Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Your favorite musician’s musician type stuff
what is going on these songs are groovy but too long and not my typa groovy
Great album, thought the bass lines were awesome. Very fun music
This album comes from one of the only three children of Fela Kuti — which is remarkable, considering that Fela at one point had twenty-seven wives simultaneously (for partly political reasons, apparently). It was released in 1995, just two years before Fela’s death from AIDS-related complications — a disease he and his widow insisted did not exist. The album, not Fela’s death, was Femi’s big breakthrough. Still following? For me, this kind of music is difficult to “analyze” in the usual sense. Maybe that’s the point — there isn’t much to dissect. What I hear is a deeply convincing, relentlessly grooving collection of long, jam-like tracks, built on call-and-response vocals and dense rhythms. It’s infectious, no question about it. The main problem is also obvious: it’s a 1995 album, which means it runs for an exhausting 73 minutes across just ten tracks (well, nine — there is a 31-second intro to “Nawa”). That’s simply too long. The extended jams fit the style, of course, but by the time I reached “No Shame,” the seventh or eighth track depending on how you count, I found myself checking my watch. The endless call-and-response stretches could have been trimmed, and the closing percussion solo feels like an afterthought. With tighter editing, this could have been an eight-out-of-ten album. And since I’m complaining: on “Plenty Nonsense,” the drummer chops away so aggressively you could heat a Finnish cabin winterlong on the splinters. Still, it’s a strong, highly listenable record. The standouts for me are “Frustrations” and the excellent “Nawa.”
Excellent and easy to listen fusion of jazz, jam band, political commentary, and African music, with a bit of humor as well. Has a very strong Montréal Jazz Festival vibe to the songs. The band will definitely go into my listening rotation.
It's very good but it's a very long album. There isn't that much variety in the style. Shave off 25 minutes and this is a 5 star.
Probably pretty great when it first came out. But afro-pop has come a long way and this album sound bland in comparison.
Va bra album, men va ikkje i humør
Super fun. Love the energy.
Did not expect to like this with all the horns but ended up being one of the more enjoyable “world sounds” albums I’ve listened to. The tracks didn’t feel like they were the 7/8/9 minutes that they were.
This album is not really my jam to be honest. Not got the patience for the lengthy grooves and rhythms. Just not enough going on to keep me interested during such long tracks. I didn't hate it but I felt like every song was done to excess. I started off jiving but found myself checking how long to go on each song. Probably be great live. The brass was a highlight, really tight and drives each song forward. Can never go wrong with a sax solo. Didn't have any one favourite track. 6/10
Fun and different. A little long. Couldn't really keep a hold of my attention.
Very chill and fun world music.
Fairly chill African jams
Du skal ikke videre til Oslo. Første låta er funky, da.
You better end your life today ~( ˘▾˘~) Nice
You can absolutely hear his father's influence on the songs. I liked it. Almost a 5
The Femi doesn't fall far from the Fela, as they say, and here it is audibly true. Hard to imagine anyone could not move to this groove; he sure knows when to lie low and when to come on strong. This shit makes me no end of happy. What's the old saying, not my revolution if I can't dance to it? Clearly we could start revoluting here. I guess we can keep up with Nigeria on corruption now.
Like father, like son. Fela was solid and Femi is uplifting, upbeat and cool.
Enjoyed this album.
I appreciate the upbeat vibe and joy in this music, but its relentless rhythm is too much for me over the course of multiple songs. Great for an outdoor hang in a beer garden... but that's not where I was.
Yeah, this is pretty great. Maybe not 5 stars great, but it's a solid groove. I had his second album and that was cool, but this one's better.
Just normal afrobeat stuff, heard way better stuff sounding like this but not bad
Good vibes and great saxophone playing. Wile it sometimes got a bit to much for me with the marimba (?) solos I really enjoyed the album as a whole.
This was alright. I remember that Michael Kiwanuka album from a while ago, I feel like this laid out the blueprint for the successes that one saw later one. A nice blend of African influences and pop music here. Not really a bad song on here, but nothing that rocked my world all the same. My pick is the one-two punch of "Survival" into "Frustrations" on the front end of this record. 3/5
Great album.
Musicians of the 1990s: you do not need to fill up the whole capacity of the CD. I had to listen to this in three shifts because it's far too long and I wasn't enjoying it at all. Maybe I was just in the wrong mood for it, and it's definitely not music for headphones. For each album on the list, I've been picking one song to put on a playlist. With this album, I picked a song at random, but I had tried to get through it rather than actively listening to it.
This was good. I enjoyed the mixes of genre that went into this.
This style of music is not usually my cup of tea , but I did enjoy the upbeat blend of afrobeats & jazz this album offers. Definitely not something I'd go back to day to day, but when the mood hits right this album would be very good. Lots of strong upbeat moments with great instrumentals.
Fairly bland
Saw the sax on the cover. Saw the runtime of 10 songs for an hour and 13 minutes. Said to myself: buckle the fuck up. Then within a few minutes I found myself really enjoying this. This honestly makes me question whether I have some minor form of schizophrenia as this does not seem like something I should like at all, but I was bobbing my head and tapping my toes involuntarily. I'm not sure whether this is legitimately good or it just got me on the right day, but it was a pleasant surprise. 4.1
This album was my first foray into the Afrobeat genre, which I was excited to add to my repertoire. I found out rather early that you might need to be a pretty big saxophone fan to really enjoy this album (and perhaps all of Femi Kuti’s work since it’s his primary instrument). I’m not complaining, just noting the sax isn’t one of my favorite instruments. I thought Kuti’s vocals were emotive and powerful; I liked the inclusion of (what I learned is) the Yoruba language at different points. The musicianship is undeniably good, but it got a bit too repetitive sonically for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the extended intros of the songs despite the fact that most of the songs are too long. I genuinely love discovering new musical genres and feel like I learned something by listening to this album, which made the experience worthwhile.
It didn’t jump out at me and make me want to hear more from his catalogue, but it wasn’t a chore either. Easy listen.
I hate Jazz.
Like father like son. This was cool.
Absolutely incredible album. So listenable from t to b.
4.5
A fun easy listen - great horn section and some great grooves - especially towards the end of the record. A bit too much sax in places. Not sure will return that often so its a high3.
Femi Kuti This very much feels like 10 tracks stretched over 73 minutes, the length and similarity of each track kind of merging into one long track, even if it always sounds nice. But it hasn’t really grabbed me in the way other albums adjacent to this have. Partially that’s due to the length of each track and how little the sound varies, but I think it’s also to do with how busy it all is. There’s a lot going on, and the jazzy sax and horns in particular don’t quite do it for me, edging it from exuberant and fun into slightly too much. It feels like it could do with a couple of sparser tracks or passages or moments to create a bit more light and shade and allow some of the instruments and songs to breathe a little. Still it’s a pleasant enough album, 3. 📯📯📯 Playlist submission: Wonder Wonder
'Wonder, Wonder' has everything you want from afrobeat - dilectable brass hooks, funky bass, great melodies, call and response, social commentary, wrapped in an uplifting atmosphere. It's a formula successfully repeated ten times. 'Plenty Nonsense' as well as giving me my new catchphrase, is carried by the call and response, which is entered into with joyous abandon; and some superb hornsmanship. For his part, Femi's voice is superb, a warmth and a grit. The bass anchors much of the groove, such as its imitation of the vocal refrain in 'No Shame' or something superbly embellished hooks in 'Live for Today'. The album is long, but there is no self-indulgence. The jams aren't wayward, in the contrary everything sounds structured and rehearsed 'Nawa' for instance). Joyful.
Não gostei. Não gosto desse estilo musical. 2/10
Nicht unbedingt mein bevorzugter Musikstil, aber dennoch spannend, mal etwas völlig anderes zu hören. Das Album ist musikalisch sehr hochwertig gespielt, voller Energie und Rhythmus. Auch wenn es mich stilistisch nicht ganz abholt, war es ein interessantes und bereicherndes Hörerlebnis. Insgesamt eine hörenswerte Platte für alle, die sich auf afrobeat einlassen wollen.
Great musicianship. Needs a replay to really get my head into the afro jazz-funk space.
Some World Music sounds...otherworldly. Other types make you want to get up and dance. This album is the latter. Get up and dance!
This was a fun listen, and it obviously has a lot of life and culture in it. Overall, it's not something I'd really go back to a lot, but it is well crafted and a great example of the style and genre.
What a relentlessly repetitive album. And it just keeps going. And going. And going. A 1.
Femi Kuti by Femi Kuti gets a Femi Kuti / 5. I'd like to buy this record. Incredibly groovy, just wall to wall jazzy jams, this is the soundtrack I'd like to just persistently follow me during the summer. Perfect to work to, perfect to climb to, really enjoyed this one -- complete shock with the amount of listens it has on Spotify.
big brass band Jammin' (reminds me a bit of mardi gras music) and singing about Africa. Not much here but not bad as background music.
Great beats, will never listen to again
Nah, sorry Femi but this just sounded like bland generic music you’d hear in a restaurant or maybe on the radio in the Sims 1. I can see them all with their little arms in the air saying woooooo
Ima direktnu konkurenciju u vidu vlastitog oca tako da je lako napraviti poređenje. Femi dosta manje improvizuje, ili barem tako zvuči, a nekako je opet teže pronaći nešto što duboko grabi pažnju. Vještina je tu ali nešto fali u ukupnom paketu.
Found myself liking this a lot- ot captured a lot of the magic Fela Kuti brought with his music. Great music to have on while driving.
-this was definitely not my favorite of the Afrobeat albums i’ve heard and doesn’t hold a candle to Fela Kuti’s work. it’s not bad by any means, just kinda. long, repetitive and uninteresting? idk -it gets three stars just because some of the instrumentation was reaaaally good especially the bass and guitar -Favorites are Survival and Stubbor Problems
It’s no doubt a solid album with some really great energy. This is my third Femi Kuti album now, but I still just don’t enjoy it as much as the other albums on this list. Definitely great arrangements, but it’s not the kind of album I’d want to listen to for over an hour. I’d give it a 7/10.
kind of like a slightly less lively version of peak fela, it's probably a little too derivative, but i like it a lot more than femi's later work and i love afrobeat soooo
I wanted to like it i really did
Rules
Great
This was great. I really enjoy Fela Kuti's music and didn't know his son was a musician too and this is also really good. Definitely 5 stars for me.
Fantastic. 4 stars
Energetic, melodic fusion of jazz, funk and afrobeat. This is the kind of album that feels great to run to, both because of the steady rhythm and the uplifting feel.
Enjoyed this. Showed a lot of different influences
Way too long
proves he isn't a nepo baby
I found this to be a great background play, whilst cooking dinner. Great!
One of the best to ever do it
Fela Kutin poika, sen musiikkia on ollut aijemmin tällä listalla. Afrikkalaista afrobeattia. Vähän pitkä ja ei oikein mun juttu taaskaan, mutta kiva kuulla tällästäkin musiikkia. Ja ihan kiva oikeestikkin. Parhaat: Frustrations, Plenty Nonsense
Sure ain’t my thing. However, It is brilliantly performed. Catchy rhythms and vocals. The percussion is amazing. Very well produced. These are upbeat pop songs and it was enjoyable to listen to.
africa
this one actually grooved. a bit long but will listen to again for sure
The first few saxophone notes of the first song won me over immediately. The world music on this list always hits.
This was fun. We listened to it while we were out on Saturday. Very enjoyable.
This was pretty good. I know it’s not fair to compare him to his dad but I spent the whole record thinking that all the right elements were there but that it lacked some kind of ineffable spark that makes Fela’s music so unique and great. If I had never heard Fela Kati, I’d probably think this was better than I do. But still, a good album.
It can be annoying to always be compared to your parents, but Femi Kuti does a good job carrying on his father's legacy here. The social message is still relevant and the music is very good as well. I don't think this album is quite as strong as the Fela Kuti albums on the list, but it's not far off.
The mean track length here is over 7 minutes. And without the (unnecessary) 30-second interlude, that average jumps to over 8 minutes. Man, I got places to be, man! Regardless, despite my low expectations, this music was pretty good. Nothing legendary, and no particular standout tracks (other than the earlier ones like Wonder Wonder and Survival being more enjoyable simply in virtue of them appearing early in the album before my patience had run thin). Just 73 minutes of lighthearted world-tinged jamming with a fairly clear political undertone. It's good, it's different, it's nothing spectacular. The instrumentation and musicianship is definitely on point, while the songwriting (mostly song structure) is... well, not great. Love the sax-playing though. I don't trust any 1-star reviews for this album. But nor do I trust any 5-star reviews. Judging by the period in which the Femi Kuti record was released and the subsequent number of Spotify listens, the tracks on here were clearly not very influential on audiences – either for their time or in the present day. I would even vouch that a significant proportion of Femi Kuti's present-day attention is from the 1001 Albums project itself. Some of the inclusions on this list feel a bit performative – in the sense that Dimery thought, "Huh, too many UK and US albums? Better grab one from Nigeria to appease the critics. Can't be too careful these days." – and this album is one of them. And considering global influence is a very real factor affecting how good and how significant music (and art in general) is, I can't in good conscience give this a perfect rating. 3/5 Key tracks: Wonder Wonder, Survival
Many drums. Very funky, jazz, tribal.
If I didn’t know about Fela, this would likely be a better album. As it stands, I’d rather listen to Fela, 27 wives and all.
Pretty fun album to listen too if maybe a tad too long. 4/5
'Look at religion see the contradiction / The confusion, church and mosque dey cause.' W/ big shoes to fill - a Papa Kuti whose legacy is as historic as any - Femi clearly didn't crumble under the pressure. This self-titled release isn't a virtuosic affair - it isn't even as good as it gets necessarily - but what it does boast is an invitational energy and lyrics endearingly in touch w/ social, political, and spiritual realities. I'm not in love w/ each and every sound apparent on this record, especially the soft saxophonic tones that are wont to introduce many of the tracks, but when each song gets going, it's difficult to tune out. I also admire the son's intent to not forge his own path rebelliously but to carry on tradition effectively and uniquely.
Catchy, melodic. A chill and funky listen
Very good vibes
Classic album jam packed with ideas and sounds. Just not my favorite type of music... yet, haha.
Cool background listening music
No nepotism here, this man holds up his father's legacy brilliantly!
Sort of high speed Reggae sound. Pretty good listen. 4 stars or B-.
A fantastic album. For me Wonder Wonder is the top track on the album. Well earned 5 stars.
2,5/5. Самый нормисный афробит.
It’s nice to have an album that simply exudes fun. It’s all around nice vibes from front to back here, and sometimes that’s all you really need. I’ve no doubt that more knowledgeable people than me would listen to this and hear much deeper meanings behind it all, but to this dingus fun is simply enough. It has me wiggling my lardy tuckus like it was nobody’s business. It didn’t blow my mind, but it certainly put a smile on my face.
Groovy and "infectious" but I think my immune system kicked in after a while? I got thoroughly bored halfways through. Also, there are now three albums by The Kutis, in a pool of just nine albums filed under "𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥" (out of 461, so far): an awfully narrow look at the world's and then a whole continent's music. Not feeling this today.
Good album. Interesting combination of jazz and African musical influences. The rhythm section is outstanding, and the drums are amazing.
What a fun record. Amazing musicianship, total party vibes.
Nein Danke, nichts für mich!
Some really top-notch playing here from a superb band (and excellent sound quality) but a lot of time the music is just two-chord structures that don't really develop into anything interestiing. Kuti is a talented saxophonist and a charismatic singer but that can't compensate for the weak material.
There’s a lot going on on this record. The production is great, musicianship is tight. I don’t even really mind that every track is ten minutes long. But it sorta feels like I’m listening to bits of the Lion King score at points, and other times it feels like Latin jazz. Not my speed at all, but it was done well. 2.8/5
Hm i love the album cover. The colours the message, the hint to what the genre is. I've never seen or listened to him ever, but based on the reviews I have hope it'll be good enough. Though I have no idea what to expect exactly. First song, I love this dam. It's so different from the usual songs. Afrobeat is really good with all these instruments. His voice is nice and fitting. I feel other songs will offer more and more as I go on. This is already so good too. Second song, jazz is really everywhere with this album I guess, good. I see how Janelle Monáe might have took some notes from this, not specifically this album, but as an inspiration these kind of songs and artists. Mm I enjoy his accent too, also the lyrics are actually worth reading through it seems, but I don't do that on the first listen. Third song, it smoothed over to this song like nothing. I realized when the preceding one ended, but this one was so good it made me dreamy about it. Fuck this is amazing, sonically, lyrically, vocally and production-wise, it's just too good. The jazz is so well put with the afrobeat and his voice joins all this together, creating this yummyness. The ending part is so well done, plus unexpected. 4th song, ohh fuck this is so upbeat and chaoticcc, but it's just the intro, the actual song better be fucking fire like this. I love transitions to the next song, in this case to the 5th song, mmm it is fire, less upbeat but still. I love powerful and loud songs that are actually what they were made to be. Instrumentally it's top tier, I just don't like that when he starts singing everything else becomes less active, as if he's making a message and instruments gotta lay low, that's usually how music works, yes, but mm here I want both of them simultaneously. 6th song, what an intro and then the real song starting, daam he really worked here, or whoever. Now this was fascinating sonically and even when he started singing it was the same equal goodness too. It's kinda progressive, gets better with the ordered chaos as it goes on. 7th song, first one where's he talking, and also the first where song starts with the voice (I think). I've thought a lot while listening to this, it's such a good album for walking, taking the song in and having a thought or two. 8th song, I forgot to say I love the chorus girls in these songs, they make things more lively and realistic. His lyrics and their accompaniment was just chef's kiss. 9th song, this sounded rock-ish, but it went away as the song went on. The same applies to this song tbh, it has everything my ears usually ask for. I'm confused, I have seen so many 4 and 5 star reviews, rarely any bad ones and even the bad ones see the talent just not their thing, I'm saying how does this not have more overall rating. The ending is groovy and soothing despite all the chaos happening before. 10th song, just as good of a start as ever, don't like that the album is ending, but my ears are getting tired kinda, because I'm wearing headphones ofc, otherwise I'm not even bored. Quite short, considering it's the finale too. The meaning of this song is deep too, like that he manages to get everything perfect somehow. I guess the song is ending and I'll write my final review along with it. I want to say so much, share this experience with someone or anything like it, but mhh. 5 star is more than well deserved for this album, I'm sure I'll come back to these songs. I also do want more from him or artists that have the same qualities in an album like Femi does. Dam I've enjoyed this a lot, I love jazz and afrobeat, there was a lot of genre bending too, which I am mostly satisfied with. This is a gem I hope I won't forget.
I enjoyed this. Upbeat and interesting. Could really feel the energy. Fun to dance along to.
Had a good rhythm, but tracks could be a bit shorter and less repetitive. I'd had enough by the 5th track, on the first listen. But my second listen I really got into it. Great party background music.
Good album and other collected works - I am not that familiar with Afro-beats and this is a nice addition to my rotation.
Best Song: Wonder Wonder This isn't bad, it's just not really my thing. I can see listening to this when cooking or cleaning but will not be adding it to the playlist or anything. 3/5.
Not always a fan of African music but I enjoyed this one
pretty chill, some bangers but some songs too long for their own good
Not as good as his dad, first song good rest alright
Jazzy, groovy, funky, infectious rhythms. I had never heard of this artist before and had no expectations going into this. I am blown away. This album is outstanding.
A refreshing, funky listen. Great music to play by the pool, or in the backyard when it’s warm outside. There’s been a few albums on this list that fall in to that category, maybe I’ll make a playlist.
Not my style but happy sounds
Flippin heck this is nice. Pops left massive shoes but Femi has done a nice job of filling them.
it was all right i suppose
Giving Femi Kuti a 4, really liked the jazzy parts and the rhythms. Didn't listen that much to the lyrics, but I heard him singing about his dad Fela Kuti and his 27 wives.
Just do to a bit of a hiccup, I have listened to this album about four times now but my opinion hasn't changed, I just find it boring. Rating: 2
I thought it said Fela Kuti when I clicked to listen and it didnt seem quite right. Turns out its his son. Its a fine album but ends up sounding like the soundtrack to the background of a vacation at an all inclusive resort. Lacking the rawness I liked about Fela's music.
Really enjoyed this! No issues with track length but got a bit long/repetitive as it was full energy the entire time, which does hurt it a bit. Overall really great find from the project, 4.5/5
This sounds like a mix of jazz and my local brass band. Loved it
One of those genres where it all feels very bouncy and fun and then after 15 minutes you realise it’s all the same and just jazz noodling.
Decent
Good and interesting. Need to learn more about this.
It was a fun listen, didn’t realise how much jazz was in Afrobeat.
He’s not Fela, but I Wonder Wonder if the Changes are good or not?
3.5 - cool African jazz funk
The 90's smooth jazz influence isn't really my thing, but I still got into the groove of this album
Got better as it went, far too polished. Smooth jazz influences ruined certain songs
There are a lot of nice noises, rhythms and grooves going on here. But they are all a bit long, a bit repetitive and feel a bit 'loose' for my personal liking.
Feels a bit disrespectful to be giving a higher mark for Femi than Fela Kuti when without Fela there would be no Femi literally. I think I probably knocked Zombie down for being more ep than album but this fits more of a traditional album format and it's great to hear Femi and band in full flow.
Tight, bouncy, slick - most enjoyable! Favourite tracks: Nawa, Stubbor Problems, No Shame
Normally when I listen to albums — for this list or in general — I like to split them up into chunks, by record sides. For longer albums especially I figure it's better to go about things this way than risk getting burned out. I really only make exceptions for albums I can't easily queue up song by song (so really it's mostly the stuff where I'm forced to listen to "full album" uploads on YouTube). I didn't really plan to make an exception for this album also. This thing's a little over 70 minutes, by far the longest album in the little backlog I'd built up. Not to mention, it's streaming on Spotify! Why would I give it an exception? Well, yeah. I looked the thing up on Discogs and, oops! It turns out there was never a vinyl release for this album! Just wonderful. There **was** a cassette release that chopped this album in half, and I could have cut **those** in half to make this into fourths... But then I figured: "eh, screw it." I'd read such good things about this album's groove that I figured there shouldn't be a problem with just letting it run, right? If it was really **that good**... Oh, boy howdy is it ever. I'm frankly incredibly impressed by this. How in the world does someone make a 73 minute album, where nearly every song is nine minutes, and it's not boring? I guess it's like a fellow group member of mine said: like father, like son. Femi's got Fela's skills and then some, goodness. It really is just that it's such a nuts groove. If you find yourself not listening to the lyrics (like I ended up not doing), you'll be more than satisfied getting by on the percussion and the horns and the vocals... It's like your at this really great party where, yeah, there **is** a political reason behind why it's being held, but just as well no one would blame you for just dancing and having a great time. I honestly get the feeling Femi probably could have gone on **even longer** and I don't think I would have had an issue with it. With Afrobeat like this, how could you? I really don't even have any specifics I'd wanna bring up. And that goes for positives **or** negatives! Like, maybe it could have been trimmed down a little... But I don't think I woulda minded either way. I just had it on while reading some shit on the Internet and I was jamming out the whole time. Like another review said, it's one I can absolutely imagine pissing you off if it catches you at the right time... But I guess I found my right time for it? And I am so, so thankful I did. If you wanna thank hard about this album, go ahead, be my guest. It probably deserves it. For me, it was just 73 minutes of fun, and 73 minutes I'd easily return to. Jus', wowie wow.
Like father, like son. 4.5 bumped up to 5.
I’m at a 5. Not much to say; just a fucking vibe, really. I came in without expectations and I have emerged from it a much groovier man. Femi Kuti has proven himself as good as his dad to my ears; just some great big band energy, with some keyboard & sax thrown in for good measure to create 73 minutes of pure, unadulterated Afrobeat funk. Pretty good vocals, some politically active lyrics, and perfect instrumentation. In terms of the overall vibes, no complaints from me. In terms of the actual pacing, structure & track order… very few complaints, but they’re there. 73 minutes *is* a bit long, and there are some musically stagnant moments on a handful of tracks that could’ve been trimmed down to keep the album a bit more concise. Structurally, I think some of these tracks are a little too similar to each other, in terms of the tempo & instrumental progression, but it’s never actively an issue while you’re in the moment, so it doesn’t matter that much. In terms of the track order, I just would’ve flipped the last two; I think “Live For Today” would’ve been a nicer ending. Those are all nitpicks, though – this album is one where words cannot explain the energy or the vibes, and I highly encourage just listening to it, headphones in or not. It’s really fucking good; a little long, sure, but it doesn’t matter when you’re just grooving along. A super fun 5 for me, a well-needed energy boost, and an album that’s definitely worth being on the list. Great stuff.
love the vibe. songs are nice but way too long for my taste (this seems to be a problem i have with quite a few artists). since this wasn't my type of music by the time i reached the half of the album i was pretty bored. my favorite tracks were nawa and changes!
not me.
The driving rhythm brings me in a good mood. Definitely no background-music. Maybe a bit too long. 2,5
Pretty decent Afrobeat album, not his most famous album though so I am curious about its inclusion in here.
Vibes for days
🗣️🗣️🗣️
To me it just kinda sounded like Fela Kuti but with less charisma, or "rizz" if you will. Shouts out kwame nkrumah tho fr Fav song: Plenty Nonsense
Wow - what. surprising find. New to me on all levels, and it really jams! Some of these (i.e. Nawa) have instrumental segments that been used as background of room mid 70's cop movies. I can see Dirty Harry chasing down a thug in 70's SF...Not bad at all!
Total surprise. Loved it!
Dad- NA Mom- 8 Mike-6 Lori- 5.5 Michael- 7 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg-6.63
Lost my review for this one - from memory, it was a delightful change from staid 70s rock, and the riffs and rhythms were great, but each song did start to drag a little as there was nothing in the way of changing chord progressions or mood. Still a pleasant mood, but not sure why this over any other African albums - Fela Kuti especially.
Femi Kuti was not a bad album. This album does give me a lot of the same vibes that Fela Kuti's 2 albums on this project did which makes sense seeing as Femi is his son. But then again, they use a lot of the same instruments, use melodies that have more or less the same vibe and even their voices sound very similar. The songs are also very long, just like they were in Zombie and Live!. And just like those albums, this one is a pretty decent trip. The songs here sounded pretty good and while they were indeed long, they didn't tire me out as much as some other long albums did. This album wasn't a bad listen and i do feel like both Femi and his dad are around the same quality-wise. Best Song: Stubbor Problems Worst Song: Live For Today
Favorite Track: Changes
Funky fun jazzy African pop
I don't want to become one of those participants constantly complaining about the Britpop on this list but I always look forward to an album from outside the Anglosphere, especially Africa. So much of the popular Western music that I love -- variations in the blues, rock, folk space -- derive some of their most compelling elements from music brought along with enslaved people from Africa during the Transatlantic slave trade. This is a little too soft jazz for me in a lot of places, but I love things like the drum/sax interplay on 'Frustrations'. Nawa is excellent. Plenty Nonsense is catchy, too, with a melody that sounds familiar but I can't place. Come forewarned that these jams go on a little (9-10 minutes, many of them). Definitely worth checking out, though. It's not the Afrobeat that influenced the clash, but it's literally that guy's son. 3/5
Enjoyable. Funky. Clearly talented musician. Maybe too much going on at points.
You know i love Fela and Femi Kuti but nothing really stuck out to me from this album. :(
ritmo bacana demais, apesar de algumas músicas com várias repetições do backing vocal que me distraiam demais.
World music just isn’t my jam.
A little long but I must say I'm surprised by how enjoyable this was.
This is very reminiscent of his father's work, perhaps with more lyrics per song. I loved it! Liked Songs Added: Wonder Wonder Frustrations Nawa Plenty Nonsense Stubbor Problems No Shame Live For Today
#26 Femi Kuti ~ Femi Kuti Femi Kuti has big shoes to fill. His father Fela Kuti is a venerated saint in the genre of Afrobeat. Many acts, both past and present, are inspired by his work, particularly in making infectious beats, grooves and harmonies. These are very big shoes to fill for the offspring of Fela Kuti. At the same time, you don't want to be a carbon copy of your father, else you won't stand out as a creative artist. So Femi takes a more populist approach to his music. A lot less free-jazz influence, a bit more solid rock influence. Instead of improvisatory free verse, he sings in melodic contours. All the sharp kicks and edges of Fela's style is smoothened into a slick sheen. It's nice and certainly more accessible than his father's style. However, I feel like this smoothening that Femi has incorporated might have sabotaged the potential power of the grooves he makes. This is clearly personal taste, but this soul-like RnB approach he has in this album draws away from his very politically charged lyrics, which I really like. Nevertheless, this is an alright record. I can't be too mad about it, but I don't feel crazy about it either.
bastante buono
4 porque me quemó un poquito pero me pareció increible
Funky and inspiring
Funky, sexy and a pleasure to listen.
Doesn't work always. Hits at the right time. Quite fun anyways.
DNF just couldn’t get into it
LET'S GO I LOVE AFROBEAT 5 STAR
2.2 2x listened over multiple days but didn't really enjoy it. interesting and not horrible though.
It's technically good, but I'm not getting much out of it.
Not sure how often I’d revisit in full, but it’s a fun afrobeat/funk album.
Really good coffeehouse music. Not my jam. 2/5
it was okay.
Even protoafro beat goes hard. Immaculate vibes.
Phenomenal Album. Absolutely Slapped.
The music is fine. The pan-African lyrics is like a poor man's Bob Marley. His dad's live album with Ginger Baker was better. All of these songs sound the same. Over an hour of this is going to be tiresome. If this was just instrumentals it would be better. I'm realizing albums can get bumped full stars by just hitting me at the right time or based on what I've listened to recently. It doesn't help that the individual songs are very repetitive and very long.
Great album! I didn’t even know that Fela Kuti had children, much less the fact that they made music. I love longer songs and almost every song in this album is over 8 minutes. Really great listen, glad I found it.
Like father like son
5/5
Still got the beat
Herlig musikk og energi. Aldri i tvil.
eh
A bit long and repetitive. Pleasant overall but tbh I prefer the instrumentals without the (main) vocals/singing.
Alright, but not really feeling it?
It was quite good, although it's not my cup of tea.
I liked the music. However the songs and album could have been a bit shorter. It dragged on.
I do think it should have been shorter
Normally I like a lot of the international stuff they’ve put on this list but not this. It was about 30 minutes too long and he kinda repeated the same lines over and over again.
overall this was a really nice listen. enjoyed the sounds, tempos. but it drug out quite a bit. would have enjoyed it more if songs were bit shorter-all the repetition just made them lag.
I will take this political music over rap or Nick Drake everyday of the week.
Fun music. 3.5*, rounding up.
Das selbstbetitelte Album wurde 1995 veröffentlicht und größtenteils 1994, vermutlich in Studio Davout in Paris, aufgenommen. Femi Kuti, ein nigerianischer Musiker und Sohn des Afrobeat-Pioniers Fela Kuti, spricht hier in klarer, persönlicher Stimme zu seinem Erbe. Er führt die nigerianische Tradition fort, mischt Funk, Jazz und afrikanische Rhythmen und lässt dabei seine Band „Positive Force“ mitwirken. Das Album gehört zum Genre Afrobeat – eine Mischung aus Jazz, Funk, Highlife und typischen Westafrikarhythmen, die vor allem von Fela geprägt wurde. Femi variiert im eigenen Stil: seine Stücke sind tendenziell kürzer strukturiert, ergänzen starke Tanzrhythmen um prägnante Bläserarrangements. Bekannte oder stilprägenden Songs auf dem Album sind „Wonder, Wonder“, „Survival“, „Frustrations“, „Plenty Nonsense“ sowie „Live for Today“ – Titel, die typische afrobeat‑Muster aufgreifen: treibende Rhythmen, repetitive Grooves, kombinierte Bläser‑ und Percussion‑Führung. Das Album bietet durchgehend dichte, instrumentale Arrangements und vermittelt eine Mischung aus politischem Bewusstsein und tanzbaren Stücken. Die Musikerleistung ist präzise, die Produktion wirkt rund und klar, ohne überladen zu sein. Persönlich empfand ich, dass sich Femi hier bewusst aus dem Schatten seines Vaters bewegt, indem er groovigere und kompaktere Stücke präsentiert – das wirkt eigenständig, weniger sperrig. Abschließende Bewertung: Ein solides Album, das Afrobeat modernisiert und Femi Kuti als ernstzunehmenden Künstler etabliert, auch wenn ihm die Originalität des Vaters nicht ganz erreicht.
holy balls. aivoja on järistetty ja tärähtelty. you go laff laff laaaaaafff.. miksi tällä ei ole biljoonia näyttökertoja mutta jistin bieber saa miljoonia? harvemmin näissä albumituokioissa nostan siitä yleisestä äänenvoimakkuudesta tähän ylempään jonka korvat juuri ja juuri kestää.. uskomattoman racist arvostelu tuli sieltä puolelta jassoo.. no heh en vitsistä rupee PERUMAAN URAASI.. urasi ei ole peruttu.. olufela olufemi anikulapo heittää semmonlaista settiä että oksat pois! aika helppo päätös leimata vitosta seinään en tiedä mitä muualla kävi mutta yksi parhaista tähän mennessä. nawa
I love afrobeat.
The entire album is a party bop, and the history behind it enrichens it greatly.
Jazz funk that references and builds upon the work of his father. This is more digestible, due to the reduced track length, but in no way compromises on the sharp lyrics and direct messages. The sounds are excellent for a summer drive, your cooking session, dancing, or protesting.
This was a fun one. I’ve heard the name Femi Kuti but haven’t explored his music. I only gave it one listen but it’s four stars at a minimum: tremendous saxophone leads, high energy percussion, pointed social and political lyrics with a deep passion for the wellbeing of Africa… this album has a special feel to it. I need to find the time to explore more.
Favorite songs: Nawa, Survival, Live for Today, Frustrations, Wonder Wonder, No Shame Least favorite songs: none 5/5
I don’t know, it’s fine.
Kul men varför skulle man lyssna på detta egentligen
Didn’t hate
What fun! The whole way through. And it even bends around genres a bit. There's one track that sorta sounded like Hava Nagila, all that chaos and the sort of polka beat? I dunno, but def enjoyed.
This man knows his way around a saxophone!
Really liked this album, for most of the songs I didn’t mind them being so long as I felt they changed a lot throughout, but a few felt a little repetitive to me. Put off a little by the lyrics on the last track, hoping I’m just not interpreting correctly, but didn’t get a great vibe - a shame because I love the music. Fav song: Nawa - also liked Frustrations and Stubbor Problems Least fav: WonderWonder
Nando’s bathroom music but in the best way. Made me sad I’ve not got a drink machine in my house. Great vibes - no complaints for any of the 8 min songs. Specific rating-4.5 Fav song- wonder wonder Least fav- plenty nonsense
Very different from music I'd usually listen to and am happily surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Very fun dancey beats but I could have enjoyed it just as much with the songs a few minutes shorter, think some of them got a tad repetitive. Think Changes was listing things he disagreed with and then had lyrics about women wanting to be like men, men becoming women, men marrying men and women marrying women... Not 100% sure its sexist/transphobic/homophobic but I didn't love it, think it's 4 stars without this song. Favourite: No Shame Least: Live For Today (or Changes)
Good vibes. Makes me think of sunny West Holts!
Rating: 8/10 Like father, like son...this album is great. An absolute blast to listen to, great instrumentation, good vocals, and great production. Could be rated higher with repeated listens.
This is a great album 4/5
Great album! Good lyrics and amazing beats.
Carries his fathers torch, sure—but the production and polite horns make it feel more lobby than Lagos. Fire dimmed, not out.
Excelente álbum. Creo que uno de los aspectos que hace que la experiencia de álbum sea muy positiva es que la obra sea una experiencia consistente. Este disco cumple con esa espectativa. La musicalidad es muy buena. Es música repetitiva, esa es la intención. Sin embargo, a diferencia de lo discos de música electrónica que he tenido que escuchar, la ejecución instrumental humana hace que por más repetitiva y larga sea la música, hay pequeñas variaciones (incluso imperceptibles concientemente) que hacen que la música se sienta siempre fresca incluso en temas de 8 minutos de duración. Además tiene el plus de tratar contenidos políticos y sociales en las letras.
It's ok I guess a bit long. Nowhere near as good as anything his father made 5/10 Favourite: Frustrations Least Favourite: Survival
I love African music, so when this popped up it had me quite excited. Should be right up my alley as long as the musicianship is at least halfway decent. Wonder Wonder Love the rhythm provided by the percussion. Great variety. Lovely energy. Love the groove. The lyrics are really typical of the Afrobeat genre. Singing about unity for the continent is at least an honourable sentiment. Fun track. Fantastic. 5/5 Survival Great groove and rhythm. Love the paralells between the sax and horns. Awesome solo from the percussion instrument I don't know the name of. Awesome mood. Infectious and fun. Actually has some really thought out lyrics. Great. 4.5/5 Frustrations Wow thosw horns truly are magnetic. Absolute cinema. Love the jazziness of the instrumental. Lyrics seem to recount or at least be inspired by some sort of personal experience. As always awesome drumming. Good. 4/5 Nawa - Intro A wild ride with an infectious tempo. Unrated/5 Nawa Feels almost triumphant or celebratory in a way. Lovely texture from the keys. Solid bassline. Really like how the keys get a more active role to contrast with the vocals. Passionate vocal delivery. Dancable and fun. Good. 4/5 Plenty Nonsense Great energy, love the drum pattern. Fun group vocals. I like the subtle guitar. Really like the direct lyricism. Love the chorus. Catchy and fun. Great. 4.5/5 Stubborn Problems Large and dynamic. Love how the dynamic sax performance contrasts against the rigid and consistent bassline. Nice horns peaking through as well. Super fun lyrics, really infectious. Fantastic. 5/5 No Shame Impossibly fun groove. Love the opening vocals. Extremely catchy sax riff. Very political. Awesome keyboard solo. Fantastic. 5/5 Live For Today Funky guitar riff. Awesome bass. Love the vocal delivery. Really fun sax. I know I'm repeating myself but every song on this album is great and has very similar qualities. This is no exception. Amazing chorus. Lovely message. Fantastic. 5/5 Changes Layered and danceable. Great groove, with some quality funkiness. Infectious chorus. Gonna go with the benefit of the doubt and assume some of the lyrics aren't meant in a regressive way. Good atmosphere none the less. Great. 4.5/5 I am floored. Very few albums leave such an instant impression as this one did. It's over an hour of the most fun and infectious grooves you'll ever hear. Topped with some ridiculously slick saxophone playing and passionate and catchy vocal deliveries. It's an absolute party, where you'll be barraged with banger after banger full of African spirit and thoughtful messages that could resonate with an entire continent. Rarely does an album make me want to get up and dance as much as this one does. I feel refreshed and enlightened. Empowered and full of energy. There's not a single boring moment on this, making the hour run by. 5/5
I liked the instrumental parts.
not for me
Surprisingly nice album. The artist deserves more than ~60k monthly listeners in Spotify. 7/10
Not bad. Not my bag, but not bad either. It's hard to get into 8 min songs when it's not really blowing your skirt up.
That was easy to listen to. I enjoyed having it on in the background
Afro beat, smooth an easy listen nothing angular
Femi no es, obviamente, su padre. Sin embargo su influencia no ha sido menor, ha colaborado con Common, Mos Def, D'Angelo, Macy Gray, The Soultronics, Nile Rodgers, Thievery Corporation y un largo etc. lo que da la dimensión que ha venido adquiriendo, y que en buena parte culminó con Red Hot + Riot y sobre todo en Arabesque, uno de los mejores temas del último gran disco de Coldplay. En pleno auge del Brit rock y coletazos post grunge americano, esto suena a gloria.
This slaps
It was nice enough but I don’t see it as something I’d revisit.
Fine. Nothing really stood out
Bouncy fun Afrobeat jams. The horns get a little too screechy for my preference but this album certainly earned its place on this list.
Really good.
I really didn't feel this one... especially once it got into maybe homophobic lyrics? It was the definition of what I consider a 2 star, I wouldn't necessarily get up to turn it off, but I would ask.
Consistently solid, very listenable afrobeat/jazz album. Keeps moving forward. I'm impressed. 3.9
Funk! Life! Energy! Music! Africa! Incredible record that makes me want to live and truly enjoy my life and people around me. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!!!
Ziemlich lang und nicht so meins. 2 1/2.
It's really hard to play bad jazz funk in the first place, but when your father is considered the mind behind Afrobeat itself... this might be the first album on this list that is actually something you need to hear before you die. Endlessly talented, extremely fun listen.
I’ve heard of Fela Kuti before, but I didn’t know that he had a son who’s also a musician. This will be my third African album to review in the last ten days, and I tend to enjoy African music, especially from Nigeria, so I’m excited to see what Fela Kuti has in store! Femi Kuti’s self-titled album didn’t blow me away, but I thought it was pretty good. This album had some really fun and danceable songs, full of rich arrangements, and I enjoyed his political and social commentary as well. A good number of the songs didn’t justify their epic length in my opinion, but nothing on this album was grating or annoying. The leadoff track, “Wonder Wonder” was okay, but it wore thin and felt repetitive after a bit, which made me wonder wonder if I had gotten my hopes up for this album. However, the next song, “Survival” was my favorite off of the album. The opening absolutely hooked me in with the guitar and saxophone, and then some really bright brass arrangements and percussion kicked in. The xylophone was outstanding too, and on an album full of great dance beats, this was the danc-iest of them all. I thought “Nawa” was great too, and the introduction did a fantastic job of teeing up the punchiest song on the album. “Subbor Problems” also stood out to me; I loved how Femi talked about a conversation with his dad. “Stubbor Problems” felt like it was reaching back through time to bring Fela Kuti into the present, and I thought it worked really well. The bass and guitar playing were excellent too, and I liked how the horns kicked in more later on in the song. This album’s best moments really shone through, but the lowest moments on it were a bit boring and dragged this album down a bit, making its hour-plus run time a bit of a drag at times. Still, this effort from Femi Kuti was enjoyable enough to be worth a listen.
Listening to this on a long car journey back from Wembley whilst watching the early-Summer sun gradually setting made a 3-0 loss better
This was some good, funky music, and I really appreciated Kuti’s prior album I heard here, but I thought this one went on for a bit too long. It started to drag.
Funky Afro beats
3 stars, pretty cool.
The very best Afrobeat since Houmous & Chutneys controversial 82nd studio album ‘We’ll Afrobeat You At Your Own Game’ 4.8
Lively and vibrant. Maybe a little nitpick: some songs went on simply too long. I enjoyed “Live for Today” and “Plenty of nonsense” the most.
I'm not entirely sure I could pick out any specific song as a standout, but this album was a groove and I could listen to it all day.
I really dislike the saxophone, especially when it's being used to create an overly harsh, loud sound, so I really hated the beginning of "Wonder Wonder." The the rest of the opening song was great, though. Overall, the album was alright, and I would probably give it a 3 if his style of playing the sax were different.
Survival sounded like an OSU marching band version of Metallica's Disposable Heroes. After that I heard a few more marching band-type songs and because of that I can't say I'd ever want to listen to this album again. Unless of course it's during a halftime show at a football game at some D1 American school.
great music i will one hundred percent be checking out more afrobeat eventually. apparently his father is good so ig ill check him out.
I kinda liked this
drei bis vier
Femi Kuti toma el relevo de su padre creando su propio estilo de Afrobeat, aún más enérgico y con los instrumentos de viento tomando el protagonismo. Las canciones son más cortas y algo más comerciales, más cercanas al ska y menos al jazz, pero manteniendo la esencia del Afrobeat clásico. La voz no es gran cosa, siguiendo siempre la misma fórmula de decir una frase que es repetida por el coro justo después. Pero la instrumentación es increíble: las líneas de bajo, el saxofón y el resto de vientos, y, sobre todo, la percusión, demuestran una calidad técnica impresionante y rebosan energía. Hasta ahora solo había escuchado a Fela, y me ha encantado descubrir a su hijo. Precisamente por descubrir álbumes como este es que estoy haciendo este challenge.
Femi can jam just like his father. This album is so good and fun, it was easy to just get lost in the music. My favorite is definitely Plenty Nonsense. It's so upbeat and esch part gets to shine. Most of the songs are similar, especially the singing which has Femi doing a call and response for large parts around the title of the song, but that didn't really bother me. Seems like a staple of world music from this area and the instruments are just so good that it gets a free pass. The sax and percussion are the highlights for me here.
Very upbeat and perfect music to listen to when I want to get things done. Solid beats and percussion.
Just like his poppa.
It’s jazzy, it’s groovy, it’s rocking, and it is tooooooo damn long
Not the best music I've heard from Africa, but not the worst either
Fun!
Discovering bangers like this album are why I continue through all the middling and garbage picks. I put this on at work and I was just in my seat grooving right along. From start to finish it just gets you moving. Fantastic!
Was very accessible from start to finish, a fun joy ride, and some great drumming.
Fela Kuti's son? This album had no chance of being bad!
Way better than Julian Lennon and not as good as Sean Lennon. Not bad by any means but just made me want to play a Fela Kuti record.
I don't think I've ever heard anything by Femi Kuti before, and this is definitely a different style from a number of other African-based albums we've gotten in the collection--including of course the massive presence of his father--so that's always a good thing. This album definitely seems to embrace elements of his father's Afrobeat tradition, but either because of Femi Kuti's decision to be more accessible, or perhaps because of the kind of hollow sound many 90s-era albums have (not much bass, every instrument very discrete in a kind of artificial way), I wasn't really drawn into the songs on the albums all that much; this made the 70+ minute runtime seem even longer, sadly. I thought "Frustrations" and "Nawa" and there energetic "Live for today" seemed the best of the bunch, as the almost reggae-sounding singing on many of the tracks kind of blended the rest together, despite some pretty incisive lyrics at times.
Good music to work by--keeps you energized.
GROOVY! Really doesn’t sound like over an hour at all, this went by so quick. It’s like a 3.5, but I’ll be rounding down.
Nice
its okay its just too damn long and my brain is fried
Repetitive and very long songs
This was my first time listening to music like this, I really enjoyed it!
Some toe-tappers but didn’t mesh with me
4/5. I love afrobeat, it's just so danceable and with political messaging, it goes even harder. Although not as good as his father, Femi still brings it. More jazz-centric with a solid sax solo every song, it's controlled chaos. The only downside is that the album does overstay its welcome a bit, each song does similar things with instrumentation then vocals then long solo then closing vocals for the most part. It can be hard to differentiate. However, the songs do go hard so it's still enjoyable for the most part. Best Song: Frustrations, Nawa, Wonder Wonder
I enjoyed this music.
Very political so it's not my taste, but it sounds good and is fun.
afrikan siunaus 80 iq music heh
Very fun listen
Good music, good rhythms. This is easy to like.
I am getting a little bit annoyed that now we are getting nearly half way through and this is the third offering from Mr Kuti, who as far as I can understand has had an influence on precisely NO-ONE. and still had nothing from Roy Harper who was a definite influence on members of bands as iconic as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. It is what it is. It's played well, but to me it is more Cuban than African, I don't usually associate the trumpet with Africa, and there seemed to be quite a lot in this. And it is over produced and too clean to have any authenticity. It wasn't unpleasant to have on in the background but nothing special. So, as its inclusion here appears to be utterly pointless I can only give it 1
Yep. Really enjoyed that. Great energy.
An interesting African album, unfortunately I have no idea whether this is in any way 'African sounding' or it's Western influenced, so I'll judge it on what it was: not for me.
Fantastic album. I think it technically give it 4.5 stars.
Fun music with a great theme.
Good fun but will always draw comparisons with his dad's work, and that is a high standard to attain.
Just as infectious as hid Old Man, if a little more polished. It's impossible not to dance to these rhythms.
Album #13 on the list and my second Kuti album.... This one Femi rather than Fela. Very similar vibe to his old man which is a good thing! A fun listen. 7/10
This is the 92nd album I’m rating. I’ve listened to his dad and it was pretty good. Adding to my Playlist - Wonder, Wonder, Survival, Frustrations, Nawa (Intro), Nawa, Plenty Nonsense, Stubborn Problems, No Shame, Live for Today, and Changes. Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. Nawa (Intro) - Why isn’t this combined? All in all I liked 10/10 songs. Arguably better than his dad.
I gave both his Dad's albums four stars, and this is in the same ballpark. I liked it quite a lot. Standout for me was maybe "No Shame".
Well this is a firecracker of a record The songs are too long but you almost forgive him because it’s such a cool sound
Holy shit this fuckin slaps!
Okay, so there were some songs I enjoyed. I was trying to pay attention to the lyrics, because I believe they are the reason this album is on the list. A lot of the songs are calls to action for the Nigerian people to stand up for themselves and demand or work towards better conditions for themselves, their country, and Africa as a whole. At one point this morning I was a middle aged white lady dancing in my kitchen to this music because I couldn’t help myself. It also has a chill vibe and would not be misplaced playing in the background while at the beach… until you listen to the lyrics that is.
Deep grooves.
# 450 : 03/04/2025 : Quite pleasant and not too bad. Some good catchy beats exist here. Not what I had expected. Very fun!
Bright, vibrant, swinging
Didn’t enjoy this as much as Fela Kuti.
Another hour-longer? Fuck my fucking shitty musiccel life https://youtu.be/Hqaa4VY4v9o The Kuti lineage is in poor standing with me. Back in January I listened to "Live" by Fela Kuti, an album I ostensibly did not like. I considered it the worst album that I had or would ever receive from the list because of the general animosity that I held towards live albums, jazz albums (I guess it didn't really qualify) and longform music. That being said, I don't actually remember anything about the music itself. Preamblepreamblepreamble. Did I like this album? Uhh, yeah. The brass sections were very strong and not at all what I was expecting from something "exotic" and "ethnic". I also like the two kinds of percussion on this album, whatever instruments they may be. Femi Kuti is a good vocalist/songwriter and the backing vocalists did a surprising amount of heavy lifting. My problem comes from the fact that this album and it's songs are too fockingGUGGUGUDGGGgggg long. I wasn't just twiddling my thumbs with this one. I was quantifying new, expert techniques of twiddling that will no doubt revolutionise the twiddlympics once they roll around.
Was fine. Good different music but didn't save anything.
World, Jazz, 1995 -> 3
Sounds insane, the recording quality is out of this world. Vocals not my cup of tea sadly, though the instrumental parts are amazing
Ganska okej faktiskt. Lite baktakt på några låtar. Lite jobbigt långa låtar dock.
Great intro to afrobeats. Songs were catchy but quite long. Deep messages when lyrics were included.
*****
I didnt dislike this, but it didnt grab me. Some fine african rhythms but there wasnt a hook for me to get it.
..
Pretty nice.
It took me a couple listens to get into this one, but I ended up liking it a good bit. If you’re not hearing it through headphones or a good sound system it suffers. Eventually, though, the rhythms absolutely get into you.
Papa was beter maar wel 5/5
3/5
עד מתי שנות ה90
הקטעי נגינה בהרבה מהמקרים היו טובים אבל זה פשוט כנראה לא הסגנון שלי או משהו מתנשא כזה
I'm glad I was exposed to this album. I really enjoyed listening
2.5 It’s good, and I know it’s very well liked and respected, but it’s just not a style of music I’ve ever going to get into. I respect it, though.
Fav: Stubbor Problems Least Fav: No Shame Incredible, really surprised by this one. Not a single song was anything less than amazing. Currently searching for afrobeat playlists rn
Just as good as his dad. Strong lyrics with amazing instrumentals. Just an amazing album! Also the opening to Stubbor Problems was crazy especially considering that it's what really happened to Fela Kuti.
++: Wonder, Wonder, Frustrations, Nawa (Intro), Nawa, Plenty Nonsense, Live for Today, Changes +: Survival, No Shame +-: Stubborn Problems 7,9/10
Cheerful, peppy, great rhythms.
6.5/10
Good with some great
An unexpected album and uncharted water for me — but it was nice. I don’t think I’d listen again, really, but I did find it charming and I appreciated the message despite it not really being my specific cup of tea. He has a very friendly sort of voice, which I liked. But the songs were a little too long and just not quite my jam — a 2 simply because I wouldn’t listen to it in the future, not because it’s bad.
Was I hugely enthused about 73 minutes of Afrobeat? I was not. However, this was really enjoyable, and excellent to have on in the background while I was working (see previous reviews for why this is, in some ways, the most important genre of all). It's interesting that Femi is really able to infuse quite playful and upbeat melodies, while leaving you in no doubt as to the depth of the themes.
No thanks.
Watered-down afrobeat. It’s still pretty good, but Femi Kuti lacks that ✨It Factor✨ that came so naturally to his father. It’s shitty to compare the two, especially because Femi is a very, very, very good saxophonist and band leader, but a lot of his stylistic choices feel influenced by the smooth jazz of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Or maybe that’s what I mean by “watered-down.” Truthfully, I don’t think the song lengths help much, because nearly every song here overstays its welcome. If Femi had chosen to cut everything here in half, like, literally just add fade outs and fade ins, I think this would be a much stronger album. Again, it’s not that I’m not vibing with it, or that I’m not able to catch the groove, but I found myself constantly ready to move on, and when I went to check how much of the song was left, it was always at the halfway mark. In all honesty, this feels like one of those “if you know, you know” albums that works if you’re super into a genre and breaking through the entry-level classics. If you’ve gone through the major releases of Fela Kuti and want more, this is a pretty obvious next step. I also think it’s an album I would show someone who’s never even heard of afrobeat; as an introduction, the basicness might not be such a problem, although it will be once they hear Fela Kuti and revisit Femi Kuti’s debut. It also seems like this might be the wrong Femi Kuti album, based on some brief googling, and seems like his least interesting. None of it’s ever bad, but it just keeps hitting a glass ceiling and can’t seem to break through with something even slightly more engaging for me.