Zombie

Pretty chill and relaxing to listen to.

Very interesting jazz album. Every song is like 10+ minutes but it’s able to keep you hooked through out the whole album. Now it wasn’t anything too crazy but I did thoroughly enjoy this and think it does deserve a spot on this list. I wouldn’t say this was the best jazz project I’ve heard but it was still great with insane instrumental in your ears for an hour and just lifting my mood. This is right up my alley so I’m giving it a 7.7/10 3.8/5

3.5

É um disco muito importante e cheio de camadas musicais. Experiência interessante. QoA Vesper.

Enjoyable.

Decent

Zombie oh Zombie!! Nigerian party music!! Pretty fun

not bad but a bit boring

Fela Kuti has made his way onto many of my jazzy playlists. I ended up listening to this album all day, turns out it’s a great soundtrack for being lost in thought as you scurry through New York. I want to give this a 4 because I feel Fela Kuti was such a revolutionary man in both his politics and his sound, paving the way for afrobeats and so many future artists. You can hear it on Zombie, but the whole album as a package didn’t make me want to add the songs to my playlists. So. Gonna go listen to more of his other work today (the Los Angeles sessions!) Side note: so much good music has come out lately it’s been hard to be motivated to keep up with this. But doing my best 🫡

Fun jazz record. Some slip ups, but a good change of pace

Its okay. Kinda generic music that would play in a restaurant.

Not bad!

Solid

Wasn’t bad, not my style

OK

So my biggest gripe with this album is the songs have a lot of buildup. Sometimes it takes up to 4 minutes for the song to hit its stride. I always struggle with aggressively repetitive music, which typically only is a problem for electronic dance music. That being said once the songs got going, they were GOING. Super fun and kind spirited, this would be the type of jazz I’d put on to try and get a younger kid into jazz. This is much more fun and accessible as opposed to like a traditional sounding jazz band like Bill Evans Trio (which coincidentally was the album I got before this one, which also highlighted how much funkier and sillier this is than regular jazz. Definitely check this out if you struggle with most jazz artists, I think this is much more fun and accessible than most traditional jazz artists.

This is fine. Again, I don't feel genre-qualified to rate it above or below a . . .

Okay, but not great. Don’t know the genre much.

3.5/5 - Enjoyed the listen, but this didn't grab me quite as much as the first Fela Kuti that came up on this list. Probably more my mood than anything. Still this is full of fun grooves, and I'm a fan of the sound.

What is the substantial difference between this collection of distended grooves and those on the Eric Burdon album we listened to a few months ago? The Burdon record was a studio indulgence, a project; this sounds like the document of something that was happening, whether the tape was rolling or not. There is a world and a culture that exists beyond the LP, and though it may be exhausting on record, it is also sweaty, alive, and unavoidable wherever it is actually happening. 3 I shouldn’t have read anything about this album. It is very difficult not to build in credit for Kuti’s courage in the making of a political and moral statement here - given what ‘Zombie’ would cost him personally. I don’t want to give in to that temptation. There are different forms of courage everywhere in music making. In the Jazz albums we have encountered so far there is often obvious musical bravery and a spirit of bold endeavour. I give these Jazzers no extra credit for any of that. Context is always important and useful but ultimately I try to keep the stakes no higher than here is some music, what do I think of it. Jazzers usually get 2/5 or so. To give extra marks even for risking life and limb in making your album would unfairly disadvantage those artists who are unlikely to have their family thrown out of a window regardless of the content of their record. So where does that leave Zombie? It is certainly not as dull as an album with this much musical repetition ought to be. The grooves are delicious and the unpolished horn sound has an especially nice edge to it. The simple episodic structures also make this much more digestible over long track lengths than most jazz tracks of similar length. So it is dance music but also much less boring as pure listening material than dance music. Still it feels rather slight somehow. These 4 tracks aren’t quite enough to build a sense of narrative shape over 50 minutes. Obviously the album has musical and lyrical identity but from my scant knowledge of him and his work I suspect that most of what Fela Kuti produced had that built in. 2.5/5

I wasn’t sure why Mr. Follow Follow was named as such until 7 minutes and 18 seconds into the song Fela says Mr. Follow Follow

3.6 Dude is just clowning the troops over some funk guitar. I’m with it

Fine. The amount of songs Fela has on movie soundtracks is wild.

Zombie was fun and full of vibe, but I preferred the jazziness of Mr Follow Follow. In total the album was to short for me to make a n affirmative decision. I see I gave the live album a 4 star rating, but I am not sure this warrants that. I enjoyed it but not that much. 3 stars

4 songs 54 minutes ?!

Amazing artist, great sound and presence - but those songs do go on, especially when they get onto the solos

A decent short album, but I like Femi's works more.

Without Fela Kuti there wouldn't be Femi Kuti, but I feel like where Femi Kuti landed gracefully Fela Kuti is not able to stay afloat - the songs aren't as wonderful, they're too long, but they do have the magic style.

Fun music but always want lyrics

'Zombie' by Fela Kuti is a frentic jazz/Afrobeat album from continential Africa that pulls no punches in calling out the Nigerian government and military. This album resulted in his mother being murdered, himself severely beaten and his commune, the Kalakuta Republic, being burned to the ground by militia. Who knew music could create such a stir like this, but I guess when you refer to soldiers as "zombies" and call out their inhumanity within the confines of a military dictatorship (which Nigeria was under at the time), you're bound to endanger yourself, and that's what Fela Kuti did here. Musically, the album is essentially a straight jazz fusion record featuring just the two songs: 'Zombie' and 'Mr Follow Follow': and without any contextual knowledge, you'd be forgiven for thinking it's just another ordinary jazz record. But when you read into the context behind the album, the brutal fallout that followed its release makes for quite unbelievable reading. In this commune of his, Kuti married 27 women to mark the first anniversary of the attack on the Kalakuta Republic to apparently protect himself from claims he was kidnapping women. He also continued to be a thorn in the side of the Nigerian government in the 80s and 90s, with jail time and various other legal trouble a constant companion. Certainly one of those albums which probably wouldn't be that significant were it not for the story behind it. Best songs: Zombie

i am truly in despair about not liking this more

I'm not a fan of songs that exceed ~5 minutes, so I had a scare when I saw this album is 4x12m, but it was really pleasant to listen to.

This was some fine brassy jazz that had elements that reminded me a bit of a New Orleans brass band I used to listen to a bit called Rebirth Brass Band. A fine enough way to kill an hour, but ultimately not something I'm left feeling a lot about afterward. Each song jams in its own right, though I did find the synthesizer to be quite overpowering each time it made its entry. Also really enjoyed the funky guitar licks throughout Mr. Follow Follow. Solid, but not something I'll be back to quickly -- 3 / 5.

There is some cool stuff in here but its kinda buried behind pretty repetitive parts. It just goes on and on for 10 minutes but then the vocals come in. And the male and backup female vocals are both so good. Maybe its the accent that ill never get closer than Africa but its so great. Also some cool variations on the main themes of each track. But again those sections are too few and far between for my tastes. Still good though. The highs are very high to be fair.

Starter lidt syret ud, men især anden halvdel af sangen Zombie får virkelig én i dansehumør.

Nice nice afro

7/10

I am sure this is better than I am rating it. The deficiencies are all mine.

C'est comme assez fun et dansant en général, mais les winds sonnent faux, particulièrement sur la toune live, et ça ça m'agresse. 27 femmes faut le faire pareil!

Fun. Jazzy with some afro beats.

Never heard of the bloke now 2 albums in 2 weeks

First Fela Kuti album I've listened to and honestly dig the grooves in this. Though I feel like the consequences and history of this album release was more interesting.

i was very intrigued to hear the father of afrobeats! i was not sure if i would like it once i got into the first track, but if you put it on as background music it's actually really fun i would play this to set up the scene in an old vigilante cop movie while shots of the city flashed on screen, giving the audience a feel for the energy and tension to come

Dude, the history behind this album gets me pumped! I wanted to like this before I even listened! Also, guy married 27 ladies. This is a level of charm that might need to be studied. But perhaps it hasn't because he divorced most at once because he ended up thinking that marriage breeds jealousy. Nevermind only having one. This guy released an album speaking against his government at a time where that was deadly. Maybe he thought hiding the message between funky jazz sections made it tough to get to, but that funky jazz was good. The result being what is thought to be the murder of his mother and the destruction of his entire commune. Music is the weapon

Good world music

3,1

fela has a ton of great albums, this is probably his best

so much jazz on this list. I liked it okay but it doesn't stand out to me

Good beats. Definitely not what I expected. Give the album’s Wikipedia page a read if you haven’t!

This album has some really cool percussion, saxophone, and brass. I appreciate the jazz influence on the afrobeat sound. All of the songs feel pretty chill, but it is actually quite a political album (thanks Kerri for referencing the Wikipedia page about the album - the backstory is wild). Fela Kuti seems to have been an important political activist in Nigeria. He also apparently had 27 wives at one point. Knowing the context, I can definitely see why this album is on the list. My favorite song was Mistake. 7/10.

This was an interesting album. The instruments were really cool and same with the rhythms. The vocals and lyrics were very repetitive

Ihan leppoisaa Africa bambaatta rytmimusaa.

Fun album!

Há que se fazer uma consideração importante: o álbum original (1976), de pouco mais de 25 minutos, é composto pelas faixas 1 e 2. São temas mais centrados na mistura de música africana e funk. A versão do Spotify é de um CD lançado em 2010 com duas faixas extras é bem mais interessante, com destaque para os elementos jazzísticos. A última faixa "Mistake" (ao vivo no Berlin Jazz Festival - 1978) é o ponto alto do disco.

Prima

Interesting groove throughout, great musicianship. Not quite my fave but worth listening to.

# 562 : Zombie Zombie – Funky, Political, and 20 Minutes Too Long What a groovy, fun album! Zombie kicks off with its title track—upbeat, politically charged, and somehow still makes you want to dance. It’s a combo I can get down with. The energy is infectious, the groove is undeniable… and then it just keeps going. And going. Four tracks over 53 minutes means you’re getting a lot of jam for your buck—but if you shaved off about four minutes from the start and end of each track, you’d have a banger. Instead, it’s another one for the “why is this on the must-hear list?” pile. Verdict: Three stars for the groove. One for the patience required. If you have to listen to this, look out for : Zombie Listened: 05/09/2025

Fela Kuti delivers a powerful message, even if the music itself doesn’t resonate with me personally.

Hypnotic and really drew me in.

Again jazz, mainly instrumental, nice for background music, nothing memorable.

Nice afrobeat tunes! I’d give it more like a 3.8 out of 5 :)

Not my thing musically, but not bad.

Interesting story and politically charged lyrics. Not my favourite, though I had a good time with it

Nice, soulful, Afro-beat jazz.

good vibes

Yeah it seems like just one good song

I listened to this while cleaning and it made time go by faster. Loved the music I just don’t think this was made for me and that’s okay.

Not bad, I'd consider looking this up again.

Listened to Home Is Where The Music Is by Hugh Masekela just before this. 40~ years difference, but some very similar music styles and instrumentation! Instrumental Jazz, with musically African influences. I liked it!

Ended up being very good “driving around Hawaii” music 3.5 Stars

Good

Found this interesting but very long

Zombie no go go ... unless you tell am to go! Zombie no go stop ... unless you tell am to stop!

3 Good music but boring and old for my taste.

Fancy shit, maing

Nothing memorable in there for me.

I would rarely choose to listen to instrumental music but actually quite enjoyed this. Enjoyed the vibe and felt like I should be on holiday with a cocktail rather than driving to Erdington

This is fun! I enjoyed it

I like jazz music when I hear it live, but this is the first time I’ve ever listened to a full album. I enjoyed it - think it does a good job of capturing what jazz feels like live.

Always a joy to hear and tap along to, but for some reason I never go back to this on purpose. Too many wives I think.

Like it. We saw Femi Kuti, his son, play at The Festival Hall a few years back.

Energetic, great beats, not my vibe, but I get it.

Groovy and powerful.

A short, but extremely fun switch of genre. Normally, I'm not a big fan of long songs. I was thoroughly shocked by how much I enjoy the music from the first song. Zombie had such an upbeat, but casual sound to it that I just totally got lost in the vibe of it. Once the vocals came on around 6 minutes in too, it was a great change of sound and really elevated the song. Then the next song was way laid back too which I loved even more. Although the next two songs didn't live up to the other two, I loved what I heard at the start of this thing. These songs had a Cowboy Bebop like sound to it that really hooked me since it had a jazzy sound with a blend of other genres like afrobeat. Due to this, the music was simply fresh sounding and fun. Its not my go to music, but I definitely wouldn't mind jumping back to this again especially if I had a long car ride.

Good zombie.

Kinda fun

It's very dynamic jazz.

i don’t like jazz but if I had to listen to it, this would do. groovy infusions

Definitely not an artist I had listened to before, or even heard of unless I had been doing this list. So I'm glad for that. I liked the music, but it just doesn't do much for me. Another "Nothing bad, nothing great" album.

Yeah pretty good stuff. I liked Water No Make Enemy and now learning about the reason he made this album is pretty cool and adds some context. Afrobeat is cool.

Good atmosphere. Can't say that is my cup of tea, but it's good and authentic. Can recommend.

liked mistake the most, it was the least repetitive would be fun to dance to live, but really repetitive music

It’s jazz not my thing but still nice beats

Cool Jazz.

Loved the energetic beats and the groovin' melodies. Favourite Track(s): Zombie Least Favourite Track(s): Mistake

Liked it overall, upbeat, good vibes. Standout song: Zombie

Jeg nød at tingene fik lov til at folde sig ud, og bare være fede så længe hvert nummer kunne. Besøgstiden for albummet er perfekt for mig, dog var resten af bilen rasende over hvor monotont det var.😅

Afro-Beat kan et eller andet. F.eks. er det ret godt mens man slår græs

fun and overall good

Nice Jazzy African music

it's really good jazz but not background moody jazz. it's jazz you focus on listening to.

Second album by Fela Kuti, and yeah: I’m officially a fan. 7/10

jazzy

Sympa sans être ce que je préfère

Jazz... but funky. Which makes it a better jazz. I wish I enjoyed jazz more, but generally when I hear it all I hear any more is Andy Samburg in Brooklyn 99: skiddley be bop, jazz! This at least I can put on and find bits I enjoy. The first track in particular is fun, and as people have pointed out, I bet this really shines live. 2.5 rounded up.

A fine album. I enjoyed it a decent amount although I have gotten more enjoyment out of other records from Fela Kuti such Afrodisiac.

3.2! Fun jazzy tunes

Super politically charged, but made me want to dance. If you make a military protest song and they send the military to bear you and your mother up...you probably hit a strong message with your lyrics. Great work on this. Jazz is normally not the music I just want to vibe to, but this was great. These songs are catchy. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Other than "Zombie" not much else stood out to me, but it was still fun overall! Actual rating...3.5 Liked Song: "Zombie"

Very interesting 3.25

A Nigerian musician, this album criticised the Nigerian Government and is thought to have led to the murder of his mother and the destruction of his commune by the military. Funk / Soul / Jazz / Afrobeat. The opening track (there are only two) Zombie, was a metaphor for the Nigerian military. Greatly influential album for the genre. Amazing musicianship.

3.5

It's mostly interesting as a document of a distant political struggle, though its criticisms are universal enough to be understood by pretty much anyone. The title track is the essence of the album, and it's great - funky and direct, with the timbre of Kuti's voice is such that it comes across exceptionally rich and crisp on record. The rest of the record's 4 tracks never really expand on that though, so if youve heard Zombie youve heard the lot. An appreciative 3* from me.

Bit harsh but overall interesting

Mostly fun and interesting

Super repetitive, but some cool instrumentals

Entertaining, more than I was expecting.

Christ, looked at the backstory to this. Don't know if I can separate story from the art here, found it really interesting in that context but don't know if I'd have had as good a time without it?

2.5 for me, some great music on here but doesn’t half drag on…

Sad story behind this album, but the beats are great and the heart is big

I liked this one a tad bit better then the other album Live!

Long jazzy

Day 1 listen & not really my thing, trumpet too blarey However in listening at a different time of day it was better 2nd time round. Unlikely to return, but still good for it's genre.

Fun, but might have overdone fela at uni

Ok saxophone album.

as far as our afrobeat albums have gone, i thought this was a weaker one. not to say i didn't enjoy it. i was definitely jamming to it, but it didn't particularly blow me away. still had a great time with it overall.

Interesting afrobeat sounds, timeless.

It took 34 albums, but we now have our first repeated artist: Fela Kuti. Zombie is a groovy Afrobeats listen, but the sound didn't jump out of the speakers in the same way that Fela’s "Live!" album with Ginger Baker did. It's more mellow and refined, but it doesn’t match the infectious energy of his earlier work

Didn’t enjoy this as much as the last Fela Kuti album. I have to thank him for opening up my world to more AfroBeat, and while the lyrics were poignant for the time, the music was too repetitive for me

Enjoyed this, though didn’t love it. Would listen again but it’s not going to end up in rotation

Would listen again but wouldn’t ever rush to put it on. However, understanding the political significance to it definitely made it more interesting to listen to. Knowing his personal life story made it slightly less of a choice? This man had 27 wives and when that was too many, he narrowed it down to 12 lol.

6/10

decent jazz album

Weird and unusual, but not in a bad way

This was fun with some great beats.

a really interesting fusion between afro-beat and jazz, i enjoyed the ideas and tracks overall, took me a bit of time to listen due to the long tracks but the quality is very good

I would fancy this more as instrumental

Нормально

mixing really good horns are crazy nice restrained drumming

6.5/10 Best Track: “Mr. Follow Follow” Zombie is a protest in disguise as a groove. Fela Kuti builds up layers of hypnotic percussion atop a message of scathing political critique. It’s infectious, but the record feels stuck in place for all its dynamism. Each song expands for minutes on end, frequently looping around the same musical gestures without much expansion. “Mr. Follow Follow” provides some color to the mix, with more crisp phrasing and a groove that can catch its breath. The message gets delivered with force, but the experience needs to be engaged with some patience. If you’re looking for locked-in afrobeat with a side of revolution, it delivers. If not, it wears thin fast.

It was interesting to see this album after I'd already rated his son's album not that long ago. I loved that one, so I expected to love this one too. I do like this one, and I did enjoy it, but I think his son, Femi Kuti, has a style I vibe with a little more.

Interesting, not really my thing

Very fun listen

Gestern Cat Stevens und heute diesen Typen mit nem sehr bewegten Leben. Setzt sich für die Freiheit in Nigeria ein, aber wird später AIDS-Leugner. Die Kunst vom Künstler getrennt muss ich sagen war das Album ganz ok, aber wir hatten schon bessere Alben vom afrikanischen Kontinent

Die Story dahinter verdient 5 Sterne, die Musik allerdings nicht unbedingt der Oberhammer. Von daher schweren Herzens nur 3 Sterne

Love the combo of musical styles.

Not my go to to put on, but I like the exposure, and can recognize the talent. Nigerian jazz, at it's finest

El jazz no es mi género favorito. Aún así la primer canción (zombie) está bastante bien. Un poco larga para mi gusto.

More lively afrobeat that pokes the bear for every minute of it's 2 track, 25 minute playtime.

Went on a trip while working. Good stuff, burnt on jazz for the moment

Some nice beats.

I liked the instrumental aspect a lot. Very groovy.

Som nefertiti en sommarkväll 2012

Is all jazz just background music?

2.5

3.5

I thought the first track was really cool. Second was fine, but took a while to get going. 3.5 stars overall.

Very afrobeaty kind of afrobeat. Occasionally gets into a glint of a good groove over the course of its two tracks. Album very skimpy though at 25 minutes. You could put on a typical Beach Boys or Loving Spoonful album during the same timeframe and be guaranteed at least 8 or so great tracks as opposed to 0.0025.

Very solid music. Was well-timed with the background music I needed at the moment when I turned it on. I want to give it higher than a three but I just can’t bring myself to do it.

Good background music. Don't need to listen again.

From Sputnik review: The government's reaction to Zombie was swift and violent. Troops set his compound ablaze; destroying his music studio, all of his recordings, and the makeshift club at which he regularly performed. Also during the raid, Fela's mother was thrown from a window, and later died of the resulting injuries. Fela continued to stir up controversy with his politcal music and larger than life persona until his death from AIDS in 1997, most notably marrying twenty-seven women, mostly his background singers and dancers, in a massive ceremony in 1982.

not my type. tracks were too long.

I am honestly not sure what to make of this. Thoroughly enjoy the beat, the brass, the sax, but it is not something I will find myself coming back to.

16/05/2025 It was okay, didn't set my world alight.

Fine album. Repetitive at times, but always very catchy and groovy. I think I’d really enjoy it if I heard it played live. I think my favorite song was the last one, which is a live recording. I really liked the atmosphere on that one.

Cool to listen to, really sad to hear about his wife. My girlfriend introduced me to other world jazz that this reminds me of. Glad I listened to it.

Listening to Fela Kuti can be weird sometimes as a priviledged middle-class white guy, especially if you knew what this guy went through. You can hear the pain and freedom-fighting in all of his music. This one is no exception. The soul, jazz and afro-beat all hit like Fela's music usually does. However, multiple 10+ minute tracks like the ones on this album can be tough especially when all our attention spans have shrunk. Overall I'm glad I heard this one. 3/5

Pretty cool. I’ll listen again.

Best project I've gotten in a while, beast

interesting vibe - solid 3.5

Very groovy

interestingly nice

I enjoyed this. Good trumpet / big band / fusion / jazz. And from a historical standpoint, any album that is critical of an authoritarian government and also popular is a "big deal". But to most of the world, the album was mostly unknown. (Yes, I know it was released in the UK also, but I'm pretty confident this wasn't playing on most home stereos around the world.) Musically I would give it 3.5, and while politically significant in one country (Nigeria), that's not enough to get me to round up.

After doing some research seems like a powerful jazz album for the time. 3/5

Funky jazzy beat. Never heard about this guy or his message behind his music. Not normally the kind of music that I would listen to but it was engaging and energetic.

Folk, carino buon sound.

Funky, but not my jam.

better w/o vocal

Not really my style, maybe more historically significant than I understand? Still, not bad by any means.

like most jazz i like it but i don't know why

I dunno, I like Fela Kuti, and I don't know if I just played it on the wrong speakers, but this didn't grab me in the way the other stuff did. I liked the grooves, but I found the format a little bit fatiuing. I went and listened to some Fema Kuti afterwards instead.

another chill musical album

Zombie was a very upbeat, groovy song. I especially love the keyboard towards the end and the sax at the end. Mr. Follow Follow had some catchy runs and lyrics, but a step down from Zombie for me. Love the percussion and saxophone on Observation is No Crime.

Decent. I know this was really influential in bringing a style of music to western audiences.

Short and sweet, wanted a little more but overall pretty fun.

Interesting style, funky but I didn't love the total length of the songs or the length to get to the vocals. Once the vocals dropped on both of the tracks I was enjoying it. I respect the bravery behind putting something like this out there and it seems like it had a real impact. 6/10

Groovy in the beginning, lost me towards the end. Was aight.

Funky

It's a really worthwhile listen, others may get more out of it, but I certainly appreciate the historical insight it has given me, and it's influence on some albums that I love. Happy to give a 3.

It’s great groovy stuff.

Really different from anything i typically listen to for extended periods of time. I really enjoy the groove and general energy, but i worry the repetitiveness of the “endless groove” might be a little boring for me. Trying to appreciate more by paying attention to details and thinking about the historical context of the album. Prime example of how art can be and is political, and why we should never be lulled into forgetting the importance of freedom of artistic expression. All said I’ve been meaning to get more into so-called world music so I’m really glad that was my first album on this site

Interesting

Funky, little weird. But good background noise.

Good stuff, made especially more potent due to the history behind it. In a way, making music can be revolutionary.

Interesting beats with a hypnotic sound over them, the songs could have done with a bit of a trim though. Essential listening for the story of the artist.

Pas ma came, mais il y a un petit côté hypnotique pas dégueu.

Funky African Jazz, apparently inspired Talking Heads. Nothing to hate here, if a bit long. Bernie Hancock esque, I’m a fan. 3.7/5

This was pretty good. I’ll probably never listen to it again. But good nonetheless.

Lots of great grooves but lacking some hooks to really bring me in.

jazzy

A great story and a cool sound. It felt more like a singular song than an album experience given its short length and similarities among the two tracks.

The problem I have with Fela Kuti's music (and this genre of African music in general) is the repetitive aspect. I realize there's a meditative quality and intention to sitting a groove for a long time, but even if the band is great and has kickass horns, I don't want the same groove for 12 minutes. I acknowledge this is a "me problem," though.

The Good: we know the singer is a he, cause he’s a fellah The Bad: we did not need to know he’s a cuty too, besides, that’s only for mothers to know… The Ugly: realizing that this cute fellah will be devoured by zombies in no time… African style jazz. For me neither here, nor there. Yet, I can understand that Fela did not have it easy and that he used his music as a way to place attention to a horrid situation. But we are here for the music, not the politics… and though I found the music palatable, I was kind of glad when the 4th song was done… Run of the mill rating for me… 3*

I think even outside of the artist's and music's context this was a fun listen

3.5 - cool and jazzy

yeah this was great, why was every song 17 minutes!

Як я колись писав, із жанром afrobeat ,я знайомий доволі поверхнево. Але після огляду чудової сумісної роботи Yannis Phillippakis із легендою цього жанру - Тоні Алленом, цікавість до цієї джазової африканської музики у мене, безумовно, зросла. І цей класичний альбом став чудовою нагодою, познайомитись із жанром поближче. Тим паче, що автор цього альбому - Fela Kuti, фактично і є його засновником, а у гурті Afrika 70 він грав разом із вищезгаданим Тоні. Афробіт - це, по суті, суміш афро-американського джаз-фанку із «традиційною»африканською музикою, зокрема - нігерійською. А ще, це була доволі «ідеологічна» музика, що звертала увагу на політичні проблеми Африки. І Zombie - є дуже яскравим його прикладом. В ньому, Fela Kuti критикує тих, хто сліпо підкорюється наказам, та не здатен думати своєю головою. Натомість, «відповідь» на критику від нігерійського військового уряду не змусила себе чекати. Він скерував армію для нищівного нападу, який призвів до поранення, та згодом, і смерті матері Fela, а також до повного знищення його комплексу, відомого як Республіка Калакута, та його клубу Shrine. Що стосується музики, то це доволі колоритний джаз із фанковим грувом, що передає дух спекотної Африки. Він мелодійний, танцювальний і, не дивлячись на доволі серйозні та зовсім «невеселі» теми які тут підіймаються, сповнений сонячного та веселого настрою. Зрештою, в цьому, швидше за все, і є його особливість. Коли бажання радіти, насолоджуватися музикою в собі та, не дивлячись ні на що, ділитися радістю із усіма навколо - і було головною ідеєю музикантів. Проте сказати, що альбом мені сподобався дуже і дуже сильно, я на жаль не можу. Проте тільки завдяки контексту, він сприймається як щось значно більше ніж просто музика. Це частинка іншої, далекої від нас, культури, поринути в яку цікаво, хоча б, для загальної ерудиції.

Enjoyable for a while, but the fourth (live) song was difficult.

Some good grooves, songs are a bit too long, probably better enjoyed in a live setting

it was good, jazzy and soulful. it was clear it came from a troubled and oppressed viewpoint. stand out track was Mr. Follow Follow

‘Twas ok

Awesome politically-charged record, but I don't see myself revisiting this one often except outside of historical interest

Вроде есть неплохие музыкальные моменты, но уж слишком долгие и однообразные композиции. 5,5 из 10.

I did really want to like this album due to the political context surrounding it but it wasn't anything exceptional musically. Musically it provides very little for me with neither of the four tracks being added to a playlist. But the sheer fact that the release of this album lead to his subsequent arrest and the death of his mother at the hands of the Nigerian police instantly makes this a cool album for me. This is a protest album which does the excellent job of demonstrating the struggles within Kuti's home country. Although I am unlikely to listen to it again the context is still incredibly intriguing. 6/10 Cool political context.

Sehr nett echt echt sympathisch Die average album quality geht hoch

Nice beat - but long songs and annoyingly repetitive.

An immediate mood booster.

No más instrumentales T.T aunque estuvo bien Me estresa que solo canten hasta como después de 7 mins en todo

Interesante Jazz africano supongo

Interesting. Very cool stuff. Holy shit, this first track is so long. 3 stars

i love jazz and i love these songs i find the artistic direction in its entirety very beautiful and i'm glad it made this list!

3/5

First song is an absolute jam, don't really care for the rest of the album

I really enjoyed the title track. The rest of it was beautiful in a technical sense but not really my vibe. It was nice to have on in the background this morning as I was waking up but I probably won’t relisten.

It’s ok - some uniqueness is not enough to make up for sameness.

Awsome

Some really great afrobeat/jazz. Apparently some scathing political themes that got his mother killed and him nearly beaten to death, but not going to be able to dig into that for this review. Ultimately though, while I recognize it's great, it's just not for me. I'm super picky when it comes to jazz (Mostly just like 50's jazz and jazzy conscious hip-hop type stuff), so it just isn't for me.

I enjoyed the album, great musicianship, but four twelve minute songs with repetitive lyrics for 3 minutes of them just isn't enough for me. Felt like a live album.

Prog soul/jazz. Interesting to listen to.

pretty good but probably wouldnt listen again, as im not the type for long jazzy instrumentals

waz not in the mood but nice thing

pretty cool

Super fun, dance album

This is #day179 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... in your head, in your head, Zombie, Zombie, right? It was interesting to discover where Afrobeat comes from, the story behind the album, and its fatal consequences. It appears to be an important record not only in world music but also in Nigerian history. This is when music becomes a weapon of resistance. On the other hand, I felt uneasy learning that the guy had a mass wedding ceremony where he married 27 women at once. It's kind of strange considering his mother was a women's rights fighter. I doubt I'll be coming back to this record anytime soon. As a one-off acquaintance, though, I don't mind it. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day180.

Gute Musik aber ein Arsch von Mann.

The groove is strong. 5/5 with the historical context, 3/5 right now.

When I saw this pop up I swore it was the second album from him on the list. Now I remember how I heard of him - he was in the rrhof ticket at the same time as Iron Maiden. Anyway I get the talent here. All good glad I listened.

Not my favorite but I feel I've grown for having listened to this album

Pretty nice!

Pleasant enough but not really my thing

This was fine…

Eh, it’s ok. The better of the afrobeat albums, but just ok.

Correcto

This is not my thing at all, yet it’s a fun listen. It’s a protest album with powerful lyrics, strong energy, and great music throughout. It’s fun. Favourite song: Only 4 to choose from but it is easily Zombie Least favourite: Everything was an easy listen with some great beats. Album artwork: Cool cover

Short Sweet Decent 3

better then i was expecting. don't think i'd revisit it.

Too much fela kuti lately. Its fine. Not sure how groundbreaking it is.

Definitiv coole Musik, sehr groovy und der Jazz-Band-Vibe mit vielen Instrumenten, den Akkordfolgen und verschiedenen Soli obendrüber gefällt mir. Allerdings finde ich die Songs sehr repetitiv, da die Akkordfolgen, über welche soliert wird, eher invariabel und harmonisch nicht wirklich interessant sind. Beim Live-Stück finde ich es sehr interessant zuzuhören, wie sie etwas Zeit brauchen, sich aufeinander einzustimmen und rhythmisch zusammenzufinden.

3.4.

A really interesting sound- I enjoyed the blend of jazz and afro beat. I can see how this was an influential album on the Afrobeat genre as a whole. Overall- solid album

Vibing

I found nothing to dislike about this album, and I thought the vocals were the best parts. It's just not my kind of music.

I like the afrobeat sound but it got boring

Very fun listen, even better than the last one, it is a bit short thought with only 2 songs on the original release.

A bit short as an album, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Some really cool parts, some questionable parts.

I listened to this my first go round. It's interesting but not something I'd listen to again.

It's a jolly bounce and it's the source of Afrobeat. For that it gets a middling score. I wouldn't listen to it again.

I enjoyed this while making dinner tonight. Did it change my world and perception of music? No. But it was a fun listen.

Le iba a dar un 2, porque era un poco rollo, pero resulta que son los de Time Of The Season.

absolut, absolut

I really the jazz instrumental on this album mixed with Fela Kutis vocals, it's very groovy and it's a good album to just chill too. Only problem i have is that the songs are too long... now I dont mind longer songs but songs on this album dont really go anywhere... the instrumental stays the same through out the whole song with maybe one or two new instruments added 9 minutes in... (almost each song is around 12 - 13 minutes long), or maybe a solo somewhere sprinkled in the song but other then that I really like the album but probably won't listen to it again or add any of the songs to my playlists. 6/10

Very listenable, essentially single track album.

Cool. "Nigerian afrobeat" from 1976. Tons-of-instruments prog, that I thought of Jazz first, but it's got a more big band, 1970's beat (as in, an actual beat whereas Jazz may not have that) to it. Like a 1970's rhythm. They're 12+ minute prog songs, but the center section verse-like parts with lyrics can be sung along with. It also sounds like absolutely nothing I listen to. 3.5? Round down, because it's so out of my range of taste I doubt I'd ever want to listen to it again.

Nice if not my thing.

3.5 good solid album.

love all the different genre fusions going on, really good stuff

Interesting acrobat jazz. I liked it

Fun Caribbean jazz album

It's decent? More background music than an active listen for me. Didn't hate it. Didn't love it.

This was a relaxing listen. I had it on in the background of my workday. It didn’t have the quality standouts like the earlier album featuring Ginger Baker. This ain’t no Ye Ye de Smell.

Aside from the tragedy, death and destruction experienced as the result of this album being made, it didn’t quite live up to the earlier live Fela album on this exercise.

Did not expect a second helping of Fela Kuti in this exercise. While I really enjoyed the first one we got (the live album), this one didn’t leave me feeling the same way. Maybe just not enough to this one (side story aside…)

Popped this on while taking a jog. Zombie was actually really nice to run to. I enjoyed this but it did drag a bit. 3.25

Didn’t enjoy this as much as the first Fela Kuti album but still solid. Was shocked to read about the Nigerian government’s response to the album. Tragic. 3.5/5

energetic pop/rock filtered through african-inspired sounds. interesting listen.

Did start to get a bit blinding ... you know, like when a fireworks display goes on way toooo loooooong. And actually, all the whizzes and bangs actually just make one appreciate the quiet darkness of the sky. Accomplished in many ways. And the last track seemed like a sort of Doors/jazz sandwich. Extra star for the last track.

I love the rhythms!! I got into Afrobeat via The Good, The Bad and The Queen a few years ago and Tony Allen who plays on this. It's a great groove and Fela was clearly important musically and politically, although it seems he was an odd character too. Is it wrong to compare with Bob Marley, Burning Spear and Misty in Roots? If they came together at a festival back then it would have been amazing. Was heading for 4 stars but just dragged on too long.

A cool dive into the origins of Afrobeat. Really interesting to see how the genre has transformed over the years. Did enjoy the grooves a lot. By the looks of it, the average song length here equates to the average number of wives that Fela Kuti had at any given time 🤔

Can hear the influence on Talking Heads here, particularly in the first track. Really strong start to the album but unfortunately it gets a bit boring towards the end.

5/10 I'm glad I listened. I like it. 11-12-2024

Lite skönt sound ändå. Energi och känsla. Men i slutändan räcker det inte så långt. Rent "bakgrundsljud". Inget jag skulle lyssna aktivt på.

Bra fart och lite kul lyssning, men generellt är inte det här en genre jag är helt såld på. Tycker det blir lite för hetsigt och stressigt emellanåt, men gillar samtidigt energin så blir en svag trea.

I don't think it is really for me

Boh

I got veeery into Fela back in the late 90s early 2000s bc his son Femi was doing loads of touring and I used to go and see him and his band all the time when they came to NYC - often til 3,4 in the morning - they were such a force! still have a flyer on my fridge for one of his shows in Bklyn : ) I actually won Fela's discography in a contest so I know his work very well - my faves often include his fantastic collabs with Ginger Baker, not this album. But man was he a force

This one jumps into your soul. I repeated it a few times throughout my day, and it added energy...I was plugged in.

The fact that this album started a political revolution and got hia.mother murdered is wild. Good stuff though!

I really appreciate a political album that can make us dance.

I enjoyed listening to this album but I think I enjoyed reading about his life more! 27 wives? Wow. I shall certainly check so if his other stuff.

Would love to listen to this again but high as fuck. Even on a long relaxing drive. I probably would not listen to it on my daily music consumption, but it does have a specific vibe it fits well with that jazzy afrobeat sound.

This is undoubtedly an impressive album but would not listen to it again. I cant relate to the artist and the music is reflective of the politics in Africa to which i have zero knowledge of. All in all its good just not my cup of tea.

I want more

Funky goodness

feels like a huge cornerstone of the jazz fusion stuff i listen to & ive never heard of fela kuti until now !! observation no crime stands out 4 me very good when i'm listening/remember to put it on but also feels like some of the songs are hard to stick in my brain/re-listenability is a bit questionable. time will tell

I would passively listen to this any time

Fun to listen to on a long drive home. 3/5

Uallalu!!!

3.5/5. This dude married 27 wives, was extremely critical of the Nigerian military which might’ve led to his mother’s murder.

Seems pretty standard Fela stuff

This starts brilliantly, a cool beat behind it, fun sax, and some real feeling in the lyrics. I like it a lot, but it's too much of the same thing, meandering around over and over, and that stops it from getting a properly good score. 3/5.