarse, lo persiguió. Un grupo de soldados "desconocidos" atacó la comuna en la que vivía y su madre murió víctima de las heridas tras ser arrojada por una ventana. En este disco los ritmos africanos se cruzan en sentido contrario a la tradición con los procedentes de Norteamérica creando una fusión imprescindible de escuchar al menos una vez.
01) Zombie - 7,5 02) Mister Follow Follow - 7,0 03) Observation Is No Crime - 6,0 04) Mistake - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,86 (69/100) This Fela had 27 wives!?! Oh, yeah... the music... It's OK. Nothing special. I don't like jazz but afro elements do make this listenable. Every song lasts for a few hours and he starts to sing after 45 minutes. The ladies are repeating after him (after all, they are his wives), the musicians are jamming, and Fela sings some political lyrics that infuriated the Nigerian government so much that they killed his mother. Who was, by the way, the first Nigerian woman to drive a car. See? I learned a lot today...
Cool.
Cool Afro groove Very cool music
Impressive music from someone I was only aware of in name only…glad this one popped up. King of the Afrobeat! If not for reading background on Fela, I wouldn’t have realized this was a protest album while listening. And a good one at that…He paid a terrible price for this album…and it didn’t stop him from making important music.
Marco el camino del afro beat
Good, but this is legitimately only half an album.
Not an everyday listen, but it has fun energy to it and a solid groove.
Very jazzy. Not bad, but, in my opinion, not super exceptional either. That being said, it still wasn't a bad listen.
Pretty good. The title track is very good.
The title track is an exciting anti-government, anti-military political statement that may have directly led to his mother’s death and nearly his own. Songs that have that sort of impact are rare and should be celebrated for sure and I’m glad that I’ve now heard it. The rest of the album is solid afrobeat jazz fusion, but nothing as poignant as Zombie. Certainly opened me up to the world of Nigerian music.
Really took me off guard in the first track when I was vibing to the jazzy sounds when some sub-par singing came in. Sub-par in the way I felt the music just didn't need it. I would rather listen to the instrumental version.
I had listened to this album previously on my other project, and given it 2 stars for being too long (and less compelling than the other albums of a similar genre I had listened to that week). But this album is really listenable. Some parts, I’ll admit, do sound like my high school marching band. But the funky African beats made for a fun, easy listen.
long songs, fun, jazzy
Though I have listened to a fair amount of Fela Kuti, I had no idea about the political events which are major hallmarks of his career and who he was as a person in Nigeria. Overall, from what I gleaned, this isn't about music-- it's about fomenting political change and creating a movement. And it came at quite a cost apparently causing even the death of his mother. Given that, it's hard to criticize someone speaking knowledge to power and fighting against oppression. Horns, lyrics, rhythm. What's not to like?
So much of rock and roll, and popular American music in general, is built around rebellion against authority of various kinds. And yet it barely scratches the surface of rebellion, coming in a society of free speech and democratic government. In authoritarian societies, rebellion through music or any other means is far more dangerous and potentially powerful. Criticizing soldiers as “zombies” would be tame in America, but in Nigeria it got Fela Kuti’s compound burned down and his mother killed. For singing "Zombie no go walk unless you tell am to walk!?" Harsh. And he didn’t even sing that until 10 minutes into the song. But for those minor slights, the government sicced those zombies on Kuti’s compound, burning it down and killing his mother. Musicians in the US have it easy! Freedom of speech and rule of law? The biggest threat being Tipper Gore and the Parents Music Resource Center? Instead of complaining about the man, maybe American artists should be thanking the man! (Relax. I’m kidding. Mostly.)
The original album has energy and an excitement to it. The tracks added to the CD rerelease…not so much. The rhythm instruments on Observation No Crime sound quite uninspired and the song drags on for way too long. I’m discarding the CD version bonus tracks. Even so, this is an album better consumed live rather than through iMusic.
Standout was the live track in Berlin. Otherwise meh…
Jaha tyhjä träkki soi ja albumi pääkopassa.. Ihan laatuahan uskon sinne pääkoppaan mennneen... Musisointia.. vailla vertaa...
This feels like something I am supposed to pretend to like more than I actually do. I appreciate the musicianship, but I’m not seeking this out again. 2.75 stars, so I round up to 3.
Such a cool and fun one, love me some funky jazz. However, now I feel that the live album from this artist I got a while back on this list was completely unnecessary. [0152/1001]
Whoa this is like funky jazz. I think this was probably an influence on Talking Heads' music. Low and behold - Talking Heads are referenced in Fela's Spotify description. Interesting music - I don't think i'd listen again but I can see it's influences.
I find myself humming and nodding along to this quite pleasantly. It's not al album I'd put on out of the blue but it definitely takes me elsewhere in the world and head.
Not a jazz person so pre-judged but really enjoyed it. Right time, right activity (speed-cleaning)? (ntm.)
Afrobeat is better than jazz.
Some cool jazz writing and worldly flavors. I didn't enjoy the singing sections as much, and it was maybe a little excessive with the brass
Oke
Wanted to give it a 2 since so many amazing albums have been given a 3. But it was good. Unique. Special.
Notable track: Zombie
As a jazz album, I really have no context for this. If this was pop I would probably love it.
Jag har aldrig innan lyssnat på psykadelisk afro-jazz och trodde aldrig heller att jag skulle göra det, men det här var förvånansvärt bra! Det är kanske inte den musiken jag kan tänka mig att lyssna på när jag tex går till skolan, men definitivt när jag sitter och pluggar. Detta album får 3/5 stjärnor då det inte riktigt var min musiksmak men inget jag direkt tycker dåligt om. Min favoritlåt från albumet var Zombie.
Svängit
This is a really good album! Really like this afrobeat/jazz.
Alright, not that much to say about it tbh, chill but I wasn't that inspired
Groovy! Legendary Fela Kuti King of Afrobeat
Actually didn’t mind this. Mental story about the background and the killing of his mum.
Africa and jazz
A pretty enjoyable and upbeat jazz record
Fun music.
A fun collection of jazzy jam sessions with clear Nigerian influence. The percussion (and general instrumental work) throughout is well done, and the resulting sound is clean, groovy, and deceptively simplistic. However, if you’re going to put out a full-length album with four tracks, those four tracks had better be either groundbreaking or consistently engaging. The album almost managed the latter, but the music eventually became straightforward, conventional jazz, albeit with a stylistic spin. The vocals, particularly in the opening/title track, are the most hook-like element. Everything else was background music - "bar jazz" - and, most likely, nothing more.
what a groove! afrobeat jazzy fun. not great to work with because it was too fun lol
There are two main tracks on this album, "Zombie" and Mr. Follow Follow;" both are pretty good but they are far too long at over 12 minutes a piece. It's hard not to lose interest in them after 7 minutes or so.
Schon ganz geil irgendwie. Höre sowas sehr selten.
pretty interesting
Didn't really do it for me, though I can appreciate the historical/cultural importance.
interesting afrobeats. 3
Jazz funk fusion in the late disco age. That's cool man.
Always enjoy Fela Kuti. This one wasn’t in my tops of what I’ve heard but still a fun listen
Gefällt mir! Guter Sound! 6.3/10
Okay
bien
New. Not bad
Kind of enjoyed it
No me esperaba un álbum así, quizá lo utilizaría para algún proyecto pero no para una escucha solitaria
Good stuff
Jazz 🧠
Only found one song and it was too long. Just not my style.
12 minutes of mostly instrumentals. still good tho
Not what my usual style is, but interesting music to have on in the background. I also appreciate the Nigerian(?) protest back story on this album.
Enjoyed this!
It's dated! The quality sounds like it's from the 70's. One sound I liked. It's jaz sounding and I could hear a slight Zidico sound. It was OK1
Too funky for it's own good
2.8. Not really in my listening spectrum.
This one's just okay. I'm only judging the first 2 tracks here since 3 and 4 are from a re-issue.
Jazzy, rhythmic, intense. Lyrically political and anti-government.
It was fun and interesting at first but I started to realize that, after the first song, all the remaining ones were following the same formula over and over, which made it get boring
Smooth tropical background music. Receptie muziek
Melodischer, eingängiger Jazz der 70er aus Nigeria. 3 lange Stücke und eine Live-Aufnahme. Die Trompeten in Stück 3 sind anstrengend.
still not mine...
Long but good
Definitely not my normal type of music. Loved the Afro-Caribbean vibe to it all. It started to get a little repetitive by the end. Feels like something that would be good on a repeated listening or as background music at an outside party. A little too joyous for chill music. 3.5
I like the inclusion of the organ. I don't hear that a lot in African music. This album is a vibe
3/5. Was a lot of fun and better than many mainstream albums within this journey.
Good in the background, a little long.
Pretty rad jazzy album. Reminded me a lot of a Bebop tune. It was fun to listen to. A nice 3/5
I enjoyed that.
Could be a fun time
Rentoa afrojazzia, hyvää taustamusiikkina. Nimikko kappale Zombie oli paras ja ihan hauskakin
Not my go-to but I do like a bit of Afrobeat. Amazing backstory.
Mucho jazz.
I quite enjoyed the energy behind this album and I do love a long track like Zombie. Not my usual thing but I’m glad I listened to it. awful to think that this album led to the murder of his mum :-(
This was fun and funky - but I found the songs a bit too long. Not the kind of thing I'd think to listen to, but I can see myself listening to this one with my Jazz loving kid! Fave track: Zombie
Le iba a dar un 2, porque era un poco rollo, pero resulta que son los de Time Of The Season.
Some really good elements
Le iba a dar un 2, porque era un poco rollo, pero resulta que son los de Time Of The Season.
Good! Very jazzy and upbeat.
Afro jazz madness. 4 tracks, 53 minutes. Pretty cool.
I think it's impossible not to like this album, especially with how important it was at the time and all the history surrounding the release of this album. I enjoyed it, but I think the songs are far too long and it didn't really did it for me, but objectively it was good. 3,5/5
I really enjoyed this. Upbeat and happy while mostly being smooth and chill. I often find chanting in different types of music can become tiresome quickly, but they didn't overdo it on this album, which was nice.
Its ok
Zombie // Mr Follow Follow // 3.5/5
The artwork made me expect something completely different than what I got. Instead it was just a bunch of funky horns for like an hour straight. Got a little boring after the full length of the record, but damn I love me some horns. I'm getting some political vibes from this but because I know absolutely nothing about where this record comes from - all I heard was horns go beep.
Interesting - something I wouldn’t listen to at all but immediately like the vibe. Afrobeat album from 2009, only 4 tracks but each by is about 13 mins. Afrobeat - Nigerian music genre combining African music with Jazz/Soul/Funk. Enjoying it as nice background music, wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to it directly but not disagreeing with it!
Get bored the third time
Funky. Lots of brass and sax. I really dig it.
Funky afrobeat, minimal gaps between songs means it's an hour of groove. Feel good tunes.
This is one of those albums I feel like I need to know the history of but I liked it. Oh my gosh I just read about it. Holy crap.
Fijne afro-jazz
Solid maybe a 4 star
Something different and pretty cool - a nice change of piece after that Dusty Springfield album
3.0
They’re all good songs but they all follow the same formula, which makes it harder to listen all the way through.
Okay I guess, but it dragged on a bit. I didn't really understand much of the lyrics, but I see this is some sort of anti-dictatorship stuff.
First of all, what badass history -- somebody died because this music was made? Having never listened to afro beat before, I really enjoy the rhythm with other instrumentals (this is reminiscent of Samba Jazz). I enjoyed the album and introduction to the genre, 3*. Favorite track: Zombie
I can dig, I can dig. Title song is pretty great, but "Mr. Follow Follow" should follow follow something else, because it kinda took me out of the groove. Also, I now know that Berlin has/had a jazz festival. Who knew!
grooves
Cowboy Bebop in Africa!
Det gick fort nog med tillräckligt mycket sväng för att man kna lyssna på det i bakgrunden. Ganska nice då
3 étoiles
Vibes ass music. Super even keel. Very repetitive though. A music that’s very good at what it does and has its place. That place is not in my playlists though.
That's some serious trumpeting with a Rasta style chant in the background.
It was fine, but not my deal
Fabulous.
I like the idea of Fela Kuti more than the experience. Songs are all jams but also damn long.
Goede muziek voor tijdens het leren, in mijn vrije tijd zou ik het niet gauw luisteren. Het klinkt op een gegeven moment allemaal toch best herhalend, maar misschien komt dat omdat ik deze genre niet veel luister.
Doesn't do it for me, but it's good music
Hi
This was much like sitting through a reggae album.
Wonderful back story to this Album. If this was America’s Got Talent, it would be given the golden buzzer. However this isn’t that and I’m not Howie Mandel. Whole lotta trumpet 🎺 and Saxophone 🎷 almost too much. This is for Jazz listeners. I actually wanted more singing!! The singing was wonderful. Great voice and I enjoyed the choir. Song length… a wise woman once told me 12 minutes is a long time. Overall I had some fun with this album although it did feel repetitive in some sections where they could have added more variety. I do like working to Jazz and found myself listening to more songs from the artist throughout the day. Nothing over the top, just decently good. 6/10
Got scared when I saw how long the songs were. There are three different saxophones on this album. The vocals came in so late on Zombie that it actually startled me. Mister Follow Follow is the epitome of night time driving through the city with the windows down music. After two really long songs, I did find myself tuning out. A body can only take so much sweet saxophone and this pushed me to my limit. I thought perhaps this would be the album that I made an exception to long songs, but no, it was not. 6/10
Enjoyable. It had a good rhythm.
4 songs at > 12 minutes each...ahh. I think if I had listened in a different mood this would have been better received.
Album was solid. Not a huge fan of the third track.
B- Zombie 3 Mr. Follow Follow 3 This was actually quite good. I liked Miriam Makeba better, but this was a vibe and a half. My hips were shaking, my booty was jiggling. Also, the story behind this album is nuts.
This is the reason I signed up. Not my genre of choice but enjoyable music.
Short but effective.
Pretty nice vibe, hard to sit still with this on! Songs were a bit too long perhaps, but not much to complain about to be honest. Hard to say what could change to give it a higher rating, but somehow feels fitting with a 3 even though I can't really motivate it properly.
Didn't hate, but didn't love it. The jazz was nice, some of the singing got repetitive.
Jazz con algunos ritmos africanos. Variedad de instrumentos de todo tipo. Casi sin percepción de voces. En ocasiones un tanto monótono, pero agradable de escuchar
Great stuff from Fela Kuti. Only complaint is each some is very long with long progressions.
Very cool sound. Great for backround to me
great brass! Interesting 3 stars
Different. Island Jazz
Broke my toe because I tapped it too much
I mean it isnt bad but also its only 2 songs (the other two are from a CD reissue) so its hard to rank it as an ~album~ at least in the traditional sense
I can recognize the talent in this album but it's hard for me to stay focus on 12/14 minutes songs without losing focus.
Not really my type of music, but it certainly is good music. Would recommend.
The history behind this album alone gives it quite a bit but this short 2 song album is actually pretty good. Just wish it was longer. Good African jazz.
Some good grooves, but some dead spots
Bom.
The story behind this album is very interesting. The music itself is nice but too repetitive for me
Really interesting mix of sounds, songs too long imo. They repeat themselves a lot with occasional spikes in interest but overall not interesting enough for me to want to hear it again. If instead of 12 minute songs Fela would've made 3 minute long songs and more I maybe would've enjoyed it more. TLDR: cool and interesting sounds, songs too long for my liking, and too repetitive for the duration of the songs.
Short but theatrical with good beats.
Not bad. I wish the songs were not as long, though. They sorta go on and on. I would have liked 8 songs with half the length over these 4 songs. I also really like when Fela is singing. I wish he'd get to that bit sooner in the songs. 3/5
You can feel the anger in this music, and the desire for improvement.
Great, not that special but easy listen
ok this was uh… different
3.5 stars. This was nice jazzy afrobeat. More good background soundtrack than anything,but had major political implications in Nigeria.
I hadn’t heard of Fela Kuti before so I went for a look on old trustworthy Wikipedia. It seems that this album was written in protest the Nigerian military, and actually led to them reacting by throwing his mum out of a window to her death. That’s pretty over the top, isn’t it? Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Zombie I’m not sure I’ve listen to much music like this before. There were jazz elements but was generally a lot more upbeat and happy sounding. The lyrics were very blunt (Zombie no go think, unless you tell 'em to think) which I can see getting some ire from the military. Musically, this was a pleasant listen but definitely had the dark overtones brought by knowing the reaction it caused. If there don’t like this album, it’s still worth reading about.
Repetitive and Jazzy. Good music but not my thing. Great saxaphone.
This was unexpectedly fun. It hit all the right spots for me.
Le iba a dar un 2, porque era un poco rollo, pero resulta que son los de Time Of The Season.
go off, fela kuti!! in my book, when you anger your country's military with your music, odds are you're on the right track. i loved hearing this scathing criticism, even if i didn't understand it fully without the societal context. musically, kuti's zombie has more jazz fusion than the other albums i've heard. the horn usage was just delightful!
While this wasn't ultimately my jam, I just love how Fela's music is steeped in cultural heritage. It makes for such a fun and unique listening experience!
I do not have the attention span for 12-minute songs.
Nice mix of jazz and funk but tails off after the first song
Good overall, better as background music than something to really focus in on
It's really full of energy. Songs are very long, though.
Engaging. It took a few listens, but i'm onboard with the afro-beat vibe. The historical notes on the influence of Zombie are particularly interesting. Definitely worth listening to.
Think I only got the main track. Alright.
I thought the story behind the album and the reaction Zombie caused was interesting. In all honesty, I found it more interesting than the music itself.
boy are these kinda boring with how long they are
Okay this was super interesting to listen to actually, never heard of this guy before, was really intrigued by the impact he had. Of course I don't think I would listen to his stuff every day, but it had a nice jam and it was pretty good! 3/5 stars.
I've been looking for this album for awhile I lost the name of it. First song is Great other 3 not as good.
I appreciated this Afrobeats fusion album. I found this tidbit interesting from Wikipedia: "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 Kuti had established in Nigeria), during which one thousand soldiers attacked the commune. Kuti was severely beaten, and his elderly mother Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was thrown from a window, causing fatal injuries. The Kalakuta Republic was burned, and Kuti's studio, instruments, and master tapes were destroyed." Protest music at it's finest and ugliest. RISE UP!
Pretty good! With such long songs though, it's pretty good working music or background music. I just can't sit down and listen to a 12-13 minute song on the regular.
Cool music. Crazy dude.
I like a bit of Fela, and this is a strong album. Limitations really that (sorry) it's great working music rather than something that makes me stop and actively listen.
Mejor de lo que pensé que iba a ser. Cuando ví que solo eran 4 canciones, me asusté, pues pensé que serían eternidades alargadas por falta de creatividad, por suerte, resultó ser mucho mejor de lo que creí. Tampoco es que crea que es la obra maestra, pero las 3 estrellas las tiene más que merecidas.
Was unfamiliar Fela Kuti. Album is listenable but not a album I would add to my collection.
In your head, in your head
Pretty good. Jazzy, with an African beat. Songs can get repetitive given how long they are, and they all followed the same formula, instrumental for 7 minutes or so, some singing/chanting for 3 minutes, then instrumental again the rest of the way. So, not something I would probably seek out, but fine to listen to for this list.
Let's give this a listen. Interesting name and album cover art...jazz? Yep! Only 4 tracks for a length of 53 min. Zombie, has lyrics. I love it! It has a very African sound to it that I'm enjoying.
It's a fun jazz kinda thing? Four tracks, all stupid long. The first time I'd ever heard Fela Kuti, the boss I had at MTV put it on in his office for a friday "team building" lunch we had. It's the kind of music few have an actual connection to, but plenty of hipsters act like he was some seminal artist that affected them deeply.
Gang-i-den-jazz, mange instrumenter, lidt vokal, nice nok
Cool album I wouldn’t normally listen to.
Politically charged and funky
Nice jam for the background. 6 out of 10
Fun
Jazzy
Felt like I was waiting on a hummus and a double chicken wrap. Enjoyed working to it. Normally give these type of albums a 2 on account of it not being my thing but this has a little something extra
Was played some Fela Kuti a couple of months ago and thought it was pretty decent, gives me vibes of the When We Were Kings documentary soundtrack. Enjoyed this as well, a high 3.
Three stars, because I felt this album a bit stale... didn't have any ups and downs, felt a bit monotonic to me
New genre. It was fun and groovy.
Didn't make it all the way through the album because the tracks were long and repetitive. Still good to experience a different time and place in music.
it’s a 53 minute album with only 4 songs on it, it’s bound to be pretty cool.
This was a first time listen for me, so I had no idea what to expect. I was surprised. A politically charged album that’s an interesting mix of jazz, funk and African music. This isn’t my usual cup of tea but definitely an album I’ll listen to again. My favourite song was Mr. Follow Follow.
Skimmed through, not quite my jam. Very skillful jazz like african music, passionate.
its cute
Good, liked the instrumentation. The mastering or mixing sounded a little harsh on the high end for me. Will have to revisit
Definitely good but I was hoping for some more development. There are many Fela Kuti songs that have this element of fierceness to them, but this album is kinda lacking that. I felt having that aggression, that spice, would have added another layer that I think was needed. Still has change and power, but I wanted heavier contrast. Fave: Observation Is No Crime
Not really my taste, but enjoyed listening to it for the 1001 project.
Too Jazzy?. Not my genre but still kind a f'ed with it it. Felt very 70s. Real Rating 3.5/5
Short and sweet at just over 25min long, not must experience with the genre but it's very lively and a good head bob and involuntary feet movement are inevitable, Good jazz moments for the sax and an over all good time, this goes on my world playlist for sure.
I am not a huge jazz fan but this was very entertaining as background music. I do not know how often I would re-visit this album, but the backstory of this album combined with the instrumental parts that go somewhere and progress through the song makes it a worthwhile listen.
Relatively interesting engaging jazz. Still held back by general listenability as per normal jazz for me. Solid 5.9/10.
Great listening while programming. Enjoyed the Jazzy vibes. This isn't a normal genre of music for me but this album was very easy to listen to.
I'm not really into jazz but this is pretty cool in a hip, free styling way.
Pretty clever album with enjoyable rythms and a solid composition.
Lovely afro- centric jazz. Great change up album
Simply not my kind of music.
Very enjoyable.
Eh, it was alright. Great background for the right activity, but not really revelatory or interesting as a primary focus.
I would've immediately forgotten about this album right after listening but reading the wiki really changed my perspective. The fact that this album led to the death of his mother and the destruction of his commune at the hands of the Nigerian government is pretty crazy and makes me admire this album more than I would have otherwise. Also would've appreciated it more if I could've understood the lyrics. Taking away that context, however, it just sounds like Afro music and is perfectly alright. The two bonus tracks were definitely worse than the original two tracks though.
Good vibes and rhythms, sparked a revolution in Nigeria!
Groovy, but I won't be coming back to this sound world again.
An hour long album with only four tracks. If improvisational jazz is your thing look no further
I was expecting a pretty decent smooth jazz album. Nothing really jumped out at me that would warrant a second listen, but this was a nice album.
Its really good I just don't see the need for each track to be upwards of 12 minutes long
decent, but got bored after the first song. album just all of the same... ok for study but i'm not adding it to my spotify
Nice grooves. Kinda dig it.
When I saw this album I had zero expectations, no previous knowledge of the artist. But it turned out to be this very cool jazzy and (despite its political message) joyful record. Maybe the build-up phases were a bit too long for my taste and usage of repetition too frequent but nevertheless lovely sounds and mood level 100. But making one track out of four a live concert recording segment instead of studio one - I have to consider that a Mistake.
Decent
Chill monday, hang
Best Song: Zombie. The song is very wide-ranging, but I liked the part with the choral vocals of "zombie". Worst Song: Mr. Follow Follow. By contrast, the vocals here did not work for me at all. Overall: It's a nice jam, but doesn't do much to hold my attention. I can imagine throwing it on in the background while I cook or clean though.
Average.
Okay..this is valid Kinda skimmed this one, wasn’t in the room the whole time - but this is definitely an experience. You can feel the liveliness..and it makes me want to wiggle. It’s hard to think this guys mother was killed over this record (it’s criticisms of the Nigerian gov), but I trust the bio - that’s just bananas. But again, this is swag 😎
Ik vond dit heel leuk voor op de achtergrond
Oke heel lange nummers en je moet ervoor in de mood zijn maar het is wel goed voor op de achtergrond
Never seen or heard this one! Not something that i would listen to normally, but as like a background music for cleaning for example it's perfect for me. Keeps the mood up! Nice, jazzy vibe, nice vocals, cool beats and everything! Too long songs for my taste tho Haven't really looked into this kind of music so nice experience :) Overall 3/5 for me!
Love Fela’s commitment to the cause and reflecting that in his music.
..interesant dar cam multe trompete pentru gustul meu 3/5
Zombie was quite a fun track, very upbeat and makes you want to dance, so the length didn’t bother me too much. Mr. Follow Follow isn’t as fun as Zombie, so drags on a bit, but nothing about the song loses me. Observation No Crime again is an interesting fusion of genres, but too long for me to truly get into. Mistake (Live At The BJF 1978) was just more of the same “Afrobeat” Kuti was known for, so the effect of the genre-blending had worn off by this point. Overall, the album was ok, it started off on a high then started to lose me, nothing about the album was bad, it was just 4 fairly long songs, so lost interest after some time. I don’t see myself going back and listening to it again, but I’m glad I’ve heard it once. 3/5
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Mr. Follow Follow (2) 2 - Zombie (1) 3 - Observation is No Crime (3)
Pas trop trop mon truc mais ça change un peu
Great sax in title track
It was fine. Good rhythm and bwats but nothing insane
All bops
It was Jazz.
The song 'zombie' was so good!
A great long-form jazz album – keeps a steady, enjoyable groove while being melodically diverse enough to maintain interest. The addition of the live track is brilliant, as the impromptu energy of the performance heightens the sense of freedom and playfulness hinted at in the earlier songs.
NamesAre4TombStones: "It doesn't really meaThe song "Zombie" was about soldiers and their mindlessness during the dictatorship. Fela accused them of having no brains, being zombies and just following orders without thinking for themselves. And sometimes you would often see soldiers just prancing about doing nothing, just walking about for no reason really, and that is what A joro jara joro was referring to, it is gobbledygook, just like the mind of the soldiers." Un álbum divertido de escuchar y con buenos significados detrás, un ritmo con el cual es inevitable ponerse a bailar.
Very enjoyable to cook by. Upbeat and bouncy. 3*
Better.
First album and artist in this list I'd never come across before.. some pretty interesting Afrobeat sounds and cool to learn about him being a real pioneer in this music genre.. wouldn't normally listen to this kind of stuff in rotation, but glad to have expanded my music knowledge!
Thought it was a really interesting story but I don’t smoke enough pot to enjoy a song for 30 minutes. Appreciate the history though!
Not my style but very talented musician.
I think I listened to this last week and forgot to rate it. Decent but loooong tracks. Kind of a latino jazz prog album. Didn't hate it though. Decent in the background.
Musically it's really lively and addictive and very accomplished. As a political statement it goes way beyond anything I know of according to Wiki. Difficult to separate the two but outstanding overall.
3.75
Not bad
It was fine, just not my bag. Some catchy rhythmical sections
J'ai connu l'Afrobeat grâce à Emmanuel Macron. Et je l'en remercie.