Reviews (page 2 of 8)
J’avais compris apres 2 chanson le concept. Un peu redondant ensuite. Points bonus pour la belle coincidence d’écouter ça avant de voir le musical du Roi Lion!
Unfortunately sounds a little too much like Paul Simon. Where are the African albums that aren't produced by boring white men trying to introduce some colour to their carers?
So beautiful, I’ve always appreciated this group
Heard before?:❌️ Will listen again?:❓️/❌️
Brilliant. Brilliant live, too.
Beautiful sound quality - really rich. Would sound incredible on better speakers. Amazing layers of vocal harmonies.
Soothing, wonderful vocals.
Good harmonizing You could tell me this was The Lion King Soundtrack from another country and I’d believe you. There are definitely skippable songs. The songs also tend to sound the same. With German music I can usually terribly translate their words into English. This, I can’t. That doesn’t mean anything. I am just filling space on a pretty generic review. To summarize. I’m not a fan but I recognize the effort.
This album wasn’t on my streaming service, but I was able to listen to the greatest hits. Instantly recognizable from Graceland. Fun to hear this group on its own.
This is a very different listening experience to most albums, and it's probably one that is exponentially better should one speak the language. As it stands, this is a decent album for what it is, but I'd have to sit with it for longer to really know if I loved it or not.
Definitely not something I'd call bad, just not for me. Acapella is not to my personal taste.
4 stars! Pretty good and a nice calming, chill vibe for my Friday
Could not find the original version but found the "revisited" version and sounds exactly like I assume the original version sounds. Totally great for relaxing music, good on Paul Simon for brining them to international attention.
I feel dirty giving this a 1 because I was so excited to hear something really different. Just couldn't get into it at all, bland and blended together maybe a lack of instruments?
It's hymns but also it's very repetitive with not much backing behind the same a capella harmonies.
Graceland w/o all the Paul Simon
Heard Before? Nope! Only some of their compilation and guest appearances. Notes: - I imagine this will be our only choral album. That frustrates me, but I'm delighted we at least have Shaka Zulu. Tokenism always fills me with similar inner conflict, but is an unfortunate necessity in any list of albums that pretends at comprehensiveness. - the English tracks kill the magic slightly, somehow simultaneously amplifying and diminishing the exoticism. - I love how the pieces move from unison melodies to accompanied themes to counterpoint to call-and-response and back again. - i know that Zulu phonemes include clicks and hisses, but i love how they extend that with whoops and other sounds. - like most great choral recordings, the reverb acts as another instrument, one which they use masterfully. Verdict: Deeply religious, powerfully emotional, gloriously living. I should really join a choir again. Listen Again? Yes! And some of their other albums as well.
Not bad - very soothing
By the third song I was waiting for this to end and felt relief when I heard instruments, because I knew the album was over.
Not bad. World music. Although I don't think I'll ever play it again.
It immediately reminded me of Homeless on Graceland and it's actually them! Very cool African a cappella!
It's important to remember that when this was recorded, Mandela was still in prison and Apartheid was still operating in South Africa. This is the sound of an oppressed people. The act of recording this, of perpetuating Black Culture was a political act. If it isn't the politics of rebellion, it certainly is the politics of Cultural Survival. Of course, it's intensely beautiful, with the voices perfectly blended in gorgeous harmony. Whether you want to listen to it as a complete album or as something to dip into now and then is up to personal preference. It's hopeful, it's defiant and it's strong.
It's good but just too repetitive. When they worked with Paul Simon it worked better.
beautiful .. BUT i know it's a sign of the times but the long church reverb on here is just way too much. listening to the rest of their discog, there are probably 10 records more impactful than this one. i guess it's because of graceland fame (and paul simon production credit) that this one takes the cake??? idk seems kinda stupid to me. it's beautiful but the reverb washes out all of the timbre of their voices. you can't hear vocal fry. you can't hear how the singers are interacting. there's reverb on other records in their discog but it is often short tasteful verbs that definitely do not place them in a hall/church. this is community circle music!! so often outside!! obviously i have no place to comment on how this music should be presented but neither does paul simon so i am digging in lmao. listen to this for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8VbOhbZOrw favs: golgotha, lombhlaba kawunoni
Very pleasant listen if not a bit repetitive. A little too much sheen on it, but the vocal performances are something else.
Pretty solid a capella album. It's a really warm and pretty album, with some fantastic harmonies and melodies. With that being said, I don't love it, mainly because it did feel kind of samey and it went on for a bit longer than I'd like, but considering that there's not really anything else like it on this list (from what I've seen, at least), I'll teeter on the side of positive here.
This was very pretty but overstayed it's welcome
Almost for me
Thought this was quite pretty - and would probably be incredible to listen to in a live setting - but I found my attention drifting a bit (to the extent that I nearly fell asleep!) I'll give a 2 though for the first 3-4 tracks.
New to me and not terrible at all - thank you for sharing RPG, towards the bottom of the 2 stars. Tom.
A bit sleepy
meh
Very different from the usual which is fun
Bem chato. Disco inteiramente acapella. Não consigo imaginar alguém que ouve isso por prazer no seu tempo livre. No máximo, como forma de estudo, ou em uma lista como essa aqui. Nada a dizer, o álbum inteiro parece uma longa e contínua canção, e uma bem chata. 0.5
es tipo musica africana, pero no se malisimo. 2/10
I do this 1001 list to find unique albums. It is one of those, and there are only a few, that meet this criterion. Liked it.
Absolutely impeccable vibes - beautiful harmonies and stunning vocals. Beautiful music and great album, but something just isn't clicking with me. Nothing I can put my finger on.
Wow. That was great
Really really good album! I like it a lot in comparison to other African albums we've discovered on this list. Can't be too critical because of the language barrier and the all acappella structure means that angle is useless. I love the harmony and range of these fine young gents, their overall technical skill is worth mentioning. Gonna go for the moon and call this a 4 stars album. Without instruments which is crazy!
It's interesting and pretty but not something I would listen to with any regularity. I literally could not tell when one song ended and another began.
Kai tää ihan OK oli. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recognized the sound right away as the group from Graceland. What they do is simple, yet beautiful. And certainly not recreatable by anyone else. Fantastic album even if it is outside what I would normally listen to
Unmathemba, How Long? and Wawusho Kubani? (Who Were You Talking To?) were stand outs. I think I found overall it felt a bit too repetitive which I guess was kind of the point but I found myself losing interest and wanting a bit more variety.
I really like their sound, have an album or 2 somewhere but listening to a whole album unless in the right place, which wasn’t the case today brings score down 3 Star
Not for me
Was there a more joyful act than Ladysmith black mambazo?
Play it for everyone you know! Moving, soulful, lyrical and playful. Truly uplifting warmth on a winters day. its quite arousing really. These guys were a huge global act for decades. where are they now? Dancing, heaving and smiling through my speakers - that's where. Thanks - list sprites - for providing that rare payoff where a truly amazing album comes up. I needed it just *now*! p.s. Yes yes Y E S ! to introducing people to important World Music like this instead of obscure British/American back room collectible albums that only a 60 year old would remember. This would be on the rival , 'rebel top1000' list I am building in my mind, in a fantasy life where I have time to do such things.
A nice listen, Rain Rain was lovely. That's about it.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo had 25 years performing and more than a dozen albums under their belt by the time they cameoed on the Graceland album. I have strong feelings about Paul Simon's relationship with collaborators (*cough cough * serial plagiarist and musical colonialist *cough cough*) but will concede that he did strong-arm Warners into giving wide release to a full album that he produced. Simon had the good sense to keep himself relatively out of the spotlight -- no cameos, don't muck around with the formula -- although the liberal application of reverb and delay in the mix have dated the production a bit. And Ladysmith won Grammys, sold a bunch of records and have built a career touring the world ever since, even if Warners couldn't be bothered sustaining their interest for more than a couple of records. There are some concessions to Western audiences here - four songs in English, a translated lyrics sheet, the aforementioned mix -- but Joseph Shabalala and his well-honed choir did what they had always done. You could potentially accuse them of being a one-trick pony, but it is a really good trick. Frankly, you could happily swap this out for almost any one of their many albums and get a great representation of what is wonderful about the group.
Not for me. I would’ve appreciated a song or two in this style, but for the duration of an entire album it all begins to blend together.
I quite enjoyed the first five minutes, and it was a pleasant change to be exposed to some world music. The vocal harmonies are undoubtedly outstanding. But, perhaps because I’m not accustomed to this musical style, it quickly turned from pleasant to monotonous. So much so that I needed to listen to the album in two sessions, three days apart, to finish it. By the end, the individual songs had merged in my mind into one long track of chanting, clicking and lip-trilling. I can imagine enjoying five minutes of this from time to time, but a whole album is not going to be something I return to very often.
Undeniably beautiful singing with some important things to say at the time.
I see why Cady's parents were mad about her missing this concert. (I also kind of see why Cady wanted to skip the concert.)
The harmonies here are great! I wouldn't listen to this normally, but this wasn't bad. It was very calming! Actual rating...2.5 Liked Ratings: "Unomathemba" , "Hello My Baby" , "King of Kings" , "Lomhlaba Kawunoni - The Earth Never Gets Fat" , "Ikhaya Lamaqhawe - Home of the Heroes" , "Yibo Labo (These Are The Guys)" , "Rain, Rain, Beautiful Rain" , "Wawusho Kubani - Who Were You Talking To?"
Amazing voices and harmonies but all quite samey I guess
I’m not really sure how to rate this. I assume it’s alright but the reality is I’m never likely to listen again and if I was ever wondering what music to play this would never spring to mind.
All a bit samey and of no real appeal.
It’s all very pleasant and chilled, but to an extent that I was a tad bored by it at the end. A few changes in pace wouldn’t have gone amiss for me.
It's a pleasant sound. The voices are obviously gorgeous but I'm unlikely to return to it.
хуйня
South African a cappella is still a cappella. Sucks that these guys forgot to bring their instruments to the recording studio.
The whole acapella nature of the record was maybe its biggest hurdle for me, especially at nearly 40 minutes. But it honestly ended up entrancing me before long. Just the very steady nature of it all is hypnotizing, in the same way a long piano-driven ambient album is. Far from your conventional music but one that proves that the voice is a strong enough standalone instrument, same as any other instrument. In this case it's multiple voices, but really they all come together as one, like a warm blanket over you on a quiet, cold night as you're ushered into the dream world. An album I'm glad I got to listen to. Not entirely my thing, but that really doesn't matter now, does it. This feels important, ethereal, and soulful, and I'm probably just not at the point where I've fully grasped it.
It's fantastic You really don't need to understand the lyrics to appreciate the harmony and sound
Really interesting. Pleasant listen
What a lovely vibe for a sunny July day. I remember these being everywhere for a while in the 90s, and looking back it was obviously an awakening for South Africa and they were a representation of that worldwide. It’s maybe slightly repetitive for a whole album as tracks are similar to one another, but it’s so relaxing I can’t criticise too much. In the words of Shakin Stevens: lovely stuff
Sounds fantastic, beautiful harmonies, is it v bad to say it all sounds a bit the same? Also bit hard to sing along, if I'm being critical...
Hi! I don't think worship music should be on this list! Also, to my shame, I only knew of ladysmith black mambazo from mean girls, and I did naaat have the right idea. Lol.
This album was really good, it’s all voices and the harmonies sound beautiful, idk how to describe the way I felt during this album but I did find my self enjoying it, I don’t have much to say about it other than talented group of singers that didn’t bore me
Like most people, my only reference for this is Graceland. This sounds a lot like that album minus Paul Simon, which sounds like it wouldn't be good, but this is great. Simon's ear for melody is part of what made him, but even without that this is a solid album, the only downside being the songs start to sound the same after a while
This why the list exists. Out of 200 albums there have been about 30 albums that I wasn’t familiar with. Out of these few I think 15 are really ones I should have heard before I died. This is one of its good. Does it get a little monotonous sure. It’s soothing and I think I enjoyed listening to this.
This is quite beautiful. 4 stars.
Sometimes music is like a warm blanket. This is one of those times. Great for the workday. Great for food prep. Great for Sunday morning in the summer. Just great.
Interesting album. Good voices, just not my thing.
Schnarch schnarch Wake me up when the album is over.
This is nice and soothing, with beautiful vocal harmonies and interplay. But I guess it can get a bit repetitive after a while.
Beautiful and comforting
Very good. Not a genre I have time with but listened on repeat and checked out other similar artists
We all listened to Graceland and sing it's praises, then walked away. Such a shame. There is so much talent here.
gefällt, harmonisches accapella
Ein schönes Album
Ladysmith Black Mambazo were part of the reason why Graceland was as iconic as it was. I'm not very big into a-capella groups but some of the backing rhythms (especially in 'Unomathemba') are really sick to hear. Probably better on certain kinds of drugs. Tolerable enough to be entertaining/acceptable listen and certainly intriguing but absolutely not for me.
While the African acapella singing is cool, I don't think I need to listen to 45+ of it. And it's not a problem with the genre; there is a such thing as too much acapella music for me, and this album unfortunately goes on far too long for my liking
Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s “Shaka Zulu” isn’t really comparable to most of the other albums on this list. It’s an absolutely excellent - but also exceptionally mellow - a cappella album, and the harmonies, which are based on fourths rather than thirds, create a sound that feels unusually open to me as a European. Otherwise, I don’t have much to say here; the production is absolutely professional, and I find the songs generally too quiet. There simply need to be more comparable albums suggested to allow for a meaningful evaluation.
Loved the harmony in the voices. I wouldn't have expected that I would have enjoyed an a cappella album as much as I did.
Don't really have a frame of reference for African acapella, I enjoyed it for one listen but can't say it grabbed me enough for another. Definitely interesting and could enjoy it in the right context but as an album it's not great.
Harmonious, relaxing, and unobtrusive. Wouldn't come back, not my cup of tea, but I appreciate what they were doing.
Really good, probably wouldn't choose to listen again, but that's my problem. Enjoyed it though, lots of cool harmonies and was interesting throughout. 3.5
Töff a capella og fínt, en ég er ekki nógu hrifinn af forminu og tónlistinni til að ég vilji endilega hlusta á heila plötu í einu. Paul Simon bætti greinilega heilmiklu við í þetta samstarf á Graceland.
3.7 almost a 4; they have other albums I like better
Great album, recognise many of their songs from their best of album. Would listen again
90s dinner party music that is played in the misguided belief that your guests will think you're sophisticated, yet no one around the table really likes it and is too afraid to say so. What I heard, bored me senseless. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ in part Revisit ❌️ ★☆☆☆☆(2/10) Total reviewed : 377 Already owned : 83 Purchased : 16 To buy : 7 Nope : 271
A little slow for my liking, but interesting. I like when these kinds of albums pop up on here.
Amazingly tight harmonies.
could not access the album anywhere. listened to 2 songs on youtube
This is the type of truly unique music that this list needs more of. Very cool for something like this to be wholly African and also have some pop elements, I haven’t heard anything like this before. Was it my favorite album? No. Did it expand my perspective? Yes
Can get a bit repetitive but it still kinda rules
Obviously this sound is unique and powerful - otherwise Paul Simon wouldn't have sought it out and brought it to wider prominence - so I found this soothing and enjoyable solely for that reason. I'm less sold on what's being more literally communicated here; the theology on "Golgotha" seems muddled, and the rest of this isn't pointed enough to really signify for me. Call me culturally insensitive or whatever but this isn't better than *Graceland*.
No standouts, could use some instruments
Pretty chill album. Even though I barely understood a word :D
6.5/10 - Sounds like they were true to their sound on Graceland. Great vibes, super peaceful and easy to listen to.
The singing is beautiful and the vibes are high. 6/10
After appearing on Paul Simon's magnum opus Graceland Paul Simon produced this album of African folk music (I think that's what this is) sung in a cappella for Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Clearly talented it's still a bit too much for western ears a least my western ears. All the songs sound the same to me and what was fine the first 2-3 songs got old by the 11th song and frankly it was a bit of a chore to get to the end. I feel bad that I don't like it more as I adore them on Graceland and Paul Simon produced this album to expose his listeners to more world music but it had the opposite effect on me in that I want to hear world music less now than before hearing Shaka Zulu and I didn't really want to hear it at all before. It sounds like it's from another planet and close to being entirely unrelatable to me. I don't even know what to rate it TBH so I guess I'll give it a confused 3 stars because the talent is clearly there in droves, but I just didn't enjoy it. I feel a bit retarded for not liking it, but I try to be as honest as I can on these 1001 reviews and frankly had Paul Simon not been involved, I likely would have given it two stars. This is the only album I have rated higher than I should of because of who's involved (Paul Simon) breaking my own rule of rating albums ONLY on the music and my reaction to that music, so I feel like a retard and a phony. I might go back and rate it two stars at a later date. It's all too heavy for a Monday morning and I feel like screaming a little.
This was not for me. I did not bust out movers hitherto unforeseen.
This shit SLAPS* *say's the old guy who never uses slang terms like "slaps" as slang terms in the modern social media environment become irrelevant too quickly, thus it feels desperate as one ages to try and stay relevant instead of just being OK with getting old... I'm pretty sure "slaps" was out of fashion a few years ago when people my age started using it? It always feels weird when someone tries to talk slang with their kids, just stop. Wow, I need to stop rambling like the old man I am. Anyway, "slaps" applies here.
This was very different and easy to listen to! I’m a new fan. So pleasant.
I listened to most of this in the bathtub and i was very comfortable
It's whatever, A Capella African tunes, not bad, not good.
I won't deny that they're talented singers. But listening to a choir is not my vibe
So I’ll start with a couple positives, first I thought the harmonies were flawless along with all the individual vocals. The other positive is I liked that it was very authentically African. But I honestly, didn’t care for the fact that the whole album is only a capella. I always preach that I want albums to have variety and this album falls very short on that request. And honestly that’s crazy she’s all I have to say about this album. I appreciate what this is but I found it very boring and dry.
It's got a beautiful, meditative mood that was only slightly spoiled by my wife watching Love Island nearby
I could listen to this album all day and be happy
I was expecting something much more interesting than this.
It's a relaxing listen, but I'm not sure if there'd ever be a moment in my life again when I'd go "I wanna relisten to Shaka Zulu!" The album has a pretty interesting background though, and is produced by Paul Simon, so I'm not opposed to it being on the list. It's just that it doesn't really hit me on a musical enjoyment levels as much as it hits me on the musical intrigue levels.
This was a fun listen. I enjoy a capella sometimes and it was a nice break from some of the other music we get.
Zulu is a very interesting language. The singing is amazing. I guess that's all that matters about this album. I really liked it.
It’s nice as first but gets a bit repetitive. Needs a bit of drums, guitar, keyboard etc to flesh it out and break the monotony
Very enjoyable - 5 stars
No clue what to expect, but I'm excited. Did not expect a bunch of a capella songs but I don't mind. I think there is a context in which I can enjoy this, but listening to it at home in maybe not the right mood is not it. It's cool though! Yeah, this was just not for me. I could enjoy it, but at a very specific time and place. For now, while it was not bad, I was jsut not captivated by this. Oh well
I’m a big fan of Graceland and obviously plenty of similar vibes with this one. Enjoyable enough listen but probably wouldn’t get on my regular listening rotation.
Kind of amazing the grandiose feel these guys can get with only vocals. Favorite track: Hello My Baby
Strong 4, had a great time hoovering and listening to this one. I was pulling some moves hitherto never seen before.
Unique good losten
We listened to this music in the car. After 20 minutes I asked my girlfriend: how do you like this album? Her response: ah, this is not still the first song? That pretty much sums it up. Yes, significant music, and I don’t dislike it, it is just very similar to me. No strong emotions. Three stars.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, das südafrikanische Männer-Vokalensemble um Joseph Shabalala, hatte sich bereits seit den 1960er-Jahren in der Tradition des Mbube-Gesangs einen Namen gemacht, bevor Paul Simon die Gruppe für sein Album Graceland engagierte und damit ihren internationalen Durchbruch einleitete. Shaka Zulu, produziert von Simon und mit Roy Halee als Toningenieur abgemischt, erschien 1987 bei Warner Bros. Records und versammelt überarbeitete Versionen älterer Mambazo-Klassiker, deren ursprüngliche Studio-Herkunft nicht lückenlos dokumentiert ist, was die produktionstechnische Brücke zwischen südafrikanischer Tradition und westlichem Studio-Standard nur unterstreicht. Das Album zeigt die Gruppe auf dem Höhepunkt ihrer stimmlichen Präzision: Die mehrstimmigen Call-and-Response-Strukturen, getragen vom warmen Bass Shabalalas und den hellen Tenorlinien der übrigen Sänger, wirken trotz der internationalen Produktion erstaunlich unverstellt. Songs wie „Hello My Baby“ und „Unomathemba“ verbinden Zulu-Gesangstraditionen mit einer Klarheit, die westlichen Hörgewohnheiten entgegenkommt, ohne die rhythmische Eigenheit des Isicathamiya zu glätten. Auch „King Of Kings“ trägt jene gospelartige Sehnsucht, die dem Album seinen zugänglichen, fast andächtigen Grundton verleiht. Was Shaka Zulu von vielen „Weltmusik“-Crossover-Produkten der Ära unterscheidet, ist die Disziplin, mit der die Gruppe ihre eigene Stimme bewahrt, statt sich dem Produktionskonzept unterzuordnen – ein Balanceakt, der dem Album 1988 den Grammy für die beste traditionelle Folk-Aufnahme einbrachte. Ein Album, das beweist, dass kommerzieller Erfolg und kulturelle Integrität sich nicht ausschließen müssen.
Ye nah
This is a fun listen in a background kind of way, and the harmonies are great. Still, I don't think I'll listen to it very often. 4/5 because it's something different and that's the reason I'm doing this challenge.
qué lindo poder escuchar musica sudafricana por estos lares!
Smooth, South African easy listening album that was very peaceful to listen in the morning. Not that special though.
I saw Ladysmith Black Mambazo perform a couple of years ago at the Dakota in Minneapolis. The group has gone through several iterations over the years, but the love of the music comes through.
???
I listened to this album on my daily walk, adding in new exercises along my walking path. I have always had a soft spot for acapella performances and vocal choirs, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo already made a wonderful first impression supporting Paul Simon on Graceland, so this album had me very excited before I even pressed play. I have a long history of loving acapella vocal interludes on albums just as much as or more than the actual songs, so an album made up entirely of full-length songs structured like those interludes was basically a cheat code to win me over. The countless unique vocalizations throughout the album add bits color to the performances, like the kissing sounds, the background bass hums, and the tongue clicks. Most of these songs have at least one little recurring element which gets stuck rattling around in my brain, setting each song apart from one another. The constant gorgeous vocal harmonies raise my spirits in such a unique fashion; I have never heard another album which felt like Shaka Zulu, and it will surely hold a firm place within my choir-loving brain. Highlights: Unomathemba, Hello My Baby, Golgotha, How Long, Ikhaya Lamaqhawe, Yibo Labo, Rain, Rain, Beautiful Rain, Wawusho Kubani
What a great album. I saw LBM decades ago when they played with usPaul Simon. This music is timeless and wonderful.
Not for me personally I'm sure if you're into this stuff then its great. But I'm not the target audience 2 ⭐️
Truly lovely. Its a capella nature does limit its upside, though. And the songs tend to run together on a full album listen.
Unexpected. Beautiful singing
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is always a great listen.
I'm vibing with this.
LOVE!!
Not my style. ★★
mmmmmm
I liked this well enough, but after learning about the all night Zulu a capella contests, I was fascinated.
every time they go brrr it heals me. why is paul simon on this how long was he in africa
medio simba pero esta bueno
nice enough, but you kept wanting to hear Paul Simon jump outta there
Its making me want to listen to Graceland (that must be on here, right)
tiene valores de producción pero hay que estar de humor y más metido en el género para escuchar algo así 3.0
Super enjoyable African singing.
Beautiful, entrancing voices. No idea on the subject matter but I'm sure it's as pure as the driven snow.
Vond het heel vet maar wel het gevoel dat ik na 5 minuten al heel het album heb gehoord
Maybe I just wasn't in the mood but I didn't enjoy this. Maybe too repetitive? Maybe just not my thing.
2.5
Not a fan of this genre. An OK album for me.
Uh, it's OK? Obviously talented, kinda cool to hear the acapella, but all the tongue clicking mouth noise stuff got kind of old after awhile. I'm aware it's a language, but it's also on my nerves. Like German.
youtube.com/watch?v=CCcMPFu4pD4
One of those albums I'm glad I've heard, but still left me cold. It's a comfortable listen, though.
Mad talent with the harmonies. This was a very soothing album to listen to and relax. Would I sit and listen to this on a regular basis? No. Was is a very nice listen? Definitely.
Great craft and talent but not something that I'm likely to listen to again. Hard to separate it in my mind from the Paul Simon thing.
Slipped into the background a bit but it's an album I will listen to again.
Not sure if it’s a bad thing or a good thing that I couldn’t get the Broadway version of the Lion King out of my head when I listened to this.
No thanks
Wow che scoperta, la mia anima sta ascendendo allo spirito dell'ippopotamo a strisce o dell'elefante a macchie
I only knew Ladysmith Black Mambazo from Paul Simon and was happy to be immersed in this album. Ultimately, despite the quality and consistency of this sound, a whole album was a bit too much. I would dip in again but not really able to identify a particular track that stands out.
While I can appreciate this as a great recording of African a cappella, I have to be honest and say I found it extremely boring to listen to for 40 minutes straight.
Sehr schön
Interesting album. I did enjoy it, and having the opportunity to hear and find things like this are great thing about the 1001 list.
I had to find the original recording of this album on YouTube because the 30th-anniversary revisited edition on streaming services is actually a re-recording, which is a bit intriguing considering Shaka Zulu was already a collection of newer recordings of their older hits. I previously mentioned Ladysmith Black Mambazo for their contributions to Paul Simon's Graceland. That record and its subsequent tour introduced the South African acapella group to a global audience. In a good turn of faith, Paul would produce their next record, which would become their first US release through Warner Bros. Records. With all that established, how does Shaka Zulu hold up? Honestly, surprisingly well. It is genuinely amazing the rhythmic patterns that can be created from just their harmonized voices as the collective worked their way through these spiritual chants. Whether it's the humming and ebbing refrain of "reveal yourself" on "King of Kings" or the more powerful oom-pahs that form a driving beat on "How Long", the isicathamiya singing style they employed proved to be very emphatic, and the mix was well done that I could hear individual lines. Granted, it did get a tad repetitive at times with the religious themes and song structures, which is why I can't say I was fully engaged throughout. But more often than not, I was genuinely vibing with this style. There's not much else to say here, as I do consider Shak Zulu to be a solid a capella record. If anything, I'm glad that Ladysmith Black Mambazo got more recognition.
Se han ganado a capela tres estrellas
No thanks
Nice but meh
Beautiful album. I can’t believe the haters. Do you just want to listen to the same-sounding crap all the time? 5
Cyclical, repetitive and boring. All the songs sound identical. Same key, same sound. 30 minutes have never felt longer. 1/5
Rate: 8/10.
I can see how this style inspired Paul Simon on Graceland. Soulful, funky
Decent
Beautiful and hilarious to be associated with Paul Simon, the whitest guy who ever lived.
Muy entretenido, hermosas voces armónicas
I found the story of the group far more interesting than the actual music. I can see why they were asked to collaborate so much -- their vocals seem like they'd add great texture to other music. Listening to them on their own just didn't do much for me for very long. I really disliked the 2nd song -- didn't care for the kissing sounds and it seemed to go on forever. In fact, the English-language tracks represented all the weakest spots.
They're good at what they do and this makes for a pleasant listen. Lacking variety, though.
I have an uncomfortable response to this. I want to be embracing it for just what it is, but it’s difficult to disassociate it from Graceland. It is totally listenable but while I’d like to be connecting with it on an emotional level, instead it feels more like an enjoyable familiar texture, rather than a strong artistic statement, particularly on the tracks with a language barrier. I know this on me, but it’s my review. I’m pretty sure Paul Simon did them dirty. The cool thing would have been to let Ladysmith have a spotlight and humbly stand behind them safe in the knowledge you’d written your best songs in 10 years. He’s had a lot of arrogance about him though, and I trust Steven Van Zandt on issues regarding music and apartheid and SVZ says the collaboration shouldn’t have happened. The rights and wrongs put aside for a moment, Ladysmith did get a massive boost by featuring on Graceland. I can’t believe this album would have been in the 1001 otherwise. It is a solid album of the thing that it is, but it doesn’t get my attention. Feels background-y when it should probably be more than that.
Not my thing
You know what? This is kinda nice. Not great, not bad. Feels like optimism.
Hasa Diga Eebowai.
Pretty good music to chill to. Halford’s Golgotha is much better though.
A good album for focus
Finally, after nearly 100 albums, one from the "Global South". LBM are an excellent group, and this is a fine collection of songs showcasing their immense skill. Despite this being purely a capella it does feel a little overproduced (quite an artifical timbre?) and is merely a collection of good tunes rather than a considered "album", as such. Would be interesting to check out some older cuts...
Pleasing as background music. You really do get a sense of the culture, the clicks in the language, and the singers are talented. Paul Simon wouldn’t settle for less, I’m sure, and this was produced at a very important time in South African history. That being said, there is a heavy use of cheese here. It’s practically a broccoli casserole. They’re singing with kissy sounds, they do a whole rendition of This Little Light of Mine- yeah, that’s a bit much. There are nice vibes here. It’s definitely a ‘feel good’ piece. But it can get so sappy it’s soggy.
I didn't mind it, it was relaxing chill and a good vibe. Was very spiritual and heartwarming. Not sure I would go back to it though, just isn't anytime music. Also each song was rather repetitive and very one note.
This was cool vibes, but it was too slow and repetitive and chanty for anything to really draw me in.
Ok for an occasional listen but not my fav.
The African tribes run through me!
Meh not my thing. Fireside African songs.
I had no idea what to expect and I was rewarded graciously. Ladysmith Black Mambazo's vocal choir works, and beautifully so! I love being exposed to new (to me) music!
I often wondered what Paul Simon's relationship with his backing band on Graceland was like. What a joy to hear a solo a capella offering from them, produced by Simon! I loved this record and will definitely return to it. 8/10
pas vraiment pour moi
I guess I should thank Paul Simon for this one
Beautiful harmonies for sure, but there isn’t much else here.
Great album. Now I have the bassline to Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes running thru my head. Listened to the original version on YouTube and the 30th anniversary version on Spotify and then listened to some stuff from the 70's. You really can't go wrong with any of it. Top notch a capella music.
A beautiful album. Listening to it slowed everything around me. It was easier to notice things in the world, like the wind in the trees or the gentle hum of the house. Such as intense feeling.
Enjoyable
With harmonising out of this world it reminds me I should listen to this band a lot more
Completely neutral on this.
Another great surprise from this project. I had no idea South African choir music would be up my alley, but their sound was great and I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
A nice little detour to Africa. I probably won’t come back to it but respect what they’re going for and love how it can transport you to a different continent. Rating: 2.7
I didn't miss or even notice the lack of instruments until reading a review, and that's a testament to how tight knit and beautifully crafted the groups vocals are on this record. Everything flows so well. I got 2 songs in and didn't think it was for me, but as the album continued, I enjoyed it more and more
A really cool and smooth album of world music brought to America. Amazing that it’s entirely a cappella. After a while I get a little fatigued by it, there’s not much variation.
Curioso, fue divertido escucharlo
I liked it but not really something I'd seek to relisten
album #48 When I started this project/challenge with my partner, this is moreso what I was expecting! Music that you wouldn't necessarily hear in the mainstream as often, but is worth hearing before you die. I think this list definitely suffers from too much Western (specifically UK/US) influence, and oft tries to offset this in a terribly unsubtle way. You shouldn't have 500 Morrissey albums and then such a small amount of music from any country that doesn't speak English...! Just saying lol. It's a difficult undertaking, to make a list such as this, but sometimes it feels a touch sloppy and lacking in diversity (from a genre, language, year, and country perspective). It well displays the systemic exclusion of non-white, LGBTQ+, and non-western music which is sad. Maybe they should have renamed the list, I don't know. Again, I respect it's a hard balance and I'm enjoying the project and that it's exposing me to music I haven't heard before (such as this album!), but I think it's also important to explore the issues with this list and what could be improved upon. We need to stop giving white men the microphone on music opinions LMAO. Either way, I'm glad the list exists because it means i can partake in this fun little project and also because it allows for these conversations! :) ꩜ average track rating: 2.4/5 ꩜ favourite track(s): yibo labo, unomathemba ꩜ least favourite track(s): hello my baby ꩜ album rating: ★★⯪☆☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,041 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 29 (+1 Shaka Zulu) ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 11 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 37
I really like this album. I was only familiar with this group because of my love for Graceland. This is an excellent album. I am a sucker for a cappella music and harmonies. This is very concise, very well done and shows the tremendous talent of these guys as singers and arrangers.
No music but oddly calming. I liked it.
Amazing stuff 4
I can't judge if it's good in it's genre because it is not my genre. I respect it. Great harmonies and some fun moments. But it all sounds the same to me and even though it does have a calming effect, I mostly find myself being bored. this is just a very subjective rating, but I am pretty sure I won't listen to it again.
Really interesting harmonies. Very relaxing to have on. However, while I do respect the amazing arrangements and recording here, for me it is not an active listen.
No instruments = no stars! The first song I liked was the one when I didn't realize the album was over, and YouTube started playing something from another artist.
A choir. Zulu harmonies, no instruments, a tradition being documented rather than an album being made. I finished it, which feels like the right data point — it held enough to keep going, even when it drifted into background noise. Parts of it were genuinely pleasant. Parts of it were grating, the way any unfamiliar ritual can be when you're not initiated into it. I don't think that's a flaw in the music so much as an honest account of the distance between me and it. Is this a defining album? A genre-shaping statement? I can't really say — I don't have the framework to judge it on its own terms. On the list's terms, I understand why it's here. As a listening experience for someone coming in cold: 2/5 — respectfully.
Expert voices, beautiful vocal harmonies, warm and soothing. Reminds me of the vocal parts in The Lion King soundtrack and musical, which I like very much. However, I felt that after one track, I had heard them all. So, as a whole album, it's not for me. Add some orchestra and percussion, and I think I would enjoy it much more. 2/5 below average
This was definitely way out of my comfort zone, no musical accompaniment, just some guys making noises in a language I don't understand. I think I was done with this halfway through the first track. I can't recall half an hour that went by so slowly in recent memory. Truly an awful experience. I didn't like Graceland and this feels like the worst parts of that dialled up to ten. I'm sure there's some cultural significance or something I'm missing out on here, but this was just the same noise for each track, nothing of any interest, just people vocalising. One star for possibly the worst album I've heard so far on this list, and that's saying something!
I just wouldn't listen to this on my own time
Sounds lovely, but there's not much light and shade.
Another African album means more joy! This is another artist that I already knew; I have enjoyed one or two of their albums, previously, and this one sounded pretty similar. What impresses me most about their music is probably the precision (and coordination, assuming they are performing as a group) with which they craft vocal harmonies, especially considering the amount of syllables that are included in some of the phrases. Because it's only voices singing in a similar style, there is risk of losing interest, part way, but it is the joy that keeps me engaged throughout
I remember hearing them in concert at Dominican University in River Forest (and possibly another time, too -- Orchestra Hall, maybe?), and thinking a) all of their songs sound (to me, anyway) kind of similar, but b) oh, what a glorious sound it is! If I could sing in a group like that, I would probably do that, too. ;) 4 stars.
I am reminded of why I haven't listened to a whole album by LBM. They sound so good, but there isn't a ton of variety. The songs on this album are like lullabies- Pro: very relaxing, Con: not very exciting or engaging after a while. Their vocal control is impeccable. The use of dynamics, a variety of timbres and ranges, and loose but perfectly synchronous rhythms are all impressive
lovely vibe and way to start my day
N ouvi
Just boring. Inoffensive but boring.
Love these on Graceland, so its sad to say that i cant get into a whole album of a capella with very little dynamism Faded nicely into the background of night time childcare though, so major credit for being in the right place at the right time
More like Nah-capella am I right? 2
Great!
also just ok
ta bueno
Beautiful voices, but too repetitive. In the end, not boring, but damn close.
This is really nice! Beautiful harmonies. Can't speak to significance but a nice album at face value
Straight up the middle. Not a genre I'm really interested in, but I really don't have much to say in the negative. Not for me but not bad.
They are good singers, so I feel I can't really give it a 1, but fucking hell was that boring to listen to. No distinguishable moments since it all blurred into one, not a single instrument used. Very generous 2
Oh yeah, that was some good stuff. I am not sure why I liked it so much, but I really did. I wish it was on spotify so I could listen to it more frequently.
Shaka Zulu is an album that i just feel isn't really for me. I have nothing against a capella music, for instance, i really loved TV On The Radio's song Ambulance, but that was mainly because there wasn't really anything on that album that sounded like it. This was nothing but a capella music giving me intense deja vu with that Miriam Makeba album i did a long while back but even more egregious since at least that album had music, this one doesn't have any at all. I will admit that these guys are no doubt good singers but even at 36 minutes, this album felt like it was dragging on and on. I can see why others would like it but it is not my thing at all. Best Song: Rain, Rain, Beautiful Rain Worst Song: Yibo Labo
I respect them as artists in their own right. But it’s just not for me.
relaxing once I stopped tweaking, pretty good album. key track would be Yibo Labo
I could listen to LBM all day. It’s like birds singing with human voices. A 5.
Incroyable vibe mais rentre pas dans mes playlist
This loses its charm pretty quickly
Light 3
This is beautiful. Thanks, not Garfunkel!
This is beautiful and the multiple-part harmonies are incredibly well done. I have really come to enjoy and appreciate African music, especially after being exposed to more of it by this list. So why don't I like this? I just don't respond favorably to the a cappella format. I respect the talent that goes into it, but I just don't enjoy listening to it.
Fire at lytte til lidt world. Genren er Isicathamiya som er sydafrikansk zulu a capella-kormusik med sådan noget call and response hvilket er tydeligt på næsten alle sangene. De har været med på Graceland som er Paul Simons album, men det her er så deres eget første album uafhængigt af ham så det er jo kæmpe stort også ud fra hvor populært det nu er blevet. ellers er det A capella choral hvor normal instrumental ikke bære det, som får mig til at tænke det er rigtig godt at mixe med noget andet over et beat? kunne sagtens være det skulle bruges i et DJ set. Jeg tror egentlig bare det er med fordi det jo giver sydafrikansk identitet, kultur og tradition et sted på det globale. Både igennem musikken men også igennem deres historie osv. Det var en fornøjelse at lytte til.
Not my kind of thing. Sounds lovely as background music however it starts to grate after a time. Deserves to be on the list
Good for what it is. All acapella. I imagine this music being better to witness live than on record. Like Doo Wop in many ways, but I’d rather listen to The Penguins. Wouldn’t return to it.
The best Paul Simon song that I’ve discovered on this list is “Diamonds On The Souls Of Her Shoes”, featuring an inordinately fun vocal intro Ladysmith Black Mambazo. That sense of fun isn’t lost on this album either. The voice is an instrument and they use it in all sorts of ways. Prideful harmonies, unique vocal runs, even tricks like volume fader emulation. I did feel like I’d kinda heard it all about halfway through the album, but I wasn’t complaining. Need more records like this, less Elvis Costello or Neil Young. 4/5
2 Stars (5/15)
I do love me some LBM harmonies the clapping and foot stomping on Wawusho Kuban is such a groove
Sounds impressive and wonderful - but a whole album of this with nothing really dynamically different (something louder or faster, something with instrumentation) falls a bit flat.
Monotonous
I'll admit, while I didn't find this all that interesting, it was still just so soothing that it's hard to criticise that much. And even with much of the album being in Zulu, even though I don't understand a word of it, you can still feel the warmth of the music. I do still feel like being an a capella album it is held back just a bit, the simplistic nature of the genre makes it pretty hard to make it anything that groundbreaking. But it's cool that Paul Simon was so heavily involved in this, and all things considered he did a great job and definitely made this about as well as he could have given the genre and style and all that.
Yeah not sure if I can do this one. Just not my thing.
Wonderful acapella with soothing droning bass parts in a South African chanting style. Evocative and pretty.
A lot of beautiful harmonies and melodies, but not an album that really grabbed me. 3/5
This is beautiful
Very talented, glad to have listened.
I enjoyed this far more then the techno yesterday.
8/10
pleasant...but got boring very quickly..not it for me, maybe cause i wasn't in the mood for soothing, repetitive vocals idk..but dint do it for me.
Impressive work but not my cup of tea...
Cool harmonies
The original release isn't on Spotify, but the 30th Anniversary revisited version is, and I think I like the newer version. It's a lot cleaner, and harmonized.
I listened to this while out on a sunset walk with Bart & Lyndsie. A very pleasant evening. (I always find it worth noting what’s not on Spotify. LBM recently played in Ojai, I should have gone?) “I HAVE MAGGOTS IN MY SCROOOTUMMM”
One week before the 1001 Album deadline “Oh shit we have 800 British shit bands! What do we do?!” “Here’s some African chant/gospel, that probably counts for 10 non-British bands. Just pick any of their albums, the most exotic name the better!”
Very angleic
Ana Gasteyer GIF: “But you love Ladysmith Black Mambazo!” ^it me
What a breath of fresh air! Wonderful to listen to. Their voices are incredible. It's all a capella, and their harmony is perfect. The songs are very relaxing and uplifting. You can tell how much fun they had making this album. Unomathemba, Hello My Baby, King Of Kings, How Long, and Rain Rain Beautiful Rain were all amazing. I normally don't listen to any bonus tracks and such, but I had to for this one. And I'm glad I did. It was a rendition of This Little Light Of Mine. They nailed it, loved it so much. Great album, I had a blast listening! They had a click in their songs! Best song: How Long
i don’t think that one has any right to ‘rate’ ethnic music as it is the cultural heritage and its impossible to properly comprehend it without knowing the cultural context, so i’ll give all of the similar albums a 5, even if it wasn’t much of my liking, though i’ll still write my opinion on the musical part
This was okay, at times relaxing. I may not listen to it again, scoring is hard sometimes, I'd like to give this a 2.5,2 is too low, so 3 it is.
I feel calm. serenaded by harmonies!
really not for me
really beautiful album. didnt understand a single word
This actually grated on me quite a lot. It was traditional African music dressed up for a white audience. The type of thing Jools Holland would put on to show how diverse his taste is. I also really disliked the clicking noises which triggered my misophonia. When they did keep it traditional it was pleasant, though even then it got a bit repetitive.
Nice enough but I feel little else better represents my affiliation with the tofu eating wokerati than listening to an album of Zulu acapella over dinner. Just too little variety, and although the harmonies are nice, needed some additional percussion or something to carry it more. Good to have something off the beaten track represented on the list but if I was going to pick music from other less represented cultures to feature, I probably wouldn’t have chosen this.
My only positive is that it’s only 37 minutes long, any longer and I would have given up. This isn’t music. Imagine if a barbershop quartet was on the list, it would be correctly mocked. This is the African version. Chanting and clicking for over half an hour with no instruments.
The harmonies are as tight as anything you will ever hear. Absolutely stunning. It does have a tendency to get very repetitive or samey as there is only so much variation you can produce using solely vocals.
Graceland has always been a favorite album of mine and it was a treat to listen more to this band that was featured on it. I love the vocal harmonies. Finding this original album was a struggle in streaming, but it is on YouTube. It is better than the anniversary album version.
Interesting, but maybe a bit samey and felt a little long. low 3/5.
Shit's good fam 🗿
Hauntingly beautiful vocal instrumentation
The intro music to Paul Simon's Graceland. What more can I say? African music that is funky, approachable, and full of soul.
Very earthy, calming music. Nice harmonies. Sounds more meaningful than a lot of western stuff
Like many I was introduced to Ladysmith Black Mambazo as one of the absolute stand out featured artists on Paul Simon's Graceland, one of my all time favourite albums, but had never explored their music very thoroughly beyond that, so seeing this album come up was a very exciting surprise. I do think unfortunately the album suffers somewhat because of the direct comparison it inevitably draws to Graceland and what Simon brought to the project with his song-writing ability, comparably Shaka Zulu does drag a bit over an extended period of listening and the songs do tend to blend together. That isn't to say the music itself is unenjoyable, there is a really unique sound to this record, and to the group's music as a whole that is really unique and honestly very relaxing, I could very easily see myself putting this on as some background music to unwind to. It is very clear why Ladysmith Black Mambazo made the impact that they did on Paul Simon, and on the world as a whole on Graceland, and to hear their sound by themselves on this record is a really enjoyable and special thing. Fav Track: 9 - Rain, Rain, Beautiful Rain Best Three Track Run: 8, 9, 10
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a fun name to say. I like to say their name as much as possible. We can all thank Paul Simon for bringing the amazing music of Ladysmith Black Mambazo to a wider audience, but this kind of music speaks for itself. Their distinct African style of acappella, known as mbube (see? I learn things every day doing this project), is exactly the type of thing that I absolutely love. Their glorious harmonies are just so nice to listen to. The melodies are upbeat in a way that makes it impossible to be in a bad mood listening to their music. It’s sparse: no instruments, just vocals. But it never feels like anything is missing. On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a fantastic soundtrack for walking the dogs in the countryside. Ladysmith Black Mambazo. I just wanted to say the name one more time. 3.5 stars.
This felt like it was included on the list because Paul Simon produced it, and not on its own merit. Not the band's fault so I'll give it a pass and move on to the next album. Eighty-eight more to go...
Very extremely lovely. The lip smacking sort of got me tho lol
My fiance was really hungry but the food wasn’t ready for pickup so I played Hello My Baby for her and she calmed down and felt better. This album is really truly beautiful. I’m gonna preemptively give it a 5 because I think that there’s nothing that fulfills this need for me and I will be returning to this. It really does awaken something in me.
African. Had to use youtube spotify didnt work
5 / 10 - a capella - wohlklingende Harmonien, sehr beruhigend - wenig abwechslung, weder harmonisch, melodisch, noch rhythmisch Favs: - Ikhaya Lamaqhave
This is the beautiful music borrowed in Graceland. Mellow and uniform good background but hard to listen in whole
Beautiful acapella performance, almost hypnotic. If it gave Nelson Mandela hope it must be decent..
this is stimming music
Very pleasant and relaxing throughout
Beautiful stuff - perfect for a Sunday morning, which is when I got this one.
It was strangely soothing and something I do this project for. 3/5
Great South African traditional chorus tracks here. Good meditative music.
This was a really fun album to listen through and I love hearing music that I would never have found anywhere else. Despite being acapella the fullness of the songs is great. I found myself just closing my eyes and enjoying through more than one song on the album. While not being something I would listen to daily I loved the experience and that is exactly why I love doing this daily.
6/10 – Decent