Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
1995
Album Summary
Femi Kuti is the third album by Nigerian musician Femi Kuti released in 1995. It was released on Motown's Tabu Records label. The album introduced Femi Kuti and afrobeat to an international audience.
WikipediaIt's not an album you could put on any time, any day. But at the right time this is awesome. For me that was making breakfast on a Sunday morning and this had me bouncing around the kitchen.
hard, if not impossible, to compare his work to his father's. his shadow looms large but this is still worth a listen! fav track: changes
Refreshing album that I’ve always wondered about. It would be beautiful to see him at a festival. Not sure I’d ever choose this album again but I appreciated nonetheless
Think if Earth, Wind and Fire were from Nigeria. A great jazz-funk album all around. Lots of fun, infectious grooves, and top talent to boot. Who knew listening to a sax-led band could be so much fun?
Not generally a world music fan, but the debut album by Femi Kuti is an absolute monster. A tour de force os musicianship, with Femi’s voice and sax playing leading the way. The call and response at the end of “Frustrations” between Femi’s sax and the percussion is a highlight. Loved it all the way through!
At first it just made me want to listen to Fela. But after a bit I really got into it.
I liked the Fela Kuti album better by his dad I think. This one was ok but got a bit repetitive
Gran álbum, aunque no sé si es legit musica 'africana' (etiqueta abarcadora) o como entendemos a veces desde otros polos la música africana. De cualqueir forma, canciones largas, pero nunca aburridas. Bien hechas, amé todo. Mis favoritas: "Nawa" y "Stubbor Problems". 10/10
Very fun album! "Afrobeat" I believe is the correct term. Cool African jazz. Loved it!
No expectations and found it very enjoyable. Always enjoyed having a horn section. Ended up listening to a lot of his other stuff. I’m glad I’m listening to these
Das hat mir ziemlich gut gefallen, ich war auch überrascht wie konsistent das über die lauflänge ist. Aber das hat einfach richtig schön sommerliche vibes und macht brutal gute Laune obwohl die Texte teilweise nen ganz anderen Ton anschlagen. Gerade in einer so volatilen Situation wie Nigeria in den 90ern ist das Album aber total symptomatisch, also bzgl der zeitlichen Distanz zum Bürgerkrieg, anhaltenden ethnischen Konflikten, aber auch Aufbruchsstimmung und Hoffnung für die Zukunft. Genau das findet sich hier alles wieder, also es wird nicht explizit ausgesprochen aber gerade in dem tollen „Frustrations“ kommt dieser Spirit total zur Geltung. Super Album!
This album is a real fun listen. I love the jazz and big band elements mixed with the Afrobeat
Wow! What a fun album to listen to! Each track was awesome and so different! I’ve never listened to anything like it.
So awesome. A lot like his father's music, but more structured and more modern production.
Pretty decent. Could hear this being played on a loop at like an outdoor pizza / pop-up bars food quadrant during the Edinburgh festival or something.
New to me. One thing you are not seeing a lot of in the music published for the American market is calls for Aftican unity. I liked this album.
I do like a bit of Afrobeat. I'm more familiar with Femi's father, Fela, but this was great too. Fave track "Plenty Nonsense"
Given how much I loved the Fela Kuti (Femi's father) album on this list, I had high hopes for this one. I certainly wasn't disappointed by this album, but it had a lot to live up to and couldn't quite get there. Make no mistake, Femi Kuti is a very talented artist and Femi Kuti is a very good album, but it didn't make me feel "definitely five stars, yes sir" like Fela Kuti's Live! did.
Very fun African jazz - great listen and surprised there weren't more listens on Spotify. 7/10.
Schon mächtiges Zeug dabei. War ich bei Wonder Wonder noch skeptisch, wuchs spätestens bei Frustrations das Grinsen wegen der Rhythmik, der Spielfreude und der ganzen gut eingebundenen Wildheit des Orchesters. Und weil sich das zum Ende hin ja auch eher noch gesteigert hat (wobei: am meisten gekriegt haben sie mich direkt mit Nawa) gibt’s gerne 3,9 Punkte. Oder auch 4,1, je nach Laune.
Yé Yé Yé Yé ! Gut gelaunt und mit virtuosen Einzelplayern innerhalb der ganzen Kombo bläst Kronprinz Kuti selbst die „frustrations of a young man“ positiv geladen in die Welt. Das Album hört sich live eingespielt und dabei extrem harmonisch abgemischt (Drums !!!!) an. Nach der Session muss das Gemeinschaftsgefühl irre stark gewesen sein - ich glaube ihnen jede Note. Eine mit Händen greifbare Qualität, die sich in dieser Bewertung mehr niederschlägt als mein persönlicher Gefallen am Style. 3.6
Cracking listen. Hadn't heard of this artist before but really enjoyed this album. One of the best so far
Pues chido, chill y la verdad no sé qué tanto más puedo decir. Me es muy ajeno este género, pero no es para nada desagradable al oido. Mood: no lo sé Rick
African Jazz - Good jam sessions. Was not expecting it to be so good since I have never heard of this album before today.
Energetic, pure, afrobeat, from a classic artist. It's not my favorite genre ever, but it holds a special place in my heart.
Was pleasantly surprised by this one, for world music it sounded a lot more “European” than I had expected. Hints of ska in the music as well. Was very enjoyable
The energy never dies. A frantic, funky record. Only one real slow spot, the rest of it has me moving. Favorite track: "Nawa"
Great funky Afrobeat with a pan-African message. Very enjoyable and danceable. The production is very 90s but works well with the music.
Love these long songs, layers of instrumentation and vocals that sustain the energy throughout. Really excellent music. A bit pit off by the homophobia(?) In the final song. 4.5/5
Uplifting and funky as hell. Every musician in the backing band is at the top of their game
All the african music we've had on this list has been great, should be more of this stuff and less morrissey and wanky britpop
1. Africa XD 2. Drums and sax and percussion 3. Rhythmic 4. Chilled beats with light jazz taste
I've had some Afro-Cuban Jazz on this list so far, this is my first pure African Jazz. I really enjoyed it, this artist is very talented. It had great energy and it definitely makes you want to dance.
Eso es lo chevere de esta página. Sino ¿como conocer a un representante del Afrobeat? Interesante producción!
Fantastic - a lot of energy. I enjoyed this as much, and perhaps even more than Fela Kuti - though they do sound very similar. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree
I really enjoyed this entire album. It was really great musically and fun to listen to
This was pretty cool -- would listen again to have on in the background in the kitchen or outside or something. Approve!
I enjoyed this a lot! I wish I knew more about Nigerian politics so I could understand mate of the anger in there. But he's translated much of that anger into a joyous, danceable afrobeat masterpiece!
It's a good album and I remember it slightly from when it was popular. It paved the way for a whole swath of immensely talented musicians from the African continent to get some recognition in Western charts and sales. This album by itself is a bit slick, very 80's, even with the afrobeats.
It’s hard for me to rate these because I know so little of Nigerian music except Fela Kuti. I loved how the music sounded live, and of course the Afrobeat with full band sounds amazing—energetic, passionate. The lyrics were really moving. Four stars, but I wish I knew more of Nigerian and African music to compare it to.
Like father like son. Femi adds a touch of western songcraft to his fathers Afro agit funk which probably makes this easier for newbies, but the beat and the commitment is still there. Recommended.
Automatically assumed this was Fela Kuti.. Not good... Another classic example of how this project introduces music that you would not normally listen to. Vibrant Afropop. 73 mins is a bit long! You have to being the mood, but it is intoxicating stuff. Multilayered rhythm, brass, guitar and vocal. 3.75
Very energetic record that keeps the blood pumping throughout. I removed a star due to the long lengths of each track, which can make the album feel like it is dragging in some places. However, great instrumentation and performances keep it a stellar effort.
J'ai vraiment aimé l'album. Ca commence en feu et ca sonne très bien. La production est super et les chansons aussi avec de bon musiciens. Cependant, j'ai aussi trouvé que l'Album s'étire un peu. 1h15 sa dépasse le temsp pour un album de se genre et on tombe un peu dans la répétition. J'aurais donné un 4 fort ou 5 mais trop long. 4.15
Brilliant beats, lively and entertaining. That polyphonic beat with the stabbing horns is infectious.
Oh wow, this is pretty new for me. But exciting! The beat is terrific, and it does a decent job of keeping the energy alive during its lengthy run. Should check out more Afrobeat. B
This is dope. Really great sax playing and I like the arrangements. Electric piano all over the place dates it, but not always negatively. Femi's voice is really great, and I like all afrobeat call and response.
I've never listened to Femi Kuti before, but I do like his father and the apple did not fall far from the tree. There were some funky tunes here and it was nice to have on as I worked. Was I as astounded as when I heard Fela's Expensive Shit? No but this was still very good music with some nice political themes.
It is hard to evaluate Femi Kuti without referencing his father, Fela Kuti. Femi's music is more dance oriented, with less jazz elements and shorter songs. To me that takes away some of the awesomeness of afro-beat, but the "mainstreaming" seems inevitable.
This record apparently introduced Femi Kuti and afrobeat to an international audience. It's easy to see why. It's accessible and melodic with a great energy and socially conscious lyrics. A very enjoyable listen. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Wonder Wonder Date listened: 19/08/22
Listened to on 8/30/22 4/5 Favorite song: wonder wonder I love the African influence on this album - it was so upbeat and joyful. I listened to it all afternoon and would highly recommend
Very much his father's son in terms of music. This album sounds so big, the production makes it sound like you are being surrounded by horns, enveloped by the sound. Not really listening to afro eat that often I found it a bit repetitive but by the same token the beat was like a metronome, becoming hypnotic as the album progressed
Nice afrobeat by the son of the creator. Still it does get a little samey after a while since each song is so long you definitely felt a couple songs could be cute and not really lose anything. Nonetheless, the musicianship is fantastic.
I have a lot of time for the Kutis. There's some repetition here and some of the songs are overly long, but it always bangs and there's always an interesting story behind the music. The horn section is on fire on this record. Best track: Plenty Nonsense
Znači, baš se spominjao Fela Kuti u vezi priče albuma od McCartneya i Wingsa, nije mu nešta štimalo što su došli u Nigeriju snimati album? I eto sad dobijem Femija (sina). Dobar je ovo album, al gledam baš po ocijenama, jebiga - overshadowed je od strane svoga oca i to se vidi, a stvarno je album korektan, samo je dug. 3.5 na rym, ovdje 4.
He’s certainly not his father, but it’s still a solid album that is part of the foundation that led to the current worldwide popularity of Afrobeats, especially those coming out of Nigeria. I’d do 3.75 if I could.
Very nice album, well structured, well performed and great songwriting. Only downside is that it gets a bit same-y as it goes on (though it does not drag)
Wow what an energetic album! I'm loving the variety on this list so far. I listened to this twice and really enjoyed it, will definitely check out some of his other stuff too. The lyrics address some important themes too, although I'm not sure I agree with everything he says. I thought I caught a few homophobic lyrics in the last song but maybe I misunderstood.
Loved the constant vibe of this album. The instrumentals are great, lyrics don’t have much variation, but overall very good. Wonder wonder was a bop
I'm not very familiar with the Kutis' body of work, but I believe I enjoyed Fela's tunes more on first listen (though to be fair I do not remember). There seem to be some good lyrical themes here, but the way I listened to the project was not conducive to picking them up fully. A satisfying listen, if a bit long; At this length, I'd rather hear more explicit improvisation.
Seemed ok. Unfortunately got talked over and eventually turned down to an inaudible level
Great African jazz, lots of different styles though with some very hectic moments too.
Really cool album to get introduced to! Looked up Femi and his story is pretty cool too!
some real groovy ensemble, african group with themes of prospertity, non violence, peace, etc
Muy instrumental y entretenido efectivo para tenerlo sonando mientras hacia tarea. Feliz miercolitros o como prefiero decirle ombliguito de semana
Cool African sound. Some interesting longer tracks with long instrumental sections. Grooves are unusual but very cool. Instrumentation and production has a bit of a 90s sound, but the music is compelling enough for it to hold up anyway. It has a bit of jazzy vibe. Lyrics are a little corny.
One of the pleasant surprises of the list. I was not aware of Fela Kuti's son music career; the record is pretty strong. Fierce funk and jazz with long arrangements and appealing choruses and leading voice
Ik vond dit eigenlijk interessanter dan de plaat van z’n vader, Fela Kuti, die we laatst moesten luisteren. Ik twijfelde over een 4, omdat ik al die verschillende instrumenten en de vrolijkheid echt tof vind. Toch een 3 omdat ik van bepaalde nummers onrustig werd.
Some decent jazz and I generally like African-based popular music, but this one really didn't resonate with me.
Good, but not nearly as good as the work of Fela Kuti. Often times feels too polished. A nice piece of work though.
Some good fun tracks, can see myself dipping back into it, but doubt I'd ever listen to the whole album again
I have heard of Femi Kuti before, but I can't say if I've ever listened to any of his music all the way through. "Frustrations" was the track I enjoyed the most, followed by the fun little funk of "Nawa (Intro)". A few tracks kept this album in the 3 star range.
Another example of what the US people understand about "world music", nice álbum but nothing special.
African style jazzy world music. Quite enjoyable but I doubt I will listen to it again. Another great artist for name checking.
Solid vibes, good for some beach or cookout tunes. Not wheelhouse for my tastes but adjacent.
- Fun afrobeat with engaging musicianship - Somewhat repetitive and boring in parts but nice in the background - Some sections are jazzy and engaging but big-band makes it a little messy.
The compositions are too long and improvised. Obviously the musicianship is amazing, but as a live album this would probably have made more sense.
Not something I would listen to regularly, but I liked it. Good afrobeat grooves. 3 stars.
It's infectiously upbeat, optimistic, and energetic with a great sounding mix. The into to Nawa was especially upbeat.
Apple music marks this as "funk" - which...it is not. Categorizing music often isn't easy so how to categorize? I've seen "Afrobeat" which, ok. World+jazz+fusion maybe? For the most part this is simultaneously easy to listen to (passive listening) yet complex enough to actively dig in and appreciate the music and musicians on an individual level. My personal issues with it are that most of the songs just go on too long and soon become repetitive which that alone kind of knocks this down a peg for me - it's not the length alone that gets me, but each of these could probably have been cut down to around 4 minutes. All in all I like the music but it simply got a little tiring. 5/10 3 stars
i actually liked it fkr a little while o thought it was just fun and interesting but after awhile it got reallyyy repetitive.
Enjoyable listen of not a bit repetitive. Drags on a bit but I would revisit if in the mood
The oldest son of Feli Kuti, Femi Kuti is just as talented! There are just some days when this is the perfect thing to listen to - today, for me, was one of those days. So glad to welcome this album into my life. I absolutely loved this album and I can't wait to get to know it better.
3.6 - Femi continues Fela's legacy. In fact, to me the two sound identical: staccato rhythm guitar, strong dance percussion, big brass, political lyrics.
Musically it’s good. I liked having it on in the background while I worked. It didn’t make an impact though. It’s just not for me.
Unexpectedly really fun listen. Great jazz grooves, some of which were reminiscent of some 70s soul/funk but with the African chanting thrown into it. Found some of the songs to be a bit too long with lots of repetition but a fun album nonetheless.
I overall enjoyed it a good amount, but unfortunately it was a bit long for me without a ton of genre variation, if it was a little shorter I'd give it a 4 and live I'm sure 4.5+.
So hard to listen to this without constantly comparing it to his father's music. I really wish he had gone in a completely different direction so that you could listen to his music more objectively. I can understand why he would want to build on what his father had built though, especially as at this point his father had pretty much stopped recording music altogether. He does a good job trying to maintain his father's legacy I suppose, but to me this just sounds like an edited down Fela with a dash more Juju/Highlife thrown in here and there. Being recorded so crisply doesn't help it to my ear either. It has its moments but mostly it just makes me want to go listen to Fela instead.
There's good songs here and Femi is a talented musician but the production hasn't aged well at all. Could definitely use a remaster