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The Underground Spiritual Game

 
Album Review: The Underground Spiritual Game

  • Artist: Fela Kuti
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: September 07, 2004
  • Type: Compilation (best of)
  • Genre: World

Review

Fela, still due for more of a surge in popularity than he ever really got, has one more chance posthumously with this album. A number of songs from across the entirety of Fela's long career are represented, from the old Koola Lobitos days up through the Egypt '80 period and a short cooperation with Roy Ayers. All of it, though, is remixed by Chief Xcel. The remixing is somewhat minimal -- no flights of fantasy, breakbeats, and the like that comprise the usual course of events in a proper remix album. For the most part, it just seems like the recordings have been cleaned up a little. In actuality, Xcel has doctored the songs pretty thoroughly, but kept them well within the groove that Fela set up. As such, most of the time it's difficult to tell where Fela ends and Xcel begins, and that certainly works to Xcel's credit. Not just any fan of African music, but any fan of music should listen to some Fela. The remasters on MCA are available and fresh as always, as are a couple of new compilations (Music Is the Weapon of the Future is an excellent one), but The Underground Spiritual Game is also worth a hearing or two for its mix of classic and new. ~ Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Intro Fela Kuti Fela Kuti (:26)
Ololufe Mi Fela Kuti Fela Kuti (1:08)
Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am Fela Kuti Fela Kuti (2:35)
Look and Laugh Fela Kuti Fela Kuti (4:18)
Mr. Grammarticalogylisationalism Is the Boss Fela Kuti Fela Kuti (8:02)
Monkey Banana Fela Kuti Fela Kuti (2:19)
Ariya Fela Kuti Fela Kuti (5:27)
Unnecessary Begging Fela Kuti Fela Kuti (8:35)
Swegbe and Pako Fela Kuti Fela Kuti (3:37)
Mr. Follow Follow Fela Kuti Fela Kuti (5:52)
Africa Centre of the World Fela Kuti Fela Kuti (17:21)

Credits

Adrian Boot (Photography), Egypt 80 (Performer), John Cuniberti (Mastering), Chris Capuozzo (Drawing), Chief Xcel (DJ), Chris Capuozzo (Treatments), Paul Heck (Executive Producer), Koola Lobitos (Performer), Jeff Jackson (Art Direction), Lydia Popovich (Production Coordination), Mabinuori Idowu (Liner Notes), Africa 70 (Performer), Chris Capuozzo (Cover Collage), Chief Xcel (Mixing)
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Wikipedia: The Underground Spiritual Game
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The Underground Spiritual Game
Compilation album by Fela Kuti
Released Template:2004
Label Quannum Projects / IODA
Producer Chief Xcel
Professional reviews

The Underground Spiritual Game is a compilation of twelve tracks by Fela Kuti, selected and mixed by Blackalicious producer Chief Xcel.

Track listing

  1. "Intro" – 0:26
  2. "Ololufe Mi" – 1:08
  3. "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am" – 2:35
  4. "Look and Laugh" – 4:18
  5. "Mr Grammarticologylisationalism Is the Boss" – 8:02
  6. "Monkey Banana" – 2:19
  7. "Ariya" – 5:27
  8. "Unnecessary Begging" – 8:35
  9. "Swegbe & Pako" – 3:37
  10. "Follow Follow" – 5:52
  11. "Africa Center of the World" – 17:22

 
 

 

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "The Underground Spiritual Game" Read more