Zombie

While I usually take offense to super long songs, the organization of this album was great imo. Short in the number of tracks, but with plenty of time to explore some pretty cool stuff. I could tell that this was gonna be a wild ride when I read that Kuti married 27 women simultaneously, and I was not disappointed. Maybe each one of them got to play a drum on these songs.

I only know Fela through hip hop samples (Kendrick sampled a cover of one of his songs on TPAB’s album closer “Mortal Man”) so this was a delight. Glad to add him to my jazz rotation.

Solid

a true shock on this list! loved it

Background vibes for me but that's not an insult

The stories around Fela Kuti are mythic and it seems this album in particular has such a place in Nigerian history. I do like his music, it seems to use African beats in such a jazz influenced, accessible way. Have to admit I havent listened to him again despite enjoying the live album much and i think I did slightly prefer that one. Need to give his albums a proper go, think I could be in the right mood for more of this.

I'd completely forgotten we'd had an album by this guy before. This completely took me by surprise though. Thought it was really good. It's almost ska or dub in parts which I really liked. Bit long, but very good. 4

In a nutshell: fight the power. Now this is my jam. I love an album with songs that make you think twice. The tracks have an engaging beat then when the lyrics kick in, they take you by surprise. It's meant to be a protest album yet it doesn't force the fact. The music speaks for itself. Overall: 8/10

Very enticing Afrobeat with interesting rhythm and time changes that kept me intrigued about what would come next. Varied instrumentation and interesting vocals displayed his musical depth. I love how lyrics in a different language, or with a strong accent, can be heard as more of a vocal instrument than simply a story told . Definitely worth listening to again.

Zombie: 8/10 i really like this track, it reminds me of meep city on roblox in a way, i feel like dancing while listening to this, the vocals are really good on this as well as the backing, overall this is the best one so far. Mr. Follow Follow: 7/10, this is very calming, id listen to this song while studying, and it reminds me of my childhood. Observation is No Crime: 8/10, again, this would be a really good studying song or like a song to play in the background of a convo about random shit, or even while playing uno. Mistake: 6/10, i dont like how theres a live recording in this album, especially as a closing track. the song is good but i dont like that its live :/

Upbeat weekday morning, put this on while I was doing stuff around my room before work and it was nothing but good vibes. fav is observation is no crime. Actual rating 4.5

Not my thing but I appreciate a good political message in a song.

Cool

Not bad! Good for long runs

I was unsurprised to hear a vibrant, aggressive set from Kuti complete with a fanfare piss-take aimed at the jackboots running his country at the time. I *was* pleasantly surprised to realize how much of the 8-bit chipcore palette was made in an attempt to recreate the sound of the title track. In any event, I'd hate to have this guy disappointed in me.

A fun jazz record, I love it when the list shows me things like this. It’s also insane to read the background on this record.

I like it.

Great blend album

This just grooves, the sound in its self is pure funk, but with such a message. Can’t question the authenticity of the artist on this one. Definitely a keeper 4 Star

Superb afro beats !

Split on this. Loved the first half of it but then it seems to lose its way and rhythm and I lost interest. Still. Enjoyed it more than guy previous two albums and I gave them a 3 each.

Surprisingly fun a lot of really cool Jazz instrumental sections with compositions that ban a pretty long time per song but I didn't find myself getting bored by it I really enjoyed it overall.

Favorite tracks: Zombie This album was a blast, particularly Zombie - I love me a good political commentary track

Volvemos después de días de feriados y asuetos a hoy viernes con éste artista del carajo que fue Fela Kuti. El disco, bah, su música, es como un mantra. Un trance sonoro que no suelta al oyente hasta que termina el LP. Muchas gracias y hasta el lunes

Better than yesterday’s album but still not sure on the whole jazz thing

Brilliant. I'd heard some Fela, but never this, which is clearly a very important album in all sorts of ways.

You could say 'it's in my head' now

I didn't have high expectations coming in to this one but was pleasantly surprised. Honestly, this is the sort of thing I was hoping for with this generator. This is something I wouldn't have listened to on my own but I think it's definitely a recommend.

This is a great album, the vivid instrumental and horns set a party theme melodies that contrasts with the lyrics, and Injustblove when this happens. Zombie lyrics are great, it could be used as a metaphor not only for what happened in Nigeria. . I enjoyed the 2 first songs, although the album came to me as a 4 songs.. 4/5

I'll admit I was a little scared when I saw the album was made up of only four fifteen-minute songs. I have never heard of Fela and had no idea what to expect. But overall, I was into it! I definitely think "Zombie" was the strongest of the album, and each song lost a little bit of momentum for me. At first I thought it was all instrumental, and I was apprehensive about the idea of vocals coming in because I liked the instrumentals so much, but I think the vocals worked really well and didn't take away from the music. The sax solos go HARD. Not something I ever would have picked up on my own, but I'm happy to have listened to it.

Afropop king

3.8/5 great sfrobeat rly enjoyed

Better than Coldplay

Fela Kutilta aiemmin tuttu oli lähinnä Water No Get Enemy, hyvää fuusiojazzia

African jazz

it was good

A great listen. 70s Afrobeat masterclass. Even more emotional and impressive if you know the story of the album’s meaning and what happened after its release.

Superb

Great discovery

Not for me but not made for me either. Vital and inspiring - I’m so grateful I now know of this family.

Cool, but not something I'd go back to very often.

Fela Kuti is a legend. The sounds are an eclectic mix but fun as all hell to listen to.

4 out of 5. Short and sweet with some great beats.

Finally a "world" record that I can confidently say is a banger. Favorite track: Zombie

This was such a cool discovery, and this guys biography was fascinating. I genuinely enjoyed the afrobeat type of music here and loved the change of pace!

The story of this album bumps it up a point.

A furious, hypnotic masterpiece of Afrobeat. With relentless rhythms, sharp horns, and Fela’s biting political satire, 𝘡𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘦 turns funk into protest music. The title track alone — mocking Nigeria’s military as mindless “zombies” — is bold, dangerous, and unforgettable. Musically it’s rich and alive; politically it’s explosive. It’s the sound of rebellion you can dance to.

Really nice jams. The Wikipedia article was crazy. Never heard of this group before, it was pretty great.

Nothing smart to say, but definitelly felt the vibe and wished I was listening live to move some body over this.

Toe tappin' Nigerian world beat this is why I joined this group good to hear music that I wasn't aware of good stuff

i think he could to just make more songs with less mintues but its cool

I enjoyed this. Probably not as much as Jorge Ben Jor, but still enough to give it a solid four.

there’s like two tracks, and i like both of them

There are very few songs over 6-8 minutes that I really like, so I was pretty skeptical starting off on a four song album with an average track length over 13 minutes. The first two tracks are tight, funky and fiery. They carry this to a 4 for me. There’s nothing wrong with the latter two tracks, but the horns in the first song blew my mind.

Zombie 4.3 Mister Follow Follow 4 Score: 4.15

4.2/5 Really good album and really good instrumentals. Even though the songs were long it was very easy to listen to each of them

4.1/5 Tecca style review today fuck it. Pre-listen thoughts: Omg a 4 song 54 minute album, now we’re talking. No better time for Spinning this album a 2 hour midnight drive home from the Denver airport. Lets rip her! Song breakdown: 1. Zombie: low key sounds like the George Lopez theme at the beginning. Vocals at 5 min got me hyped as I thought this was purely gonna be an instrumental album. Song got more intense as it progressed. An absolute bop. Cruising through the mountains rn just blasting this shit. 2. Mr. Follow Follow: a bit of a slower start but I’m vibing with it. A whopping 7 min buildup to vocals. Thank god i was getting a little bored. Not as hype as first song but still enjoyed. 3. Observation is No Crime: Funky af. The repetitive “tell me tell me “ got kinda annoying. 4. Mistake: 14 minutes of true beauty. Final thoughts: This album definitely got me out of my music comfort zone in a good way. Without this site I never would’ve ever listened to something like this. I surprisingly enjoyed this way more than I thought I would as I didn’t think I’d end up listening to the whole thing. Not something id spin in the car on a daily basis but would make really good background music. Highly would recommend for a night drive when you want to be deep in your thoughts. It’s now 1 am and I’m wide awake. Good shit Fela Kuti.

I only got one full listen so far, but what a great album.

Zombie and Mr follow follow are two of my fav tracks. Didn't know the other two so well. Fela is heroic in his effort and work and left huge impact on so many artists and the african diaspora. rip.

Listened to this while doing some chores around the house and I was grooving along. Never heard of this but it was great!

On immediate repeat.

Really enjoyed this one. Have not ventured much into the Afro-Beat genre, I do know how much of an impact he had on a lot of other music. Highlights: "Zombie" and "Observation is no Crime"

Another good Fela album. This guy is great for funky and soulful jazz.

Not sure what I was expecting, or how to even describe it, but very much enjoyed it. Minimal lyrics, engaging beats

Never was politcal music so incredibly groovy. So glad to have explored this album. Was gonna give it five, but every song on this does the same trick in terms of structure.

The album that brought down the Kalakuta Republic💪

This is joyful music. I actually have no idea if it’s intended that way, but it’s not really headphone music to me. It’s about playing loud on big speakers if possible and dancing while you carry on with your day.

This is a genre I quite like overall. I thought the first and last tracks were strongest.

Fantastic music, and insane background. This was totally new to me and I really enjoyed it. But dang. What a life.

I really liked this one it's not usually the kind of music I listen to but this one was really good.

This hits hard.

Didn't expect to like it much, but it was a nice listen

Out of the gate, the first track was really fun. Full of energy, danceable, vibrant, jazzy. I'm not into the genre enough for this to go into regular rotation for me, but I did have fun listening to it

These are good tunes. Reminds me of seeing Cimafunk at Roo. Fela Kuti impresses again.

Cool upbeat jams with some nice horns and some pretty sick guitar parts. The Kutis sure do fire home some winners on this list

Fela Kuti actually rules. Zombie is a banger. Really enjoyed that. This Fela is pretty darn good!

Chill. Really good to music to put in the background. Great vibes with jazz and Caribbean sounds.

87/1089 another really interesting and impactful afrobeats album, i liked all 4 tracks, all felt very well paced considering their length. The instrumentals, vocals and intentions were all really well put together 4 stars

This album is classic PBS through and through! I really enjoyed listening to it and could easily have it playing on repeat in the background

Gotta get me some African drums...

Never heard this musician. I love the energy!!

Good background music!

Very cool!

This was great. Not a bad song on it. Reading up on it and the fallout he suffered after releasing this was crazy.

Liked it a lot!

A fun jazzy little album with a surprising and fascinating history. What this album caused is terrifying and genuinely horrific, the perpetrators living up to the scathing criticism levelled at them in this album. Powerful and political yet bouncy and fun, an incredible combo!

The music , the massage the groove the fusion… the political context !

Just a small bit of editing on the length would have improved this, but overall a fun album 4*

zombie...didn't realize deja vu opening came from this. this is why i do this!!

Excellent et dansant. Très politisé de ce que je comprends, le backstory est assez rock'n'roll.

A really fun mix of jazz instrumentals and chanty vocals. The songs all have a great groove to listen to and follow along with. I can totally see this as an album I come back to.

I don't know much about the genre but I appreciate the instrumentals.

I really enjoyed the instrumentals in this album. I know very little about this style of music but listening to this album inspired me to learn more.

Really, really liked this. Not into jazz, but if I'm going to listen to jazz, this is how I want it to sound. The beats are great, the horns are bright and vivid...this is excellent. Perfect music for having to do monotonous work and wanting to listen to something.

In thanks to this list, I've discovered Afro-beat like Fela Kuti and others. It's so funkin' refreshing to listen to. 4/5

AWESOME!

Some chill morning vibes, cafe for sure/ Jazzy

Has a very boppy feel. I had a good time with this one. But it's not something I usually like.

Extremely funky and infectious. Sounds like a very fun jam session of expert musicians, but it is actually a thoroughly composed piece that moves and evolves very gradually. This album got me into Fela Kuti's music and at this point I may prefer his early record Roforofo Fight for the sheer scope alone, but this is definitely one of his best as well. There are strong political overtones here too, but they understanding the context isn't really necessary to enjoy the music. Key track: Zombie

como sempre mto bom parabéns fela

absurdíssimo eu achei melhor que o live! inclusive. bonito político e dançante, tem coisa melhor não!!!

Original LP was 2 songs that were over 12 minutes each. The reissue doubled the tracks to 4 and clocks in at a whopping 53 minutes! The godfather of afrobeat!

This album is really good. I liked it a lot. It is so much fun to listen to and also a short but really enjoyable experience. It's not something I would highlight but a really well done record, for sure.

Only somewhat familiar with his output prior to hearing this, I loved it. Great with my morning coffee. Initially I wanted the music to do more and go to different places, but that was my expectation obstructing what the music actually is. Will definitely revisit, and am curious to investigate further.

Good album. Very interesting life. I think I prefer Femi kuti over this album but they should both be 4 stars. Although I apparently rated Femi kuti 3 at the time.

Excellent. The grooves keep the songs grounded while everything around them morphs and shifts. Then 7 minutes in the vocals join in and they evolve even further. I don’t think you have to like Afrobeat at all to appreciate Fela. Just a wonderful collection of songs. And the kicker is a 15 minute live performance. The stones on this guy! FOUR STARS

This is the sort of thing that I joined this project for! Quirky albums that stimulate the mind! African beats, funky/ jazzy guitars and probably a bit too much horn! I will say it gets a bit repetitive, I've played on an African drumming song before and I remember sore hands and repetitive parts (the guitar and bass get a lot of same same). The horns often play rippoff riffs of famous songs (I swear I heard 'The Last Post' butchered in there at some point!). I'm in two minds about it. Yes, it's fun, but at the same time, a bit repetitive. I think a few drinks and good company could sway that opinion. 4 stars.

Like a mix of Santana, Hector Lavoe, and Herbie Hancock. I fw it heavy

Really like the combination of the 2-3 genres here, some great sections in here. Some interesting history behind this guy and this album as well. Enjoyed the listen through. Favorite song was Zombie.

Sweet Jazz Record

239/1089 - Can definitely see the influence this had on some of the 80s music like Talking Heads and Peter Gabriel. I like the horn playing. A bit too repetitive at times for me but I also think things change enough to feel good, more-so than Remain in Light for sure. It's also people like Fela Kuti and Dmitri Shostakovich who are inspiring to me. They chose to keep making music when under horrible authoritarian regimes that wanted them and their loved ones dead. That takes strength.

Cool!! 12 min songs (3x). Loved Talking Heads vibe (they stole it).

A great album. I'm not a fan of African music. I was therefore skeptical about this album and was very pleasantly surprised. Yes, the African roots of the music are unmistakable. But with the jazz and soul elements, it sounds great to me too. I will gladly listen to it again. 4/5

Amazing album with very funky jazz and politically charged lyrics. My favorite part of this list is listening to new artists and discovering their music. This is one of the artists, especially with the impact he has on so many people.

Loved it. I don't know how to review music like this but it rules. I've listened to fela before and always enjoyed it. This album was great. Expansive horn sections that wander around but not aimlessly, really free-form but keep coming back to repeated motifs that hook you right back in. So much groove. Great!

A little more focused than the Ginger Baker one. Liked it.

Damn, this and Sunny Ade the beginning of my love of Afro beat/World. The back story of course is profound, music as life force. The helmets on the cover Nazi-evocative, opposed to the colorful title and Fela (and the music) standing bravely in opposition. 4 songs, 55 minutes, inspires me to not follow and use my senses.

Man, the first riffs, the energy, this launched with a bang. I wasn't 100% on board with all the vocals, I was digging the instrumental work. But I started to get into the rhythm and vibe of the voices, and that last song, repetitive as it was, must have been a thrill to see live.

muy interesante el contexto en el que se realizó este álbum. me flipa el ritmo y sonido de jazz, blues y funky, hace que se te muevan los pies solos. no hay nada que me guste mas que una intro larga y con ritmo pegadizo. Canciones favs: zombie, mr. follow follow,

Lekker hoor. Beetje kort maar er is nog een langere playlist van zijn muziek.

Afrobeat is what jam bands would sound like if they had any talent. It amazes me that playing that tight can go on for as long as these songs do. Afrobeat is jazz and James Brown and traditional African music all melded together to make a genre that is more than the sum of its parts. This is an incredible album and definitely one that everyone should hear. Also, you know what the worst part of having 27 wives is? 27 MOTHER-IN-LAWS!!!! https://tenor.com/xvDw.gif

4

Good! Felt more like ambiance music but still good.

Rad, reminded me of WITCH. Need to check him out more

Loved it! 70s list throwback. Super fun and the grooves and loops are incredible. He is such a genius and his band was so good. Love the guitar playing. 4.5/5

Fun

Not my favourite Kuti, but great track! 4 Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes. 9/1001, 9/37 (24%) Will I get?

This was fun and funky. I liked it. I read up on him and it seems he led a pretty wild life. Fight the power.

Jazzy, I liked it,.

Unstoppable grooves of good.

Zombie O Zombie!!!

Zombie is the better of the two songs but the other one was still good

Favorites: Zombie (very catchy and high-energy) Mr. Follow Follow (laid back) Mistake (live) Long tracks - feels like your listening to a live album or at an improv jazz performance. It kinda makes sense for this style and it's appreciated. "Zombie" heavily outperforms the rest of the album though.

Not something I would return to, but the energy had my foot tappin' and head noddin'. The music is respectable on its own, but as a protest album it goes extra hard.

Might be the best album yet

Stellar trumpet playing. Groovy music. Wish I understood the political message better, but overall this was a very good record to listen to for the first time. 4/5

Everything I’ve heard from Fela Kuti has been good, and Zombie is no exception. This album is full of fun energy, driven by its jazzy, funky mix and rhythms. It’s sharp and groovy, showcasing exactly why Fela’s music remains so powerful and timeless.

I will admit I had no idea what to expect. But this album was a true delight. Beautiful music coupled with rhythmic singing/chanting. Songs that are 10+ minutes long and change forms a time or two throughout. It was a fun and enjoyable listen.

Soooo fun great to drive to

My big takeaway from this project is that I really dig Afrobeat and AfroCuban jazz. Also, a lot of people don’t like jazz of any origin, which is a shame for both them and society.

Very enjoyable

Really enjoyable afrobeat - beautiful instrumentals (predominant) and vocals (occasional)

Very niche, tribal rhythms that we are not used to. Very interesting and charming to listen to.

day 2, zombie fela kuti track 1, zombie: 3.5/5 track 2, mr. follow follow: 4/5 track 3, observation no crime: 3/5 track 4, mistake - live: 3/5

When I was maybe 20, I took probably my first solo trip across country to visit my cousin in Seattle. He lived in this little cool hippie loft in a two flat overlooking gasworks Park. I remember one of the days he had to work and I slept in a bit and when I got up and went through his records, and I found this and Black Sabbath’s Paranoid. T was a beautiful day and I have a distinct memory of hearing this for the first time looking out the window, looking at the Seattle skyline over the Puget Sound while having my mind a little bit blown.

Recht ungewöhnlich mit Songs > 10 Minuten

That was a great album to listen to it twice.

This album was such a vibe! I’m not sure if I’ve ever listened to Fela Kuti before or an afrobeat album but this was lots of fun. This is the kind of music I would dance the night away too. I would definitely listen to this album again depending on my mood. An enjoyable listening experience!

I liked it :)

Grooves all the way down to the floor.

I enjoyed this Will I listen to again: 56%

fela kuti is held in high regard and it's not hard to see why. funky and jazzy but also with well-written lyrics - it's not like the typical jazz albums i've been exposed to so far.

It's a really great afrobeat album, the rhythms and beats are highly enjoyable - very good blend of Western African music and funk/jazz. It just draws me in from the first moment. It's a short album with only 2 tracks and 25 minutes - a lot of albums are often too long, but in this case I wish this album was a bit longer.

Important, absorbing, musical. The beat/percussion really draws in the listener. The title track is a masterpiece. I wish the album were 20 minutes longer—and I never say that.

Fela jak zawsze w formie. Niech świadectwem jego geniuszu będzie to, że zwykle nie słucham takiej muzyki, a i tak, gdy widzę, że się wylosował to wiem, że czeka mnie obcowanie z Muzyką przez duże M. Cudowna jest ta zabawa melodią i dźwiękiem, ta lekkość i swoboda. 8/10.

Tough between this and the other Fela album on this list on which I like more. He's got to be up there for one of my favorite international artists. Zombie was so so good and the other track was pretty decent too. It's so fun seeing an album with only 2 songs on it. We wouldn't have Remain in Light without this. An album he could've died for, very deserving spot on the list. Rating: 4.2

Political: ✓ Jazz-Fusion Elements: ✓ World: ✓ Album Length: ✓ Great addition to the list, and I wish they put more of this type of music on it.

Cool african jazz. 4/5

Now that's a groove. I kinda wish the songs were even longer.

I really liked this one especially zombie!

Fela still king

Thoughts before listening: Nobody else sounds like Fela, and his sound is certainly one I enjoy. Horn driven funk jams mixing African styles with a psych rock and jazz mentality. Glad to listen to this today. Review: Yeah it's great. I love how the drum beat and bass line tend to remain consistent throughout these songs, even as the vocals and horns weave in and out. That helps to keep this interesting, even with long 10+ minute tracks. In general though, these long songs can get a bit repetitive but that doesn't diminish from just how enjoyable this is. 4-stars

Great grooves. Love the Afro beat stuff more than what sounds like straight ahead jazz - more vocals, less horns would have been even better for me

Sorti en 1977, "Zombie" de Fela Kuti et son groupe Africa '70 est un acte de défiance, un cocktail Molotov musical, un pamphlet politique dont les flammes ont failli tout coûter à son créateur. C'est une œuvre essentielle de l'Afrobeat et de la musique contestataire mondiale, qui mérite amplement sa place au panthéon des enregistrements les plus importants du 20ème siècle. L'album s'ouvre sur le morceau titre, "Zombie", une épopée de plus de douze minutes qui constitue le cœur battant et la raison d'être du disque. Dès les premières secondes, le ton est donné. La batterie inimitable de Tony Allen, véritable moteur de l'Afrobeat, installe un rythme non pas seulement dansant, mais martial. C'est une marche, une cadence hypnotique et implacable qui semble pouvoir durer éternellement. La ligne de basse s'enroule autour de ce squelette rythmique, créant un groove si profond qu'il est impossible de ne pas bouger. Puis, la section de cuivres légendaire d'Africa '70 entre en scène, non pas avec des mélodies douces, mais avec des riffs acérés, des coups de poignard sonores qui ponctuent le rythme avec une précision militaire. C'est sur cette toile de fond instrumentale, riche et complexe, que Fela Kuti pose sa voix. Et le message est d'une clarté foudroyante. Dans un pidgin anglais accessible à tous, il dénonce la mentalité de l'armée nigériane, alors au pouvoir sous un régime militaire brutal. La métaphore du "zombie" est géniale dans sa simplicité et sa virulence. Un zombie n'a pas de volonté propre, pas de conscience, pas de pensée critique. Il obéit aux ordres, sans réfléchir. "Zombie no go go unless you tell am to go," scande Fela. "Zombie no go stop unless you tell am to stop." ("Le zombie ne partira pas si tu ne lui dis pas de partir / Le zombie ne s'arrêtera pas si tu ne lui dis pas de s'arrêter"). Chaque vers est une accusation, une moquerie directe de l'obéissance aveugle des soldats, qu'il dépeint comme des automates sans âme. La musique elle-même imite cette idée : le rythme est répétitif, obsédant, comme une marche forcée sans fin. Ce qui rend "Zombie" si puissant, c'est la fusion parfaite entre le fond et la forme. La musique n'accompagne pas seulement le texte ; elle est le texte. La longueur du morceau, loin d'être un défaut, est essentielle pour installer cette transe, pour faire ressentir à l'auditeur la nature abrutissante de cette obéissance aveugle. C'est une performance qui vous saisit et ne vous lâche pas. Il est impossible de parler de cet album sans évoquer son contexte et ses conséquences tragiques. "Zombie" fut un succès phénoménal au Nigeria. Le peuple a immédiatement compris le message et a adopté le terme "zombie" pour désigner les soldats. Le gouvernement militaire, humilié et furieux, a réagi avec une violence inouïe. En février 1977, près de 1000 soldats ont pris d'assaut la résidence de Fela, la République de Kalakuta, un complexe qui servait de maison, de studio et de refuge. Le lieu fut incendié, les instruments et les bandes maîtresses détruits. Fela fut sauvagement battu, et sa mère, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, une militante anti-coloniale et féministe respectée, fut défenestrée. Elle succombera à ses blessures quelques mois plus tard. Cet événement tragique transforme Zombie : d'une simple protestation, il devient un testament, un sacrifice payé par le sang. L'écoute de l'album aujourd'hui est indissociable de cette histoire. La face B de l'album, "Mister Follow Follow", prolonge la thématique de la face A. Le morceau s'attaque à la mentalité de suiveur, à la conformité intellectuelle et à l'incapacité de penser par soi-même, élargissant la critique de l'armée à une critique plus générale de la société. Musicalement, c'est encore un excellent titre d'Afrobeat, avec des arrangements complexes, un dialogue virtuose entre les instruments et un groove contagieux. On y retrouve tous les ingrédients qui font la magie d'Africa '70. Au final ce sera un 4 sur 5 pour un document historique, une leçon de courage, et une démonstration éclatante du pouvoir de la musique comme outil de résistance.

Really liked this - smooth and jazzy and interesting. Solid and interesting background music I would happily listen to again.

I liked this!

The revolution has never sounded so jubilant. This is really awesome stuff! Imagine being in attendance at one of these performances. The rhythm on Zombie is infectious. Makes me want to dance - and topple the government.

Good album. Way more funky than "Live!".

Surprisingly really sharp! Enjoyed it more than expected! Give it a listen

Good

The title track is absolutely marvelous. I first heard it on Grand Theft Auto IV on the funk radio station (IF99), way before I really got into music. And I remember liking it, and I still do so that's good after not hearing it for quite a while. Anyways it's a 6/5 star song. 'Mr. Follow Follow' has this amazingly good bassline as well as the trumpet in the first half had me completely entranced for a moment. Also the back-and-forth between the lead vocal and backing vocals is done pretty well. 4.75/5 star song in my opinion.

Makes me want to go sit in a jazz club, I love brass instruments

Jazzy! I like it!

This album is kind of a revelation for me with the list so far. I never in a million years would have picked up an album like this. It made me realize that I’ve been treating these albums as “would I sit in a chair and listen to this album to just enjoy it? Is there meaning to this album to me” when not all albums have to be like that. This album is great for just having on and going about whatever work you’re doing.

I like

When I saw on Wikipedia that this is afrobeat, I was expecting to sound like Tyla or Burna Boy, but this is jazz with an obvious Nigerian influence. This is normally not my genre, but I actually really loved it. It's great both musically and lyrically. A solid 4/5, could go higher with repeated listens.

To my ears this is a perfect blend of jazz and funk. Highly recommend Fela.

Yes

Funky

There is some music that is just hard to hate (not that I actively try anyway). This is great. Very enjoyable chill music that, despite the long songs, never fills repetitive or boring.

++: Zombie +: Mister Follow Follow 8,2/10

This is an amazing album with wonderful music! You can't really listen to this passively, because the political message gets missed. And the songs go on WAY too long to hold your attention. It is interesting, and very deserving of being on the list.

love this stuff. big fan of the lijadu sisters and william onyeabor and this is more in that same late 70s nigerian vein. 4.5

Punchy long jazz

More fun than I was expecting

This was a great protest album and just all around excellent jazz

Awesome album! Can I call this an album? It's not even really an EP. Awesome song? Yeah, lets go with that. Awesome Song!

had not heard about Fela Kuti nor the album before this, which is a more than just a shame, considering how significant he and his music is to nigeria and music in general. so i'm very happy to have broadened my horizon.

Fela always had that great African trance. Wild dude. Every time I listen to one of his albums it’s easy to get lost in everything that flows.

To paraphrase my earlier review for another Fela Kuti album on this list: Music far outside my musical comfort zone but I really liked it. The music has lots of energy and passion. Easy 4 stars.

Groovy stuff that has been hugely influential to bands like Talking Heads and their followers. It would have been great to see Fela and his band live, as this is the kind of music that makes even people who don’t dance want to move

Funky afrobeat is always appreciated, for some reason all Fela Kuti I've heard before, did not resonate like this one did. I will return!

This is afrobeat - jazz over African polyrhythms creating a jazzy but funky, hypnotic, jam band aesthetic which one could imagine as an amazing live experience, preferably outdoors. Others have touched on the protest nature of the music and the retribution and cost in brought to Kuti, and that context brought to the music takes it to even greater heights. Want to know where the Talking Heads "Remain In Light" came from? This is it.

I don't really get jazz that much. This, though, is pretty good. Maybe I just need a good rhythm to go with the jazz. I'm going to have to listen to more Afrobeat. Digging into the Wikipedia articles on this album and Fela Kuti was really interesting. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I don't think it was protest music you can dance to. Fela Kuti was an influence on The Talking Heads "Remain In Light", which I (re)discovered on this list last month. Well that makes sense why I like this, then.

Really enjoyable, dancey and fun, but political and heavy too.

Even though I don’t understand the language and can’t truly appreciate the political context, this is still a way better album than many of the other albums on the list. Totally enjoyed the listen.

So incredibly good. Just don’t want to stop listening.

Listened in the truck via YouTube music. There are only 4 tracks each over 12 minutes I believe. The music is repetitive and hypnotic. They rhythms don’t get old as they’re repeated and expanded upon. Whenever I’ve heard Fela’s music I’ve always enjoyed it. This just gives me the reminder I need to listen way more often especially since he has such a large catalog.

Love the album. Very upbeat vibe. The wiki was a very sad read though, knowing this album led to his mother's murder

Groovy jazz and funk feel! Would have been fun to hear live.

Liked it, different.

Funky!

Actually really enjoyed this - long Afrobeats passages that blend together and make for really great background listening

What is going on here? Of course I’m asking about the album cover, but I left that sentence fragment in the text box for awhile and it seemed like a funny idea for a complete review. Alas, the completionist/masochist in me forces me to write another unreadable review that will fittingly, never be read. Fela Kuti is… jazz? I don’t really know, but I’m excited to see how this turns out. One way or another, I think it’s going to be memorable. Zombie - ZOOOMBIE ZOMBIE EH EH EH. Man. I really don’t like that song. This song? Pretty good. A little lively and happy for me, but it has a great energy. Relentless funk bassline and huh? Vocals?! Oh well. Nobody’s perfect. Man. It actually goes real hard. Suspiciously hard. So much musical variety and a palpable energy that I initially found a little sugary, but now hits as the funk juggernaut that it is. Mr. Follow Follow - The follow up to the Police’s stalker opus from last week. I mean with a name like that, you’re destined for greatness in the world of sleuthing. It’s a thin line between stalking for good and evil. This is a smooth jazz song with those persistent funk lines underneath. Late vocals popping in again. Listen, it’s not my exact brand of jazz, but it is certainly broadening my horizons. Observation is No Crime - See? Every song is about stalking people. I simply watch, is it so wrong in this topsy turvy world to observe one’s paramour from the proverbial (and literal) bushes? This song isn’t as good. The late vocals that seem to be a trend here are not as engaging and the background vocals have shifted into annoyance territory. Not bad by any means, but this is a let down. Until the end at least. These are long songs so they go all over the world. The sweet jazz outro was an oasis. Mistake (Live) - Those Germans love their jazz. Now this is a good live performance. High quality audio featuring an enamoured crowd. It’s a big enough crowd that I’m not taken out of it by individuals yelling. It probably also helps that they’re not American, meaning they’re less obnoxious. I am so intrigued by the choice to start singing around the same distance into every song. I’m getting so many conflicting track listings for this thing. Things like that make my skin crawl. The RYM page has three songs that i didn’t listen to and none of the songs that i did. The Wikipedia states that THIS is the track listing, but tracks 3 and 4 are CD reissue bonus tracks. I suppose that when this was written, nerds with OCD weren’t the target demo. Whatever. I listened to Fela Kuti from around this era and I was very pleased. Complex and engaging music that challenges and welcomes all at the same time. This Fela Kuti Fella is a real Kutie. No? I like the Kuti of his jib? It just sounds like I’m coming on to the guy. Whatever. Thanks for the memories ol’ Fela. 3.5-4 HIGHLIGHTS: Zombie, Mr. Follow Follow

Some cool musicianship going on here. All of these cats can play. Some interesting rhythms as well. Not perfect but a solid release.

3.5, rounding up

I actually really enjoyed this album. Probably probably from, spending my college Years listening to '90s jam bands which would often employ afrobeats. But I really love not only the Fierce message of the song but also the fierce playing that goes along with it. 8.55 ★★★★

Nice vibe. Less repetitive than other afrobeat. 4 stars

4.5

Favorites: Zombie, The Follow Follow Just brilliant. Both sides are some of the most engaging and beautiful afrobeat you'll ever hear. This record and Expensive Shit alone establish Kuti as one of the best to ever do it.

Väldigt nära en femma

loved this vibe

There's so much emotion tied sup in music like this, joy and anger in equal measure. Also love the relentless, rhythmic drive it has. Anything with Tony Allen playing has me hooked within 30 seconds. Long live Fela!

A really enjoyable album with great instrumentation and great vocals the story behind the album is amazing too

Oh yeah, now we're talking. If you're ever at a party, and someone hands you the aux cord, go ahead and pop this on. You'll instantly become the coolest person at the party.

Fela Kuti and his band of rhythmic reanimators craft Afrobeat that makes you want to grab somebody and burn up the dancefloor then grab a molotov and burn down the powers that be.

His sound was so good

Imagine making a song so badass that the army throws your mom out of a window.

Amazing groove, and loved reading about the political context and reaction to this album.

Like it, pretty different

Album was really good. Jazz album with heavy afro funk. Was this pre-funk? Was this album an inspiration for funk? Really good album. Short album as far as songs, but the songs were long. The songs are instrumental heavy. I really enjoys the songs that featured singing the best. I wish it had more of that. Clearly there was a war story to it. I would like to know more about the meaning of the song or theme.

Fascinating story that I didn't know. Good music.

Wait, I've never heard of Fela Kuti and now I am so happy I have. Only four tracks but lord do they all feel like a separate concert that perfectly connects into each other. Fantastic album. I'm making every listen to this. (9/10. This rating still doesn't make any sense."

Love all the horns. Very groovy at times, then very jazzy scatting. A big middle finger to the gov't, I can get behind it. And the guy was a polygamist, sweet.

4/5

85% Best: Zombie Must-Hear? Sure

Really cool. A lot of fun.

Fandt på afrobeats genren. Det var rigtig hypnotiserende at lytte til. Meget politisk omkring afrikansk kultur

Excellent Afro-beat album by the undisputed master of it.

Mesmerizing. I’m not a 20th century Nigerian history buff so the government critique element went over my head, but I could see this being an extremely effective medium to channel a message to the listener. Especially if they were smoking some of that sweet 70s grass. To this white Canadian in 2025, this album presents a timeless, infectious, motivating listening experience and will go into my regular rotation.

4 estrelas Zombie quebrou tudo

Loved the world beats jams, and open style

Очень крутой качественный афробит, с политическим подтекстом.

Liked it. Crazy background in this one as well

This album has such a great groove to it, definitely political resentment driving the urgency. Crazy that these songs, or any music could cause political and military action. It's a 3.5 for me but bumping for relevance.

An interesting listen for an artist that I would not have chosen if it wasn’t on this list and music that is very different to what I usually listen to.There was enough about the album for me to think about going back to it if I didn’t have another album to listen to tomorrow

4.4/what a fun and enticing jazz album

Snacka om sväng. Jazz eller world music? Afrobeat tydligen. Kanon i vilket fall. Fyra!

I was unaware of Fela’s music but am happy to now know.

Very groovy, nice beat but I would listen to it on my free time

Okay now albums like this are why I signed up for this project! All 4 tracks have the same structure (long instrumental followed by short call and response) and I'm not sure if the lyrics pack the same punch as they did in the 70s, but the music still is a trip and the sax solos bang.

One nation under a groove

Funky and interesting!

Okayyyy i kinda like this man

Fela Kuti’s jazz is woozy and hypnotic. 53 minutes disappears in a flash, and you, the listener, are suddenly in a great mood. The inclusion of the live track at the end was a great choice, because the crowd absolutely enhances the experience. Absolutely belongs here

Short enough that it doesn't get repetitive. I love the message abt military. music with meaning!!

Strong sauce. I can see why Kuti is seen as a pillar of Afrobeat. A lot of presence in this album. That sound is often imitated but without the soul. 4.1

Rating: 4/5 | Favorite Track: Zombie --- This was my first time taking the time to listen to this album and honestly this was such a fun and enjoyable listen. As a big fan of the Eno-produced Talking Heads albums, it was great to finally dive into what is arguably that era's most important influence.

Kalakuta Republic 15 April 2025 Fela Kuti and Afrika 70 - Zombie: Released 1977: 4/5 stars I thought it would be fun to try the 1001 album challenge, which is based on the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The book complies 1001 popular music recordings chosen by a panel of music critics and includes writing about each album. The book was originally published in 2005, though has been updated several times to include more recent recordings. While I don’t have a physical copy of the book (I may buy one,) there is a website: https://1001albumsgenerator.com/ that e-mails you a new album to listen to every day at 03:00 GMT. It creates a personal page for you, which you can leave reviews of albums and look back on them. My big fear in doing this challenge is it would select albums I’m already familiar with or albums I don’t like at all. To my surprise the first album is an album by a musician I have never heard of; Fela Kuta and Africa 70 - Zombie. Fela Kuta was a Nigerian musician and political activist. He is regarded as one of the principal innovators of Afrobeat a music genre from Nigerian that combines West African Music with American music styles such as Jazz and Funk. This album is exciting. Stylistically, there are so many twists and turns. The title track Zombie starts off with an almost ska-style upstroke guitar and rhythmic congas. Horns come in and rival some of the best jazz tracks I’ve heard. This sounds like a blend of American Jazz and African music, however at just slightly past 5 minutes into the track vocals come in. The lyrics describe the Nigerian military as zombies who don’t think for themselves, but follow whatever orders they’re given. The song has frequently been used as a protest song. The original LP is just slightly over 25 minutes and consists of lonely two tracks. The second track Follow Follow is of a similar style using an upbeat guitar, bass, simple percussion and trumpets. This time vocals come in at 7 minutes, again another critique of soldiers. On CD and digital releases there are two bonus tracks Observation is No Crime and Mistake live at the Berlin Jazz festival. Overall this album is a great introduction to Afrobeat, a genre I’m wholly unfamiliar with, but intrigued to hear more. This album defies some Western pop music formulas and introduces me to sounds I’ve not heard before. You can hear some of the inspiration music like this had on the Talking Head’s later discography. What’s more interesting than the album itself is the story behind it. While I don’t have time time to dive too deeply at the moment; the political history of Fela Kuti is fascinating. In 1970 he established the Kalakuta Republic a commune and recording studio he declared independent from Nigerian military rule. The commune was raided by soldiers in 1978. In the raid his mother was injured. His outspoken criticism of the Nigerian military made him a political target. That’s as far as I can go with my reading on Fela Kuti today, but look forward to learning more. I rate this album as 4/5 stars. It sounds great and it’s culturally important. On a personal note, it’s not something I would put on often, but if I saw this in a shop on LP or CD I would buy it in a heartbeat.

7.5/10

I mean, c’mon — it’s just vibes! A great album with massive historical significance, and one I can see myself returning to plenty.

Muito bom álbum,um perfeito início nq minha singela opinião com um álbum de Jazz,não poderia ter começado esse projeto de uma maneira melhor. Melhor Música: Mr Follow Follow Pior Música: Observation is no crime não me pegou tanto quanto as outras,mas é muito bom também Álbum muito bem construído,pra mim é uma nota 4 estrelas de 5.

Very cool! Kind of reminded me of this reggae album my dad used to play a lot and I loved when I was a kid (Six Boys from Skaville) and of a recent favourite WITCH (the Zambian rock group). Great vibes.

Different, but nice.

# Album Name: Zombie # Artist: Fela Kuta # Rating: # Comments: I listened to the original LP version consisting of two tracks. A grand total of 25 mins. A lovely length for such music. Honestly, wasnt bad. Pretty good, upbeat tempo with some good brass. Very listenable for 25 mins. If it was longer (like the extended CD version) then i think it would be too much. Id give this a very low 4. # Top Tunes: Errrrr there were only two on this LP. # Would I listen to it again? Doubtful

Favorite Track: Mr. Follow Follow

Good

really like the groove. 4/5

Finally something new. Very easy listen. ZOMBIE

Rad.

Trompetteeeeeeen

Fela's stuff rules, but he was so incredibly prolific that it's hard to keep it all straight. I prefer "Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsesnse" but this is great and set me off in the direction of a 55-video Fela playlist on YouTube.

Cool l'afrobeat

Loved the first 2 songs of the album. After that it's a bit less appealing. Great to see an album with some political context combined with feel-good vibes.

Pretty cool stuff

Gets a 4 for the title track alone, amazing song.

Very cool short album, nice saxophone, and jazzy, 3.5/5

Oh you know the hips were shaking and swaying!!

This was groovy!

Love Fela Kuti, “Zombie” was my favourite song of the album. You hit me with a saxophone and a strong drum beat, and I’m in.

afrobeats, ihi ihi ihi diye gidiyo

Dudeludeludeludeluuuuuuu

An intense, groovy workout, and yet 2 listens didn’t even take me an hour. I guess I know now how Minor Threat fans feel The bonus track “Observation is a Crime” is also good, though slower paced

Pre-listening songs: THIS IS ONLY TWO SONGS??? 😭😭😭😭😭 but it’s only 25 mins so it’ll be a very short listen. But it’s like flipping a coin to see which song I’m adding to my playlist. Anyways all I know about Fela Kuti is his work heavily inspired David Byrne/Talking Heads. Post/during listening thoughts: yeah you can 100% hear Remain in Light in these songs. Damn I listened to eight minutes of the first song before realizing eight minutes had gone by! Okay holy shit dude please read up on this album even if you didn’t like how it sounded musically. This is insane. This is the kind of entry I’m looking for on this list in terms of global context. 8.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: yes Fav tracks: Zombie Least fav tracks: n/a

A fantastic blend of African and African American sounds, bringing in some of the best of both worlds. It's a very infectuous record, before you even know the dramatic history. Kuti dared to criticize the Nigerian government it's "zombie" military, who he claimed followed orders without question. The popularity of this release would prompt the government to prove him right, as they would later storm his commune, tragically resulting in the death of his mother. It's speaks to the brutality of that regime, the power of music to make change, and to Kuti's popularity across Africa and the world. The story makes the music much more impactful and sad, but the music itself is fantastic.

I could stand to listen more. Could be a 5. I like this guy, second high rated album.

I really enjoyed the afro beats and the variety it brings musically. I love it when this list brings something up I'd have never found on my own and expands my musical world view Excellent listen, would recommend strongly!

The story behind this is SAD. This album is GOOD.

What a magnificent listen. I love Fela. He is a band leader like no other. The energy that he sends to the band is fabulous. This album is absolutely amazing. It might be a little less dinemic inside the tracks than London session (the other of his that I heard) but the progression that builds between this 4 long songs is incredible. It starts quite slowly with the viby Zombie, than transforms into the great Mr. Follow Follow, with its great drum and bass appearances. It really kicks on in my opinion in the second half with the brass arrangement on Observation is no crime. Than, surprisingly it moves to the live gam of Mistake. I was afraid it might disrupt the rithem of the track list but the live atmosphere only adds to the energy of the gam, that leads into a satisfying finish to the album. As always, Fela's presence on the record is amazing vocaly, and I adore his keyboard parts. They add a lot to the texture of the music in my opinion. Lovely, lovely record.

Objectively great, but I never have and probably never will get into jazz. So repetitive. More thankful to have been acquainted with this artist's influence and history. "Sacred monster", indeed, as Bill T. Jones put it.

definitely recommend reading the wikipedia page as you listen - whoa, what a harrowing story. not my usual type of music but very energetic and politically charged. i enjoyed my time with it.

this was a cool and enjoyable album. long songs but at least they were varied and interesting! favorites: zombie

An anti-militarization anthem, “Zombie” grabbed the African continent’s collective imagination with its lyrical urgency and relentless rhythm. Perhaps Fela’s most effective fusion of funk and politics, it confronted Nigeria’s increasingly corrupt, detached government head-on. REBELLION RARELY SOUNDS THIS FUNKY.

нормалек.

Big fan of when this list actually introduces me to new genres and good music instead of yet another boring British album.

Insistent funk, obviously a strong influence on Talking Heads, and has a heavy history. Really great.

Still going through it. The voices are distracting, but the political message is certainly historic and interesting to peak into an unknown piece of history I appreciated seeing. Music itself has good jazz, but again the vocals take something from me.

Very, very good.

Loved the beats!!

Very different listening experience but was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, great music to just have on

Overflowing with energy. Wonderful stuff

I'll probably never be the biggest jazz fan, but this was a pretty enjoyable listen. Fela Kuti was so instrumental in bringing African jazz into the mainstream, and you can hear why with this album. Each piece is composed incredibly well. The musicians are top notch, it's really a joy to listen to. A cool listen for sure.

still funky as hell.

Based Afrobeat 🇳🇬

Awesome rock jazz pshyc belnd

Love the sound of this one. It's like a movie soundtrack.

Bright, wild jazz. Occasional vocals. Good for background and atmosphere. Happy feel.

Excellent album.

Pretty trance like

That was fun. A style I wouldn't usually listen to and presumably a really good example