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Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Music CD Review: Security
Posted By Grant Britt on Tue, Mar 13, 2007 at 4:00 PM
Antibalas' Security was released March 6, 2007.
The Deal: Big and brassy, Antibalas takes Afrobeat to new levels.
The Good: In 1968, Nigerian musician Fela Kuti mixed Afro-Cuban jazz with Latin influences, dubbing his creation Afrobeat. In the hands of the 14-member, Brooklyn-based musical collective Antibalas, (Spanish for bulletproof) the music sounds like James Brown’s stellar '70s back-up band the JB’s, fronted by Sun Ra with guest stars Miles Davis and Pharaoh Sanders backed by Fela Kuti. “Filibuster X” is a big honkin’ political statement, a musical filibuster reminding politicians that they take their power from the people. “War Hero" is a funky mix of War and Sergio Mendes: afro-beat samba funk. “Age” is instrumental Latin soul, featuring a seventies-era Jimmy McGriff organ vibe that flows into a New Orleans funeral band dirge topped with a JB’s bandleader Fred Wesley style ‘bone solo.
The Bad: Maybe a little too esoteric for some tastes. These guys aren’t afraid to find a groove and wallow in it — you may get tired of it before they do. “Beaten Metal” gets a bit tiresome, with the same instruments repeating the same figures over and over. Listening takes some commitment — some of the cuts are long, with the title cut checking in at 13 minutes.
The Verdict: Let yourself go. It’s complicated music, a lot to take in at once. But once you let the rhythm relax you, the other stuff will gradually seep into your pores and have you wiggling in ecstasy, feeling 10 feet tall and bulletproof.
— Reviewed by Grant Britt
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