Expensive Shit / He Miss Road

The Nigerian musician Fela Kuti combined artistic and political engagement. He advanced a bold new genre called afrobeat, where funk instrumentation was laid over the traditional rhythms of his country, creating a supremely engaging sound. Everything takes its time to develop--few Kuti songs are under the ten-minute mark--but the listener falls into a state of engaged chillout from the start. Through this music, he gave scathing but always playful criticism of the corrupt powers that ruled Nigeria. This collection of recordings from around 1975 is a good example of Fela's soundworld and is sure to entertain.

The title track of this disc, which Amazon's automatic review filtering probably won't let me name outright, is somewhat autobiographical. Nigerian police, seeking to put down this independent-minded rascal, tried to plant marijuana on Kuti during a gathering at his home. Wise to there plan, he quickly swallowed the joint, but the police then threw him in jail to produce the evidence from his feces. He escaped charges with some wily plotting, and then produced this song mocking the police for wasting resources on hassling him instead of furthering justice in Nigeria. Opening brass rounds give way to interplay between Fela's narration about the episode and responses from his group of female singers.

"It's Not Possible" and "He Miss Road" are, I think, some of the more unusual examples of Fela's output. The standard features of Afrobeat are here, but the production and long saxophone lines give these an almost Pink Floydian epic dimension before Fela starts with some hilarious lyrics about undependeable friends and about a few people who just don't get it respectively. "Water Get No Enemy" is one of Fela's most widely loved songs, possibly because its length of only 10 minutes brings it to wider audiences. "Monday Morning in Lagos" is almost as short, but seems a somewhat marginal effrort. Fela takes a break from his usual incisive commentary to offer a fun evocation of his home city.

One of the unquestioned masters of African musical propulsion, Kuti delivered time and again when it came to his pioneered brand of taut, percussive-heavy, horn-based funk stretched out across the laid back palate of Nigerian-styled guitar to cultivate the afro-beat sub genre all for himself. In these long, thrusting compositions, the focus always stays sharp even if the mood becomes a little playful or repetitive. This makes for that rare combination that can hold as much value for the pessimistic listener as an optimistic one.

If you know Fela's work then you most likely have your own favorites. Fair enough. you can't really go wrong. For me, this reissue brings together two of the finest Fela releases. Kudos to MCA for taking the time and resource to create top notch and true reissues. Expensive S**T is my favorite and, by any account, a standout album. His mocking title aside(a jab at Nigerian police who were tricked into testing the stool samples of various inmates in an attempt to find Fela's dope laden sample), Fela is no mood for jokes. You only need to hear the opening salvos from 'water no get enemy' to see why Fela is a master musician.

A shamen of musical styles, Fela took Jazz horns into new stratospheres making them at home in his distinctive multi-movement tracks. As though in an argument with himself his sax would blair angrily against a steady rythym section... then reconsider and join the trance like funk chords alongside cheers from the band...only to rebel moments later and uleash another defiant solo meandering above the beats until, earthbound, he drops down into the groove. No one else can pump out 17 or 23 minute tracks. No one else should try. If you're a first time Fela listener, I envy you and encourage you to buy this album and play it over and over again. You won't get bored, and you may just find yourself ready to drop everything and join the forces of the Kalkuta Republic.

Fantastic stuff. "Expensive Sh*t"'s title track is one of those Afro-beat workouts that Talking Heads and Brian Eno and various new-wavers ripped off direction from in the late 70's and early 80's. It is loose but perfectly together, great and funky. "Water Get No Enemy" is one of the more remarkable Fela pieces I've heard. The horn unison part, with Fela singing on top, is as good as music gets.

The second album, "He Miss Road", is great too. The title track features Fela getting funky on organ over a chopping rhythm with a spacey vibe, "Monday Morning in Lagos" features that great boisterous unison horn playing that I'm coming to love in Fela's music, and the third track kicks up a storm rhythmically very well - actually, every track on the CD does that.

I can summarize this CD in a single word. The word is - awesome.

This single CD is actually a twofer featuring "Expensive Shit" and "He Miss Road," two classic examples of the infectious, wide, deep Afro-beat groove. Up-tempo and rollicking, Fela Anikulapo Kuti and his stalwart band and choir generated a funk-laced, organic stew laced with psychedelic pacing and jazzy spacing. The musicians deliver a hypnotic river of sound, powered by drummer Tony Allen's superb energy, which propels the various guitars, keyboard, sax, and other solos.

Sometimes the beat is menacing as on the title track on "Expensive Shit." (Just read the liner notes for the lowdown on the title-it's quite a tale!) Other time, the band slips into a flowing froth as on Water Get No Enemy.

The tracks on "He Miss Road," while less political, chronicle more of the life and times of Fela, who must have had quite a sense of humor considering the abuse he endured. When you listen to the 17-minute final track, It's No Possible, all of a sudden you understand one of the main sources for derivative bands such as Traffic. Compare this track with Traffic's jams on the "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" and "Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory."

All five tracks are all long jams: typically the instrumental solos build up to Fela's vocals. Though he was the heart and brains of the outfit, he doesn't hog the limelight but lets everyone have some time to shine. And what an instrument his voice was: wailing, strutting, and vexing. These sessions are a true group effort. Both the band and choir churn along in deep grooves, the equal-is not better--of any soul or funk back from what George Clinton and James Brown were dishing out in the `70. For the record, Ginger Baker produced (but does not play) "He Miss Road." All the tracks sound vibrant and fresh even 30 years later, and the sound quality on the combined CD is excellent.

If you want to try Fela Kuti and do not know where to plunge in (his discography is amazingly long and there are some uneven sessions), I would recommend this CD as a fine place to start.