Bongo Rock

I didn't know the band. Great sound. Especially when playing the classic tunes. Good album.

NGL, kinda liked this. Great vibes.

favs: apache bongolia dueling bongos in-a-gadda-da-vida bongo rock kiburi (pt 1) (i can’t get no) satisfaction wipeout apache (grandmaster flash mix) last bongo in belgium (breakers mix) rating 2.7/5

Pretty cool and recognizable stuff, but nothing hits like Apache.

Ein Experiment wie viele Bongo Solos in rund Einer Stunde ein Mensch ertragen kann. Musikalisch ziemlich stark aber die Bongo Ausdauer schwindet nach einer weile schnell 3/5

This album is notable as the source of a lot of classic hip hop samples from the 1970s - 1990s. Cool for that music history fact, but I like all the derivative music more. 3⭐️

Interesting latinish tinged drum heavy rhythm songs it’s ok but not stella

Fine background music

Kinda upsetting none of these songs were on Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

I enjoyed this but it was a bit much. Cutting about 1/3 of the length would still be enough. Overall 3.25 fun in moderation

Muy entrenado. Pensé iba a padecerlo pero nada que ver. Ahora, o está tocadísimo o regrabado. No puede sonar así en 1973. No tiene sentido todo tan perfecto. 7/10

It was good for what it was. It’s hard to listen to and fully enjoy and album solely composed of over and hour of bongo music. In smaller pieces I would have enjoyed it more and the music was impressive but as a full album it suffered.

this is the anti-plunderphonics record. the OTP (one true pair) of music when paired with the amen break. the metaphorical heart of hip hop. so it is so natural that i weirdly thought i have heard the really much sampled part before because its too widely sampled. and everybody shall feel the pain of not being to remember which fucking song sampled it while still considering it as familiar. the pain. 3/5

I mean this is the best Bongo Band I've heard! 3.5/5

I guess there were bongos

Not a bad album, "Pipeline" and "Bongo Rock" were the best

Fun but way too long

The bongos sounded good. Seemed like lots of covers

Did no one get the memo on adding more cow bell? C'mon people. Read your messages!

Not sure how I feel about an album of covers being included here, but you know what, it is an undeniably fun listen.

"Bongo Rock" by Incredible Bongo Band is mostly instrumental album. I would like to praise the instrumental performance from the band.I like the way they blend rock, funk,jazz into simple and enjoyable track. The album is good but I feel there is something missing. Mostly I couldn't connect with some track after few minutes as it is mostly repetitive. "Apache" is the only standout track from the album. This album also helped build a landmark for hip-hop where many artists take sample from it. Overall not so great but not so bad album for me.

It was definitely not my favorite, but it could certainly be worse. Bongos anyone? Just like cowbell, this album needs more bongos lol

Nice trivia, nothing I'd come back to.

Fun but not essential.

Needed more bongo

Now go listen to Shawn Lee's Incredible Tabla Band

No me gustó cómo terminaban algunas canciones, y por momentos se me hizo largo. Sin embargo, cuando conecté me gustó mucho. Ojalá lo usen en alguna peli de espías o similar.

Not bad but got redundant over time.

It certainly had Bongos.. and Rock!

Yup, that's bongo music all right. Not really meant for deep listening I guess but surprisingly pleasant, especially on a hot summer day. The In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida cover provided a throwback chuckle.

It's cool to see where a lot of samples have originated from, so it's an interesting listen for this album. It's a decent enough instrumental album, nothing too crazy but enjoyable. I would put this on ad background music, but I did find it started to drag towards the end. Pretty good, didn't blow me away. Fav Track: Apache

I liked this. You can see where a lot of artists got samples from.

Odd choice for this list. I did enjoy listening to it, once, just for the curiosity, but while Apache deserves all the credit for its enabling role in the creation of hip hop, this album mainly holds interest only to DJs and academics. It's fun to think about all of the great tunes that used these beats, and to imagine what it must have been like at the original hip hop parties in 1970s Bronx where Kool Herc and others used records like this to invent the concept of a break beat, but the record itself is not very interesting.

fun cocktail music for a tiki party? I was surprised to recognize "Apache".

I don't know about incredible, kind of taxing. 3.2/5

Bongo Rock (1973) is an uplifting album that's perfect for an afternoon or early evening listen. It also works really well as background music while having dinner with friends. The album has an exotic, African-inspired vibe that gives it a warm and energetic atmosphere. My favorite track was "Kiburi Pt. 1." I especially enjoyed the first three songs, which set my expectations quite high. While the rest of the album is still enjoyable, many of the tracks follow a similar rhythmic pattern, so they don't stand out as much individually. Overall, it's a solid and enjoyable listen, even if it becomes a bit repetitive at times.

This record is probably on here because of its significant influence on hip hop. The song "Apache" alone has been a consistent source for sampling up until the present. This is really a novelty record, providing a series of instrumental covers of a variety of popular songs. What saves it is that they are instrumental covers with excellent arrangements and memorable percussion. At its best, those covers are really memorable large ensemble funk/soul instruments. This is most represented by Apache and Bongo Rock. At worst, those covers are fairly entertaining novelties. The song "Last Bongo in Belgium" really drags at nearly 7 minutes long and "Dueling Bongos" is kind of dull despite being fairly short. However, they are exceptions. My take is that this works better at the individual song level and these songs really work well in a mix setting and that those individual songs are more important than the album as an album.

Random but kinda cool

Honestly pretty good, those folks can bongo

Interesting instrumental album of mostly cover songs. There are a few standout songs that allegedly inspired hip-hop music. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Apache Let There Be Drums Bongolia Last Bongo iIn Belgium In a Godda Da Vida Raunchy '73

This was much better than I feared when I saw the title 'Bongo Rock'. I don't think I'll return to the album in the future, but it was pretty alright, and the history around it is pretty cool. Standouts Apache Bongolia 3/5

Bien, pero not 4 me

5/10

I must say, Not very interesting

I'm not a musical genius or anything, but I think there are bongos in this album?!

I was not aware of this band before, but they were pretty interesting. Probably not something I'd listen to a lot, but I'm glad it exists.

Pleasant enough. I won't return to it, but it was a nice change of pace.

Better than I was expecting. Felt like I was assembling a heist crew.

Interesting listen recognised a lot of it

Incredible

Loved that I was able to hear where a lot of songs got samples from but my god this went on a bit too much

I feel nothing from that

Needs more bongos

kinda like one of the foundational albums eh.. one of the breakbeat originators... and yet the album itself is just fine

Music for sampling and heist movies.

I am imagining this was a compassion project where one guy wouldn't shut up about bongos so much that his exasperated friends finally gave in and agreed to record an album and let him play the bongos until his hands fell off. There are some sort of neat, funky, 70's jams here. The neat parts last about 30 seconds in each song until there is a percussion break. The thing about bongos is that they aren't all that dynamic or interesting in a band setting. I respect the bit and it's an interesting gimmick.

I was bought a set of bongos for my birthday a few years ago and there’s usually limited opportunities to play along to records. But imagine my joy? A whole album! Not sure my wife feels the same way though.

The first few songs were probably my favorite but pretty enjoyable throughout. So interesting to hear the original after it’s been sampled so much. Also a lot of fun to slap your belly to like you’re one of the bongos. Rating: 3.3

5/10

Opened up for today’s selection. See this. My face goes…🤔. Track 1 ends. I think I like this. By the end of “Let There Be Drums” I’m adding to my streaming library. It’s interesting for sure. Quite funky.

Бонгзилла

This was a dated album that I nevertheless found fun to listen to.

Great funk album with some super catchy beats and instrumentals.

Fav- when the bed breaks down I’ll meet you in the spring

Was pretty good, instrumental, not just bongos. Good background music perhaps.

Based off the name, and the high number of covers, I assumed this would be a joke album or a bit of a gimmick. Surf rock riffs with bongos and blaxsploitation style funk with bongos. And those hiphop sample moments. It’s fine, and at times, pretty good actually.

Needs more bongo

There are some great tracks - but over the course of a full album. Too much bongo

Better than expected. Unashamedly kitsch.

It kicks off with some tight, very precise numbers which are very exciting - legendary even. But then after that it's a lot looser, sprawling, less organised, sounding more like experiments pointing towards something greater. It is interesting to hear a series of covers performed in a radically different way. They’d make a great TV chat show band or a backing band for an artist writing originals. It’s harmless, cheesy fun.

Way better than i expected, i was ready to hate it but it was consistently enjoyable! Low to solid 3!

It's a lot of fun, but no one needs this much bongo.

Unfortunately hard to categorize as something without a gimmick. I enjoyed this but I’m not sure when I’ll come back to it.

This is a questionable but interesting inclusion in the project. I say questionable because it doesn't seem to have been that significant when it came out, or praised by eg critics, seems to have been included only because it was later used by emerging hip-hop? I say interesting because I did like the sound of a lot of it, on first time through - I guess there's been a thorough remaster in the version I'm listening to - a lot of the original lines are very good, were session musos just that funky in 1973? A lot of the arranging is sweet (particularly Apache), much is rather tedious, pulling my impression of the album down. When I go back to decide which songs I'll Like for future reference, most of them aren't that solid ... Overall I'll say it's Okay, 6/10.

A solid chunk of instrumentals made after a couple of the songs (Bongo Rock and Bongalia) were made for a cheesy b-film (The Thing with Two Heads). They were well liked enough that an album followed, with six original songs along with covers of Apache and In A Gadda Da Vida. This album is fine. Like, the music is pleasant, and I had a good time listening to it. But it's on this list because the number of samples that have come from this one album is insane, and most of the fun really comes from spotting those. Still worth it just as music, but really, you're here for the samples.

An incredible ride through the hits

More entertaining than other bands we’ve encountered purporting themselves as being “incredible” at their instrument. Looking at you, “Incredible String Band!!”

I mean, there's a lot of bongo. But this is also more than just bongos. Some pretty good fun to be enjoyed here.

In the right context, this is great.. on its own it's a bit dry

Listening session: may 7th, while going for a walk Listened to before: heard one song before Thoughts: there were indeed a lot of bongos, and while I appreciated the groovy percussion, I think this album could’ve been a lot shorter Favourite tracks: Apache, In A Gadda Da Vida & Bongolia

Well this was something different, initially it felt lots of fun and it kicked off with a classic; a version of Apache. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm waned a little as the album progressed.

Älskar band- och albumnamnkombinationen! Själva musiken blev tröttsam i längden, men ibland svängde det verkligen.

It is what it says on the tin. It's got rock. It's got bongos. I think I've heard and enjoyed better rock and better bongos, though. I give this album 3 bongos out of 5.

So many songs sampled this it’s crazy.

This album is almost exactly what it proclaims to be. This is, approximately, rock music, and bongos live at the heart of it. It is also pretty good. Cool bongos, cool songs, and more abound. This was also a fun reunion with Apache, a song that I played a lot in high school pep band. But yeah, I don't have a lot to say to this. It is groovy, fun, and rockin, and there are bongos. The bongos, admittedly, feel a little like a gimmick, the word bongo is in literally every song name. But this is also only 33-ish minutes long, so it doesn't overstay it's welcome. Edit: Not changing my rating, but of additional note, is that this album is of deep cultural significance to Hip-Hop. This has been estimated to be, perhaps, the most sampled album ever, and even just on a first listen, I noticed the break at the end of Last Bongo In Belgium is used extensively on Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun by The Beastie Boys. See if you can find any more. Regardless, it's kind of a neat second life for this odd little album.

Bongos everywhere! I loved it. Maybe a little bit long but I never knew that this was a thing and I feel enriched that this knowledge has been passed on to me. Brill and will definitely listen again.

It's like a soundtrack to a 60's spy movie that never existed. Bongos (natch), reverb drenged guitar, soul-lite horns, funky bass and more bongos. Bongos. Best Tracks: Let There Be Drums; Apache; Bongolia

Honestly the bongos pleasantly surprised me

Sampling catnip, with hallmarks of everything that should irk me. A vanity project by a self indulgent exec that was forced into the mainstream by putting themselves on film scores etc. However, it's pretty decent, but as an album too listen to end to end, dare I say it...too much bongos.

Muy entretenido

This album is a lot more fun than I anticipated it would be. Apache is an earworm

Mama was queen of the mambo Papa was king of the Congo Deep down in the jungle I start bangin my first bongo

I was honestly hesitant at first, but I ended up enjoying it far more than I expected. It’s certainly not the most memorable record I’ve ever heard, nor a contender for one of my favorites, but the bongos are just so fun.

One of the most 70's albums I've ever heard, enjoyable in chunks but as a whole the bongos become overwhelming

güzel la

они милые, но когда начинается бонго-соло я перестаю наслаждаться. хочется больше труб! дайте мне удивительную духовую банду

It's bongo alright

Surprisingly not bad.

No. 156 Well this is a lot of fun. No grand artistic statement here just a bunch of talented musicians.

A fun covers album to party to! Feels like a good time in a bottle. Not much poetry in it, but it’s nice.

It's fine. Get's repetitive. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again

la verdad que musicalmente es muy bueno pero no lo escucharía yo un dia común ni tampoco creo que iría a un show pero la musicalidad que tiene es increíble

grew on me as listened.

I really liked hearing apache. 800 samples is iconic - fun beats but i got bored

Pretty good instrumental album. Nice arrangements, nice to listen to in the background. Pleasant surprise, but not what I would drive around to.

best cool album

Different. Decent. In a gadda was a jam.

Nothing spectacular, but really fun to listen to from time to time

A fun album, but I got over it pretty quickly.

A kind of funky/surfy library music filled with bongos. I can't see why it's in this list, but I always have fun with this album for sure!

What the hell, sure! Definitely enjoyable, but I don't think I would relisten tbh

A bunch of dudes got together in the early seventies to write the songs to be sampled in eighties rap songs and played at sports arenas.

This album exceeded my expectations of what a bongo band can be- incredible bongo band is a great name. Got me through physics which is quite the feat. I just dont really see myself listening to them much in the future though- theres lots of other stuff id much rather listen to.

Pretty fun

Bongo bongo, Intsremental Musik die doch eine gute Basis hat

Standouts Apache

Own this album. Great stuff

Like it

How much bongo is too much bongo? About 70 minutes it turns out, but then I accidenatlly listened to an extended version of this album, which should have only been 33 minutes. Either way, i enjoyed this, it's been sampled to death by just about everyone, so it was nice to pick out the odd little drum beats and work out where they were from. Nas mainly, but also Suguarhill Gang, Massive Attack, Goldie, Leftfield and so many more. I think this is a niche that the world is crying out for more of, bring back bongo!

Funk.

Priem

I like it

3/5. The groups name and album title do not lie, this is an album with a lot of bongos. Though it is not only percussive, there’s a healthy serving of funk as well and a lot of instrumental covers. to me though the most interesting thing about this album is what a treasure trove of samples it is. There were several times where my ears perked up and I thought “oh, I recognize that.” And when it’s at its best there’s some really good grooves on here. However it is just about an hour long and the album starts to run out of steam a bit in the back half as the gimmick starts to wear thin. Still, glad I got to hear this, don’t know if I ever would have otherwise.

3.5

3.5

No private session used for Spotify. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this album, it's groovy, like Paul's Boutique sample/Grandmaster Flash groovy.

The what now? This was great. Would I play it again? Maybe on a long car journey.

3.5

There's absolutely nothing wrong with this album; I'm just not sure why it exists. This is a bunch of talented studio musicians recording an esoteric selection of covers (and a few simple originals), all focused on disco-style beats with extended percussion breaks and, as the name suggests, an awful lot of (quite good) bongo playing. "Apache" is certainly recognizable since it's been sampled a thousand times, but the whole album kinda sounds like it was written and recorded for the sole purpose of being used in some distant future Tarantino soundtrack.

Well it said I was going to get "Bongo Rock" and I believe that is exactly what was on offer here. Lots of bongos! There were a couple of places where I thought I had experienced enough bongos, but I was proven incorrect. The album itself is great, but the filler on Spotify was less so. Three stars, more for the smile it put on my face than any actual musical quality.

te escucho 2/3 canciones pero el album entero me parece codicia de más

Saw someone say this sounds like old spy movies and that's spot on. Instrumental, heavy on the bongos obviously, but the rest of the music is quite catchy. Apache is next and this is where the breakbeat is apparently sampled from in tons of old school hip hop songs. There's some variety in the music going forward but the drums are a constant. The tribal rhythms are so satisfying to listen to, and it's full of horns, organ and other bits of orchestration. Last Bongo In Belgium is more yacht rock than anything, which I do like, and Dueling Bongos removes the orchestra to focus on, well... dueling bongos. Then, if you wanted to know what a bongo heavy cover of In A Gadda Da Vida would sound like, you'll get your wish. The last couple of tracks are quite joyful and good. Look, as a historical artifact this is super interesting and seems to merit its inclusion on the list. For me, the music is worth listening to in its own right, as long as you don't mind some very kitschy 70s sounds. And bongos. Lots of bongos. ***

Fun...if you like bongos.

Would not buy

I'll give it to them, they are an incredible bongo band

On every album on this list so far I have waited until I listened through the entire album before I started writing my thoughts. Not this time though. Before I even started I wanted to write down how happy I was when I read the band and album name. Its not something I have ever heard before and not something I would have imagined I would listen to today but instantly I an very hyped up. Unusual and unexpected albums is exactly what I want to find! After having listened through the album it was everything I expected. In a good way. The rhythms and feel of the album are great. It felt like an OST for a 70s or 80s movie and Wikipedia told me that was correct, although the year was way of. I had a really good time listening through this and even though its not music I would listen to every day its something I can really appreciate once in a while.

Угарная в целом хуйня, но почему она тут.. Я уже ничему не удивляюсь за эти годы

Pretty ok.

I enjoy Apache as much as the next peson, but a whole album of this is too much. It's a novelty band.

3.5/5

Apache is iconic. I was really feeling it, then "Dueling Bongos" kinda killed the vibe and I couldn't get the feeling back

3/1 Pretty good album. Makes me thing of DKC and the Ape Out soundtracks

It’s okay, but I’m not particularly interested in bongo solos I think. The other music and instruments were nothing special, but not bad.

Я пока не совсем понимаю, как оценивать полностью инструментальный альбом, но он прикольно звучит. Поставил себе фоном, играя в Айзеке, клёво чо)

gran album, muy innovador, nunca habia escuchado un sonido asi, la verdad esta bueno pero al ser pura instrumental me aburre un toq, si tuviera una voz normalita seria alto album

#urlaubsrezension Wenn ich das zu Hause gehört hätte gäbe es jetzt böse Kommentare zur Bongo im allgemeinen und dem hier im speziellen. Im Urlaub aber echt lustige Arrangements, Instrumentals auch Mal cool und zum Frühstück machen in der Sonne fein

3 Stars (8/15)

I wasn’t really in the mood for this but it was fine

The album itself is almost as imaginative as the title.

Bongos! Interesting album. Instrumental only

Bongo Rock was definitely an interesting album. I was thinking that this would be some kind of world album taking inspiration from South America or Africa but this one seemed to lean more towards funk rock and had a few covers on it. I enjoyed this album for the vibes it brought with all the guitars and of course, the bongos were always interesting too. However i could feel like this album could get rather repetitive especially considering it had parts which focused entirely on the bongos that went on for longer than i would have liked. It does make sense why those are there but those still weren't my favorite, However, it still is interesting enough to be a fairly enjoyable one. Best Song: Apache Worst Song: Dueling Bongos

Funky and energetic

I thought it would have more bongos anyway this is a fun one, nothing amazing, a little more interesting in its historical context than the actual album

Mucho mejor de lo que pensaba. Una falsa banda haciendo buena música y sentando las bases para samplear durante años. Las tres primeras canciones son para guardarlas y disfrutar: Apache, Let there be drums y Bongolia.

Aha! A one-hour and eighteen-minute sample of choices to the opening sequence of every 70's cop/detective show that aired at 10:00 PM. Listening, I could immediately visualize the detective, slightly overweight, in a cheap suit, chasing the bad guy down an alley in the city's red-light district. As the bongos really kicked in, the detective tackles the bad guy. Then the fisticuffs ensue, with a beat down going to the bad guy, as the tough guy detective bags another one. 3 stars; just because the above thoughts amused me.

background music, again...

and to think manu chao had the audacity to call himself king of the bongo bong

Lol, this is pretty dang cheesy. Not bad, but I'm pretty bongoed-out.

Apache is great, of course, and the overall sound is good fun. Some cool grooves, many of which you recognize from hip hop and break beat classics.

6/10

A lot of it's catchy. Recognise from Baby Driver. It's good. But I'm probably not gonna randomly choose to stick it on or pick out a track to listen to. Maybe it's too niche. Maybe I need to listen again some other time.

Some really good song but some really meh ones.

It was fun until it wasn't. That's a LOT of bongos. 10 6-minute songs is one thing, but 18??

Unfair ranking this on its own

A goldmine of samples that turns into one long drum solo pretty quickly. When it tries to do more than just bongo stuff, it feels like blues/classic rock ideas that have been done better elsewhere — just with bongos.

Better than you’d expect ✨

I'm glad I listened to this; it felt like I was listening to a piece of musical history; however I don't think it's something I will go back to again very often. I wouldn't change it if it came on but I wouldn't willingly put it on again, very often anyway. It's the best bongo album I've ever heard.

What crazy album! This was a good one but nothing I would have expected and also cool to find out where some samples came from!

I felt like I needed a smoking jacket and a proper drink. Could rock to this for many of on occasion. Loved the IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA rendition.

Fun with some recognizable songs

Okay...

I mean, who doesn't love their version of Apache. Who doesn't laugh and smile to a bongo-fied version of In A Gadda Da Vida? This is to a large degree a novelty album, but I assume it is included here because of its outsized presence in hip hop music - and if that's it, that's a good reason! It's a fun album - it gets old fast, but at worst it's harmless and the songs are fun and generally make you want to dance.

+

It was cool at first but got old after a while.

Pleasant. Not really innovative for the early 70s. Less so as most of the songs are covers. Still, a good listen. 3.5/5

How much bongo is too much bongo? This much bongo. It’s fun, for a while. Then you reflect on it and realise that underpinning the bongos is a cheesefest of the highest order. I can’t lie though, I kinda like it!

I was told there would be bongos. I was not disappointed.

This is either for you or not. For me it is not.

This is a rather long, instrumental album. Their skill at playing the bongos cannot be doubted. I recognised the opening track but I was indifferent overall.

That's nice, I guess, but do you have something worth more bongos?

Instrumental, not really my style

Really hitting me as a novelty album, not sure why it's on the list. That said it's more enjoyable than some of the other things on the list. Wavering between two stars for wtf and three stars because I don't really dislike it. Sounds like it was a helluva lot of fun to make this album anyway.

Now I know bongs can, in fact, rock. Neat concept, like SKAndalous Allstars. There were a lot of bongos.

The Bongos were a nice gimmick but idk listening to over an hour of bingo music made me kind of tired of Bongos tbh

All instrumental, covers of rock songs, fun

Really interesting, maybe too long for me but the different sound are really fascinating.

Told that this album was influential in break dancing music so that was cool to listen to through that lens. Not exactly my type of music though still.

I was fine for the first five tracks but it went on way too long

Entertaining enough listen for a Christmas day and I confess I enjoyed it but not creatively hard hitting.

Those bongos sure are bongoling. Bro i fucking love trumpets. This album slaps. Some songs did not hit but it was much more enjoyable than I thought it would be! For me it was a good background album. Some cover songs were fun to hear the bongo version, but some just didn’t hit at all, first half was a bit slow but picked up a lot toward the end.

Who could have known that all that was missing from my Saturday was an album of bongo music?!? Covers of Apache, In a Gadda De Vida, Satisfaction, Wipeout….the list goes on! The guitar, the horns, and synthesizers did a lot to help the songs along, but man was this a cool listen. Not sure this was a must listen to before I die album, but it was fun to take in on the ride.

A pretty enjoyable romp

Maybe the Incredibly Bongo Band has more bongos than one would really need. All of these tracks are individually fine. The performance is fine. There's just so, so much of it. Every track will follow the same pattern of setup, extended bongos + drums break, and then conclusion. It's fine - it works. But when it's this formulaic, going this much over an hour just isn't all that welcome.

++: Apache, Bongolia, Last Bongo in Belgium, Raunchy '73 +: Let There Be Drums, Dueling Bongos, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Bongo Rock '73 7,7/10

Fun idea, but got bongoed out five songs in

Very interesting. I liked hearing the original source of samples for some hip-hop classics, but this is not something I would listen to again.

Fun....sure... essential... nope!

Quite enjoyable listen. Mentally I was crashed out in someone’s conversation pit in 1970s Palm Springs.

certainly brings the bongos. good dance music i bet. i can see why this became a gold mine for hip hop. doesn't do a terribly large amount for me but is interesting enough to make me glad i checked it out. deserves to be one of the 1001? i think if this list took a strong bias towards hip hop this could work, given all that samples it, but otherwise no

So today I learned there is a limit to how long I can listen to bongos

I originally thought this was more of a beat record that was most well known for Rappers Delight, but there's some other rock tracks that have some notoriety. I liked the combination of drum sets and bingo battles.

babababongoooooooos 3/5

They sure weren’t foolin about bongos

That’s some mean jazz guitar from the Incredible Bongo Band. Enjoyed the listen, recognized some classics. Sharp Nine is top cut, but they’re all good. (2.55*s) Liked this drum session a lot better than the one from RonieSize!

I find it strange that multiple acts on this list named themselves Incredible ___ Band. I didn't expect much out of this as acts that tend to self-label themselves as incredible rarely live up to the namesake. All pretentiousness aside I was pretty pleased with what I got from Bongo Rock, though a little perplexed as it seemed pretty short on bongos in general (unless I missed something?). It's a fun detour down an instrumental alley with a couple funky jams and some nods to otherwise famous tunes (Apache, Gadda-Da-Vida). While I don't think I needed to hear this before I died I'm not mad that I did. Nice little slice of an alternate approach to the genre for 30+ minutes. I'd strip the Incredible moniker, but overall not a bad entry from the Bongo Band. This lands pretty much straight down the middle as there is plenty worse but plenty better on the list. 2.50 stars

Pretty fun album, although I think I was ready for it to be over when it was over. Not much to say except I liked it. 3.25/5

Bongers

Album slaps more than I thought it would. Hearing Apache brought me back to middle school dancefloors.

Friendsgiving vibes 🙏

It can't sustain itself over the entire runtime, but it's fun in small doses and as background music.

As the title and the name of the album suggest, this record features a lot of bongos. However, it is also full of relatively catchy instrumentals and guitar riffs in particular. While not spectacular, the concept is interesting.

More brass than I was expecting, what with the whole bongo gimmick

It’s exactly what it sells itself as. A whole lot of bongos. Not what I would ever choose to throw on for casual listening, but it’s well done 🤷‍♀️

I actually enjoyed this on a rainy day - made it a little brighter. Standouts were Kiburi, Part 1 and Sing Sing Sing

Not bad but so similar it was nothing amazing to me

This was really fun, but I do think that it feels like more of a showcase of cool ideas than actually exploring them. I just wish it were a bit longer, which I think would actually give this album a chance to really explore each idea it shows off in a lot more detail.

It's pretty interesting how an album can gain such importance after the fact, and not due to its own merits, but rather because it became an invaluable tool in early hip hop. On its own merits it's fine, but as a cornerstone of rap it's a super interesting heritage item.

483/1001

Je ne connaissais qu'un titre de ce groupe. Je n' ecouterais pas ça toute la journée mais ce n' est pas désagréable

Clearly influential but NMS as a standalone listen

I did not expect bongo renditions of The Rolling Stones or Iron Butterfly. That being said the album felt like it went on for too long.

A bongo cover album from the 70s was NECESSARY before I die?

bongoy

At least two out of the three words in this group's title are accurate. A good palate cleanser - not sure whether it's more than that.

Good but not all for me. Amazing performances!

It's like I am back in my childhood, watching Sport documentaries from the 70s-80s.

I suppose it is what it says on the tin. Bongo covers. I quite enjoyed it, it’s anything but dull thats for sure. It’s not really for me but can see the appeal.

Fun

7,5/10

Fun, though I wouldn't call it incredible.

pretty solid instrumental album

6/10 - good bongos, some epic riffs, but a bit too long

7.0

AStro!

This is a fun album!!

Not much to say as it's all funk-rock instrumentals with plenty of bongos. It's cool just not something I am likely to revisit. Top Tracks = Apache & Last Bongo in Belgium

Its a good gimmick, but a gimmick nonetheless!

This is a wild thing to exist and it's really quite good! Would never listen to this but it would be a great film soundtrack.

This was a really fun listen. I saw it pop up and my heart sank, but this was really a solid good time.

Ironic considering we just purchased bongos for Bubba. Really great album, actually. I love good background music and although this is a LOT more upbeat than the lofi rhythms I'm used to, it's not bad. Probably weird to rank a bongos band over 3 stars tho?

molto divertente però mi è parso infinito

3.5 I enjoyed it.

This turned out to be a fun album with notable covers.

Var basicly med til at skabe hip-hoppen, breakbeat og DJ-kulturen (og drum and bass senere) Afrika bam. En af de mest sampled albums nogensinde og det startede som et kitsch studieprojekt som senere blev populært, da det var her man startede med at vende plader i New york (afrika bambasta, grandmaster flash osv)

Bongotastic

Amazing. It has all the hits you know and love, but performed with bongos.

It's pretty cool hearing bongos incorporated as a core component of a bands sound. I can only ever think of it being used in a "woah, so trippy dude" way during psychedelic breaks or freakouts by psych and prog bands I definitely feel like I'm familiar with Apache, feels like the kind of thing youd hear on 90s and 2000s British tv Some of these songs feel like vocals have been lifted out of them. Last Bongo in Belgium feels like it should have vocals harmonising with the horns and keys, so it feels weirdly incomplete. Vocals on even just a couple songs would have done the album some good, I think A fun listen Highlights: Apache

If you want Bongo Rock, this is where you should go. Had a little run in with this on my quest for more soul music 10 years ago, Last Bongo in Belgium is great. A full album of this is not tolerable. But again, for what it is, not bad.

I don't think the Bongos are really bringing a lot to the table here. It's not bad bongo-ing. It might even be great bongo-ing. Nevertheless, it is still bongoing.

Band and album name ain’t lyin’. That’s a lot of BONGOS. I think this album would have been a little cooler if they didn’t make it so much about the bongos. There are some good tunes on here. Biggest knock I have is that they’re all covers, so it’s hard to tell what this album is adding other than da bongos.

2/3

This was definitely a fun listen and I do like bongos so can't complain. I think it's funny that most of this album is just instrumental bongo covers of other songs. I don't know if I needed to listen to this before I die lol. But I did enjoy it. 7/10.

It's fun and funky. 3/5 #196

Quite fun as a game of 'spot the sample'. 1 hour 18 minutes of bongos though, that's objectively a lot of bongo 😬

Nice

Not bad It got me going YES

Funky and interesting. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to but at the end of the day 1hr 20mins of bongos with no lyrics is a bit much for me

Interesting novelty, amazed that Tarantino hasn’t been all over it for his films.

Much better than expected. Just instrumental covers of songs that added bongos. Sounds silly but nothing was bad about it.

Fun little novelty album

Litt rart, men litt nice og

Nice background, but not my cup of tea

I like these bongos more than I thought I would. Apache is the obvious standout track and the rest isn't very interesting. The album art is 10/10.

It's a weird record, at first I thought it'd be just a gimmick with not much of interest, but it's very listenable. It works well as background music, and some of the covers are interesting ("In A Gadda Da Vida"), as they're pretty funky and fun versions of the songs. I won't talk about it's value as samples because it wasn't really the point of the album. But it's an interesting listen and it's better than I expected it to be.

Hippies going bongo, good montage music!

Lmao a Bongo album? Sure why not Best Song: Apache Rating: 5/10 Stars: 3/5

quite boring after three songs

If you like bongos then this is the album for you. 1 hour 17 minutes of unadulterated bongoism. I have never really listened to much bongo music before. Apache was good. After that, it was fine, but I was very conscious of the amount of bongos and nothing else.

Bongofied covers of your favorite 70s hits. Way better than you'd expect honestly!

i skipped this at first and put off listening to it for so long but today i thought, ok it's bongo time. this album contains many bongos and is v groovy and fun and now i'm all bongo'd out, thank you x

Obviously important to future music with the most sampled beats of all time. As an album though, it was ok. I like drums and can appreciate it, but it felt a bit one note. Also, half of the album on Spotify is the second album , the original track list stops after bongo rock. The drop off to kiburi felt noticable. Do yourself a favour and stop after bongo rock.

The original track listing was surprisingly enjoyable (and fun to realised how many of these tracks have been sampled), but by the end of track 8 my bongo tolerance (BT) had significantly decreased. My BT is much higher than my HT (harmonica tolerance) Hopefully neither my BT or HT will get tested again any time soon.

It's too much bongo for one sitting

Kind of like breakbeat 90's 00's stuff with bongos idk poo poo pee pee

This was definitely not on my radar in any way, shape, or form. That being said, it is an interesting and fun album. Hearing their cover of Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Davita should not be missed.

Fluide, funky et amusant, mais tourne à vide assez vide

azt hittem ez kurvameno lesz. közepes volt. aztán jött a 11. szám. satisfaction feldolgozás. ugy berageltem rajta hogy ki is kapcsoltam. csak azért nem adok rá 2-t mert érezhetően nagy zenei tudás van mögötte. de azért felbaszott

Classic stuff. Not something to listen to all the time, but definitely enjoyable.

Overall: 5/10 There's lots of bongos on this album. The songs are fine. Don't know what else to say, you get what you expect. Fav Song: Apache

Meh it was alright 3 stars

Partymusik Apache Kracher bzw Filmmusik für action drives

An incredible source of samples. But is it more than that?

Now this is what we call bongo. I'm the king of bongo, I'm the king of bongo bong. No manu chao to be seen here. Apache is an absolute banger. But the whole thing seems a bit too long.

Ironically I found this kind of light on bongos.

6/10 Favorite: Apache

Funky covers. Not sure I would revisit much as an album.

I liked this enough. Their version of Apache is fun and their version of In a Gadda da Vida is amazing. Overall not something I really need to put in my rotation.

Interesting, you can definitely tell like a million rap samples were made from this album so I get its inclusion, still 3/5

Fun and groovy! Listened at aleishas house while in my cast

So many bongo drums...this album of covers was great until it wasn't, somewhere around satisfaction. Neat little time capsule of 70s vibe, but a bit much to listen to all at once...

Instrumental versions of semi popular songs but with bongos. 5/10

My impression based on the name alone was not great, but this turned out to be better than I thought. It’s still not top-tier level stuff that needs to be included in the list, though. I could see this being the intermission music for a movie theater in the 70s.

Liked it. Had a 70s sound that I like. Great drums.

Yea, the bongos are there and this is pretty fun overall but it was too much for a full serving. 3 stars

these guys are so famous bc they opened the door to sampling in hip hop. Apache is massive - it's half an episode in the series the history of hip hop - it's been sampled countless times spanning genres. Big fun, great groove don't need a whole album of them b ut I get why they're on the list

Kitsch as high art. The funkiest damn soundtrack for a film that - as of this writing - has yet to be shot. And just fun fun fun. They had know idea what they hath wrought on the unknowing future.

What an Incredible Bongo Band.

Cohesive, not a track that sticked out as bad

On first blush, I absolutely thought I knew nothing of this artist. But... that first song, Apache, I know from the Fresh Prince. Also, it's great that they covered In A Gadda da Vida. I think this is really well recorded and unexpectedly fun. I'm not likely to return to this very often but I'm glad to have added it to my knowledge base!

Talented and interesting covers in Bongo style