Reviews (page 10 of 14)
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
Trumpets
This is a trip, the story behind it and the aftermath of it is wild, critique of military juntas and politically motivated deaths aside, this album is a straight up party groove. It's a strange juxtapose to be reading the wikipedia entries on the album and, indeed, Fela Kuti's life while chair boogieing to the beats they laid down.
Not really my kind of nusic but really enjoyed the background story of the artist - very interesting
Funky! But too much for a whole album. I could only do a song at a time in future.
beautiful album.
Fela is truly one of the greatest artists to ever live and mixes the two greatest aspects of music which are political rage and grooving hard as you can. If you don't move when any of his songs come on I think you might actually be a bad guy. Like a real piece of shit. What kind of asshole doesn't dance to this? What do you have no soul? You're the scum of the earth you know that? Fuck you.
African jazz
Excellent 😀
You can't go wrong with any form of jazz. Whether it be avant-garde, cool, jazz-funk, jazz-fusion, afrobeat is no different. This is the very first time I'm hearing of Fela Kuti and afrobeat, actually. When the first song finished, I knew this would be a special listen. Zombie is the epitome of those albums that click with you on the first listen. Simply flawless.
dope
New appreciation for his music.
This was great. An artist I hadn’t heard before and I spent the rest of the day listening to. African beats, jazz hooks and funk. I really dug this.
This is Fela Kuti’s magnum opus: an absolutely scathing political piece which criticizes not just the Nigerian military junta but also the individuals who become soldiers and commit atrocities on behalf of their superiors. Where most anti-war protest songs you hear by American artists criticize the leaders without going so far as to criticize the individual soldiers, Kuti goes all in on pissing off the soldiers who mindlessly follow orders (aka “Zombie” or “Mr. Follow-Follow”). The story behind this album is also crazy: Kuti had a large compound (which he called a Republic) within Lagos which housed his family and musical entourage, and contained homes, recording studios, and a health clinic. After the release of this album, the Nigerian military raided his compound, destroyed almost everything, and brutally injured many of the people there, including Kuti’s mother who died from these wounds. The Nigerian military government then declared these acts as committed by an “unknown soldier”, really just playing into exactly what Kuti was criticizing. Anyway, it feels weird to dance to music that’s so angry, but the music is also just so funky that it’s hard not to at least bop your head.
Awesome uptempo afrobeat
Politically charged, yet makes me wanna party.
The title track is fun, not as into the rest of it but overall not bad.
Nigerian Funk Jazz Charismatic
I know I am less than 10% of the way through the project at this point, but I am confident enough to commit to writing that this album will end up being a top 10 find for me when this is all said and done. Minus points for Duck Rock after hearing this. Couldn't help but bop around through the entire hour even after I realized what it was about.
Didn’t mind this
The Nigerian government threw his mum out of a video because this vibed so hard. Simpsons: No
Started off loving the vibes but got bored by the end of the album. Luckily for Fela Kuti, Rozza pointed out that the original album release was just the first two tracks, not the two live tracks. Therefore I'll rate it off these. He's also a mad geezer who deserves some stars for that.
I didn't hate it, but it was far too long could have got the same message across in half the time if they wanted to.
This album just did it for me! Vibing it in the summer and just feeling great! Mr Follow Follow felt a touch too long but I really loved the whole album. Can see myself putting this on while BBQing surrounded by great company, great food and great beer.
Good vibes and awesome horns
Perfekte Musik zum Tanzen. Cool
Couldn't get into it...
Fantastic album with a great groove. Love everything I've heard from Fela Kuti so far. I also dig an album with only 4 tracks but each are over 10 mins. This is my favorite from Kuti so far.
This is fun!! 5/5
Jazz not for me 2/5
Oooh. This one took me by surprise. I feel like I was introduced to something I didn't know existed, but feel right at home with like it's always been in my listening rotation.
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.
What a record! I loved this. Its progressive and aggressive, but also so smooth and flowy. The jams / reggae / rock roots are so rad. Super fun to listen to. I'm by no means an expert on AfroBeats, but this one has been one of my favs so far. It has the power of Bob Marley, but totally different style of music. Its really fluid and engaging.
This would be a 2.5 because I never really got into afrobeats and the songs are pretty long and repetitive. But this is a big political album agaisnt the nigerian government that resulted in the military persecuting them and killing his mother so im giving 4 as a political message and concept album
Groovy for my macaroni 😎
This is not my bag, but I did enjoy the listen.
This is another example of finding a gem on this list. I have never heard of this album before or even heard of Fela Kuti before. This is a great listen. Jazzy and political, I listened to the version with bonus tracks. I will be listening to this again and checking out his catalog.
Very rhythmic. Thoroughly enjoyed it. The whole thing seems like a complete.
Quite enjoyable. The upbeat, dancey vibe does not convey the serious circumstances of the album.
Very enjoyable
Boppin'.
Interesting listen for sure. If you wanna listen to political music in the car? In the AM? Have a go at this.
Exactly what I'm looking for here. An artist that is new to me playing music that immediately grabs me. The title track Zombie is so funky and pulled me right into the music. I was so absorbed I didn't even realize 14 minutes had passed, it just sounded so good. Inventive sounds, good singing, great instrumentals.
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
I'm not a big jazz fan, but I have to make an exception for this album. Without a doubt one of the most unique and interesting albums I have ever listened to. Every song was incredibly written, and the sparse use of vocals made the lyrics hit harder whenever they showed up. Without a doubt a masterpiece.
Et af de meget få albums, der bør være på listen uanset kvaliteten - heldigvis er den stadig fed! Håber ikke, det bliver det eneste album med Fela Kuti, vi får med
Ekstremt groovy og catchy, god jazz energi!
Sjov nok plade, med en tragisk historie.
Amazing
5/10 Nice vibes, good musicianship, good background mood music But this is basically a world jazz album and leans heavily into the improv/jam style This means that it feels interesting but ultimately rudderless and a bit empty to me Having read the wikipedia after listening, it seems that this is on the list for the political and societal issues surrounding it, rather than for its musical quality Best: Mistake
Fela is a musical hero of mine. Discovered him relatively recently, I quickly absorbed his entire discography. He essentially created the Afro-beat genre – unpretentious and danceable jazz – usually comprising of one 15-ish minute track per side, first half instrumental and second half with vocals kicking in. Most songs are heavily politicized protest songs against the then-ruling Nigerian government and military. (Soldiers later raided his compound, resulting in the death of his mother and his near assassination. Possibly a retaliation against this album's incendiary lyrics). He later died from AIDS in the 90s. 5/5
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
The album was so good until they started "singing" aka saying zombie over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. 1/5. The instrumental sections were good but sadly I cannot overlook 5 minutes of someone saying zombie. Genuinely the opening track ruined the album. Still listened to the rest, they just didn't change my rating.
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.
Can’t say I’ve ever listened to Afrobeat before, but pleasantly surprised. Easy to listen to and like the lulling pace of the songs. Very pleasant.
Protest music comes in many forms-I guess there’s something in the song ‘Zombie’ that pissed off the Nigerian government, obviously lyrically-but I’m not sure I personally could be upset if more than half the song is an instrumental jam BEFORE the vocals even appear. I’d be like, “Damn, alright, this is fire instrumentally, so you’ve earned the right to cook me.”
Afrobeats , nice but doesn't capture
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
Pleasantly surprised by this record. I had heard of the artist before but hadn't listened to anything from them.
Very enjoyable would listen again
Very specific genre, but good in its zone
Jammin'
Looked into the history of this one. Very interesting. Vive la revolution
I've always been meaning to listen to Fela Kuti properly. Really cool. Not as jazzy and more afrobeaty than other stuff I've heard.
Love love love
This is my mowing music.
This album was interesting. I enjoyed learning about the artist
10/10. I listened to this album in a different head space and setting a few years ago and think I graded it like 7/10. Listening to it alone in my current head space gave me a different perspective on it. It’s fantastic if you take the time to truly digest it all. Zombie and Mistake made the 5 ⭐️ song list for me.
Good stuff, feels like I'm at a carnival
Perfection
Finally I have the opportunity to speak about Fela Kuti again. That first live album I heard nearly 200 days ago still remains one of the most explosive and energizing pieces of live music I’ve ever heard. Zombie does nothing to soil Fela’s image. I really had no doubts though. From the period of 1971 to 1977, this man and his band were creating nothing but straight bangers. And this album really acts as the culmination of those years, and a farewell to that band. I picked up pretty quickly that Fela plays far less of a role vocally on these songs compared to what I have heard of him in the past. But when he does have his moments, they are critical and absolutely excellent. This album acts as a scathing and meaningful critique of the Nigerian government, and the brutal dictatorship that was happening at the time. That alone makes this an incredibly important piece of Nigerian history, but the result of Fela’s words are tragic. Possibly leading the death of his mother and the destruction of his studio and commune by the Nigerian military, this record meant something. And none of that even speaks on the music itself. Which of course, is amazing. Fela really made me fall in love with a genre I never imagined I would have any connection to. And the way his band plays on this is pure love and life. I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it again, I fucking love brass instruments. And when the brass sounds as punchy and snappy as it does on this record, it just fills my heart with joy. Fela Kuti is a wildly impactful artist in the musical and political history of Nigeria. And he helped tremendously with bridging the gap between the West and the East through his music. Imagine the Miles Davis of afrobeat. Breaks my heart that this is the last chance I will have to talk about him. And it saddens me that artists like Madonna have more of a presence on this list than he does. Rating: 9/10
Lengthy tracks! Good though.
after hearing the name fela kuti for years, i finally have the opportunity to listen to him, and man this album is fucking cool. great grooves, great vibes. super cool stuff, i would love to hear more from him!!
This was a great reggae jazz album
Badass...such a moving and eclectic way to stick it to oppressive government powers. I wish it was longer and want to listen to "Gentleman" next.
If your political album is so effective that the government comes to your house and kills your mother because of it, I think it's safe to say you deserve 5 ⭐
Let's get annoyingly technical. When I've listened to this album in the past, I've just listened to the first two songs since that's what appeared on the original LP version. Easy 5. This time I listened to all 4 songs on Spotify which were on the CD reissue. To be honest, I thought about deducting a point for how long the sax solo on "Observation No Crime" dragged out, but then "Mistake" came on and it's now 5. So, mathematically, where does that leave us? Well, I'm not taking points off of perfection just because a guy played a saxophone just a few seconds too long for my taste.
funky, soulful, aggressive. I love afrobeat. Fela's sax is good but Tony Allen is the heart here.
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!
Wowwww!!!
Großartige Platte!
I really enjoyed this, way more than I thought I would. (Even though my daughter said it sounded like a middle school band tuning up) Anyway, you should read this dude's Wikipedia entry, it's wild.
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.
Had me bopping in my chair. I'd always heard of Fela Kuti but I don't think I'd listened before.
Great Afrobeat jams. All of the tracks are great!
A brilliant slice of jazzy funky Afro beat.
Fela Kuti can do no wrong for me.
I feel crass for wanting to talk about his influence on Talking Heads after learning that this was a big deal protest album that resulted in serious violence being done to him. Then I kept reading the wikipedia article, which itself felt the need to bring up: "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." Like I dunno wiki editors, I feel like maybe musical impact and influences are maybe more relevant to the article about the album itself, and some of this other stuff belongs in the **Personal Life** section on the musician page.
It has pretty long intros but a really groovy beat. Everything is mixed really well. I love the call and response in the song. It has a very reggae feel to it but also a tiny bit of a jazz feel with the saxophone and how the instruments work off each other. A good album to just have playing in the background
Loved the funky jazz with the international flavor. Favorite song was Mistake.
Gives me some Chicago/Da’Jen eats vibes. Makes me feel like I’m on a vacation. I like the instrumental. Definitely admire the off beats in the percussion. I like the sax and trumpet vibe. Observation No Crime is my favorite.
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.
I mean. Zombies look for braaaaaains but they'll find none here, because this is a no-brained five star review. Afrobeat par excellence, genre defining artist and exceptional talent. Fela Kuti is just brilliant, taking influences from West African music and East Coast jazz to make something lovely and wonderful.
Sounds like a call and answer; cool rhythm and sounds but a bit repetitive
Powerful album.
It’s alright. Kinda long
Listened to this album while on a bike ride and the vibes were good
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.
All of Fela's stuff is great. Just high energy, and fun! Zombie is a distinctive song, but the rest blurs together... though not in a particularly bad way.
Wow this is a super cool surprise! Exciting and mellow at the same time. Lots of horns and shakers and stuff to compliment the regular 'guitar' combo sound. Tons of improvisation. It's got that Caribbean/reggae feel, but also very rock/drum and bass. Never heard of this before today but really enjoyed it.
Gut zum mitwippen.
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
sounds fine but songs are way too long with extremely lengthy instrumental sections, nice background music but personally difficult to pay attention to or enjoy
Wow, this album has some serious funky grooves and great horns. Well worth a dedicated listen.
Never has frightening apocalyptic doom sounded like the greatest street party ever thrown. The rhythm and the groove is so driving, so infectious and irresistible, it’s easy to see why Fela Kuti called the instant-classic opening track “Zombie,” even if he meant something else about power other than the musical kind. There’s a lot going on and the percussion and drums alone would be an Afrobeat master class. It all works together—every part sounds necessary, like blood, lungs, heart, and bones working together to make sure the listener will never become a titular zombie. It’s easy to hear why Fela’s music sounds like one-stop shopping for the casual Afrobeat curious.
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.
This is groovy. I love the rhythms
Classic funky jazzy afro
all respect for his contributions to music history but i am not a jazz fan so a 4 song 53 minute jazz album is not exactly my thing….. love and respect though
This is amazing. So funky and smooth. What a great album. It’s such a refreshing and different vibe to my usual listening
Marco el camino del afro beat
Good, but this is legitimately only half an album.
Funky music with a deep political message. This is not the kind of music I usually enjoy listening to but that was great! Really enjoyed the songs and I have so much respect for that guy!
I liked it. The unisono parts of brass and horns hat a certain power to it and all in all it was really groovy. Nice protest songs and quite impossible to ignore.
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.
Fela Kuti is the man. Great album.
Pretty good. The title track is very good.
Made me feel hostile for some reason. But not in a bad way.
Love the energy. Low 4.
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.
Not my music
Fantastically enjoyable music.
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.
The sound is so beautiful and unique. Makes you wanna move. Makes you want to protest.
Sharp, muscular, jazzy funk music. Didn’t totally understand the messaging but definitely felt the music. A really solid and quick album (without the CD tracks). Best song: Zombie
Really enjoyed this. It felt like the bridge between blues and late-70s funk. Trombone Shorty must have listened to this as a kid!
Vital!
Definitely a “Vibe” & “mood” listen. I really enjoy it and I added this album to a playlist for having friends over for drinks and to chill!
long songs, fun, jazzy
Classic
Funny. I was just listening to this earlier today. Fucking LOVE Fela! This is genius.
Epic. Very much Tank! vibe. Loved this albulm.
Hintergrundmusik
Die Bläserensemble gefallen und der jazzige Mix mit den Afroelementen ist eine echte Entdeckung.
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…
I do not like long mainly instrumental songs/albums
It's a solid jazz. Not memorable but it's good. Good performances, good recording, good production. Strong 6/10
Reading the Wikipedia article about this album and Fela Kuti was a trip. It is crazy to think that this album inspired the government to raid Fela Kuti's commune and beat the shit out of him (and kill his mother). Also crazy, that he married 27 women a year after. But its easy to get distracted by these details, this is an important album from a musician that essentially create their own genre. Definitely important in musical history, it's also got some great grooves. I generally only review the original album tracks and skip any CD/reissue bonus material - it's funny in cases where the album consists of only two tracks. These are some jams though, so settle in. Some people might find the repetitive and extended grooves boring, but there is so much going on, and the rhythms draw you in its almost impossible not to move your body.
Love. Groovy. Reminded me a lot of dad!
Absolutely loved the first half of this. The second half is nice, but settles into its grooves more in a way that makes it less compelling.
It's a very tightly packed and delightful 70s Afrobeat album. The funk elements certainly stick out more I'd say with groovy bass and horn lines dominating the entire forefront of the mix. Fela's vocals on this album alongside his share of backing vocals work only to add to this album's firey pace. The title track is likely the best example of this with an almost call-and-response chorus, utilizing the imagery of zombies to describe the Nigerian military at the time. They're also just insanely catchy. This album is filled with politically charged commentary (primarily relating to Nigeria), as indicated by this album cover. The following two songs on here establish two other fantastic grooves. The layers of horns at the beginning of "Mr. Follow Follow" are pleasant and I appreciate the slower pace this track takes in particular. Even the closer "Observation No Crime" is a slower track. A small thing, but I like the grandiose closing seconds of this song. While I do think the funk and jazz elements of this album stand in the foreground, with solos and brassy horn sections taking the lead, the afro-inspired percussion is certainly noticeable when establishing these standout tribal grooves. It is a solid record overall if a bit boilerplate and repetitive at times. The fundamentals, lyrical themes, and overall mood established here are still top-tier and the performances are great.
Short record with some interesting historical background. However, the songs have nice grooves but the horn solos are not that interesting to me.
Jaha tyhjä träkki soi ja albumi pääkopassa.. Ihan laatuahan uskon sinne pääkoppaan mennneen... Musisointia.. vailla vertaa...
Spectacular rhythm
It really takes its time for every single song
This album is what I've been missing from the other Jazz on this list. It's rhythmic and moving in a way that a lot of other jazz isn't. Definitely my favorite of the genre so far. Best Songs: Zombie Worst Songs: NA
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]
extremely sick album, bio on the guy/ band is wild, 5 for the impact historically and the fact that it fucks severely, unfortunately i do not have the constitution to handle 7 min instrumental jam sesh before they then go to lyrics so personal 4.5. made me less annoyed about bands/ groups that r 10 million fucking artists
Favorite entry so far. All of the tracks were super hype and a great listen. Could easily revisit this. Favorite songs: all of them
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.
Damn, I like this! So so good - I thought at first it was just regular jazz but I've learned since then that this is the birth of Afrobeat!
Escucha la ste disco y luego di "me gusta el jazz etíope". La gente en la oficina te mirará raro, pero habrás ganado la medalla de cultureta. Por otro lado, es un discazo que sigo escuchando habitualmente.
Really enjoyed this album
It’s really almost a perfect album.
Really dope jazz record, will listen again
Schönes Funk\Jazz Album
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
Quintessential Afro-Beat. I listened to the extended addition with "Observation No Crime" and a live version of "Mistake"
Perfect
Wanted to give it a 2 since so many amazing albums have been given a 3. But it was good. Unique. Special.
Jazzy! I really enjoyed this new album.
Notable track: Zombie
cool groovy tunes
Oooooooo....immediately funky! I can vibe to this. Feels like a great driving album.
Very soulful, trump wouldnt aprove
A Nigerian man with BBC and 27 wives making an album out of spite for his local government and army… this is my type of shit
Nice music on this one
#125. No matter how much meandering jazz nonsense you put in front of me, it'll never not be boring. I'm assuming there are actually people out there that thoroughly enjoy this kind of music, but I'm glad I haven't met them. 2/5: wack Song added to playlist: Zombie I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
This was very catchy for protest music.
I love these Afrobeat jams!
Groovy beats and luscious horns. Super fun!
Another Fela Kuti album - and apparently this one got people killed! Crazy what music can make despots do. This was very enjoyable. Really cool stuff!
Just ain’t my thing, but respect to the man and the people who enjoy his music.
As a jazz album, I really have no context for this. If this was pop I would probably love it.
A Funk-Fueled attack on the Nigerian Military, Afrobeat as protest weapon, political sermon wrapped in a trance-like groove. All middle fingers from his Kalakuta Republic (until they burned that mother down).
Good, but probably not kill-your-mother-burn-your-house-down good.
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.
Very cool, and the kind of thing I started this project to find. Way more accessible and enjoyable than I expected, and the story and background is fascinating too. Not sure I'm going to come back for another listen for a while, but it's very impressive nonetheless. 06/02/24
While Johnny Rotten is claiming to be an antichrist living in a facsist regime here we have Fela Kuti actually standing up to a horrifically corrupt government and paying a huge price. The music is jazzy and funky but the attitude is punk as fuck.
Svängit
4 tracks that take you on an Afro-jazz journey, beautiful percussion, immersive horn section. And finished with the live track that is the icing on the cake.
Not my preferred genre, so never heard of this artist before. I didn't hate it, but would not listen again. Nearly an hour long with only 4 songs. I liked the singing part, there just wasn't very much of it. 2/5
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
4.5 rounded up how could anyone dislike this
Digger det her. Et mini album av afrikanske grooves. Digge rytmiske gitarvamps, fengende kor, vokal som kommer inn bare når det trengs, jazzy trompet og brakende støt-blås. Rytmeseksjonen ligger herlig bakpå så det rykker i alle dansemuskler. I dig it. Hver låt er nesten et kvarter med bare jamming, og jeg vil være med på jammen. Det albumet her vil jeg eie på vinyl. Endelig noe internasjonalt.
Dug this big time, lazy reviews on the catch up sorry bout it
Not my favourite Fela record I have heard but all the style and appeal is here in spades. Passionate music that can also be enjoyed in a blissful relaxation kind of way - works in every way it attempts to. Fave track: Mr. Follow Follow
This can be playing all day. Fun, rhythmic, catchy, energetic, good times. One of the best to do it in his genre. Fave track: Zombie
Great Album, nice to hear
Loved it. This kind of jazz is more palatable for me than that Miles Davis album.
54 minute album, 4 songs - gotta love it. Strong, strong horn section. I never would have listened to this on my own and am so glad I did listen and will listen again.
I recently attended a performance by an Afro-Caribbean brass band during which the band leader explained the history of that style of music. Brass instruments had been introduced to most corners of the world as part of military bands and had come to represent oppression and colonialism (redundant, I know). So by co-opting those instruments, musical styles like this, ska, rocksteady, and reggae all came to represent freedom and independence more so than just a laid-back “island” sound. I had never really thought of it in that way before, and will never look at it the same way again. I really enjoyed this album.
Groovy! Legendary Fela Kuti King of Afrobeat
-I noticed a bit of a James Brown style. He could possibly be an influence -the rhythmic drone is mad bopping
Actually didn’t mind this. Mental story about the background and the killing of his mum.
Dead good 🧟
This right here is why I started doing the 1001 albums project. This is fucking great, and I would never EVER have heard of Fela Kuti in my usual music circles.
Africa and jazz
"Music is supposed to have an effect. If you're playing music and people don't feel something, you're not doing shit." - Fela Kuti I felt something listening to this. Wish I listened to more jazz, all genres. What an album to make that hit home.
I had never heard of this person before. I was pleasantly surprised. Not my usual thing but was better than I thought. Why such a low star then? Still not my favorite.
Not as good as I remember but it's fela
A pretty enjoyable and upbeat jazz record
Influential beyond words to so much music
Fun rhythm, taking their time with every song.
Day21 - there’s a good podcast from “who cares about the rock hall” about fela kuti from 2021 when he was nominated. he was an interesting guy and this album is great
4 songs, all at least 15 minutes.
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.
Didn't really listen to him before. Good dance music!!!
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.
Really great stuff. It was such a fun easy listen... And then I did a little reading. How can something so funky have such dark undertones. Loved it.
Schon ganz geil irgendwie. Höre sowas sehr selten.
pretty interesting
A fun surprise! Funky jazzy jammy Latin reggae. I’ve recommended to others.
Didn't really do it for me, though I can appreciate the historical/cultural importance.
Afro pop gold
interesting afrobeats. 3
Jazz funk fusion in the late disco age. That's cool man.
Something I never would have sought out on my own. The second piece was pretty good. Vocals are ridiculous. Two stars
Hmm schwierig. Interessante Musik, gefällt mir, aber vielleicht zu aufregend zum öfter hören. Ich würde gern 5 Punkte vergeben, aber es bleibt bei 4.
Fantastic Nigerian afrobeat from mid 70s - crazy history of the album and how it's release impacted fela's personal life
Creative, but limited depth. Repetitive.
Woah!!! This is cool!!
Always enjoy Fela Kuti. This one wasn’t in my tops of what I’ve heard but still a fun listen
👍🏻
I like the genre. Did some research: seems to be an influential artist in his genre. never heard of him! „Mr. Follow Follow“ is GREAT!!!
Gefällt mir! Guter Sound! 6.3/10
love me some afro-beat. fucking great jazz album
Nice jazz with crazy history
Really enjoyed it. Zombie, especially.
Okay
Throw down your troubles and dance your way to freedom! Funky, political, and new-to-me. This is the kind of album I'm here to hear. Favourite songs: Zombie, Mr. Fellow Fellow
bien
have really been into jazz lately and was excited for this, especially as it was my first album with this project but alas, not for me
New. Not bad
This album was the least compelling of the jazz albums I have heard so far. The songs all blended together and felt much too long.
Good music. Very nice to listen to.
Some seriously tasty shit. Afro-beat with hints of souka (sp?). Fela is always pretty great, but this album is exceptional and very accessible for anyone dabbling with Jazz/Afro-beat
Not my favorite Fela Kuti album, but damn good!
Overwhelmingly impressed with this album! I've heard the track Zombie, unsure if I've ever heard the lp until this morning. If I did, I was in a fog because this is fricking awesome
Wow!
Some lovely rhythms and sax parts, pulsating drums but thought I'd like it more
Kind of enjoyed it
Such a great album! Listened while taking the train to meet a good friend for all you can eat sushi.
Felt Kuti has influenced a lot of my favorite music, and yet I've never listened to this - very excited today! Also, the wikipedia for this album is BONKERS. On repeat all afternoon, hell yes.
No me esperaba un álbum así, quizá lo utilizaría para algún proyecto pero no para una escucha solitaria
Good stuff
Song: Zombie This is exactly what I was hoping to discover through this project. I never would have encountered this artist or this song in my day-to-day life, but this was just incredible. I love jazz, and the musicianship on display here was amazing. The beginning of the song just felt like a group of musicians just together to have a good time—the sax & trumpet solos and shout choruses over the drum & guitar worked so well. However, the song really shines after a few minutes, when the vocals begin. Fela Kuti came to make a strong statement with this album, and he does, combined with excellent rhythms and vocal arrangements. I love when music gets political, when the statement is done right, and this is done right. The last sax solo is also excellent (and it ends with a little bit that sounded like Taps, which is such a good parting shot) I truly really enjoyed this song, and I want to hear so much more like this.
I liked it, it was a genre I've not really listened to in the past.
Fantastiskt!
Not something I would listen to again. Instrumentals are all off and out of tune with the lyrics throughout the entire album.
Jazz 🧠
Only found one song and it was too long. Just not my style.
Zombie is the best song which I already listen to. Even with only 4 songs on the album it's easy to see the pattern. Jam out some Jazz for 20 minutes then do some standard lyrics and chorus for the last 5 minutes Enjoyable but nothing new that hooked me
Jazzy probably iconic because of timing and circumstance but doesn’t withstand test of time innit
Great beats! I will listen to more by this artist
It was easy to listen to in the background
12 minutes of mostly instrumentals. still good tho
Oh, four songs? Nice! Oh, it's still almost an hour. No. No thanks. Listened for 5 minutes then turned it off. I hate this album.
Interesting. But not really my cup of tea.
2/5
Really good
Not my favorite. I like the jazz, but the longer song length stretches my patience with the jazz music.
Great vibes specially after the first track
Groovy!
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.
Even without knowing about the political element of this album, it remains just solid. Super fun and bright all the way through, definitely would play again and I might send it to some friends.
Enjoyed this!
Immediately made me think of Donald Glovers Guave Island after reading the reviews and the political message around it. Fela Kuti. Would love to hear this live. Also interested on why the songs were so long? Is this the music genre? Still the length of an album just much longer in terms of songs.
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
Super!! Nigerianischer polit. JAZZ
Too funky for it's own good
2.8. Not really in my listening spectrum.
2.3 - Next
Good album. Fun beats, great flow. Will re-listen.
This one's just okay. I'm only judging the first 2 tracks here since 3 and 4 are from a re-issue.
This is the kind of record I was hoping for from this app. I've never heard of Fela Kuti, so I'm very excited to dig in. It's such a groovy record. It's a mix of jazz, funk, and I assume some western African folk music. A quick Google says Kuti called this sound "Afrobeat," and given other records I've listened to from African artists I now see where their sounds come from. In reading the background about the record, I can see why this is such an important record. It was a political statement about the Nigerian government and the military. The lyrics (scant as they are) speak directly to these issues. But the music is such a unique blend of soulful grooves and motifs that you could easily enjoy the music even without the statements.