Music review: Thebe and Spikiri rock!

Music review: Thebe and Spikiri rock!

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By Shapiro

THE period October-December is when there is most activity in the music industry, with almost every artist releasing an album in the race for that coveted Christmas Number 1.

Those with less conviction about the quality of their CDs have often delayed the release of their albums until January, fearing competition and being savaged by music critics -- every artist's nightmare believe me.

So that season is upon us. The old and new players in the industry have flooded record bars with all kinds of music -- all seeking your attention. With this column, we will take the burden of sampling every CD from our readers and tell you exactly who deserves your hard earned cash.

ARTIST: THEBE
ALBUM TITLE: LENYORA
PRODUCED BY DCC FOR KALAWA JAZMEE RECORDS
MARKETED AND DISTRIBUTED BY UNIVERSAL MUSIC

It took a mighty effort by some of South Africa's finest producers to shock the life out of a sleeping giant, and boy did they do it well!

After a three-year absence from the scene, Thebe returns with a pumping 12-track sizzler that will blow you away. The album, Lenyora, is produced by the Kalawa hit makers -- Oskido, Bruce Sebitlo, Mahoota and Spikiri.

This is not a one-hit album, but a collection of hits from start to finish. The album opens with the track Safety Belt which has a nice, slow rythym to it. The lyrics invite you to sing along. 'Fak'isafety belt wena/Sekudriver mina manje', it goes.

The title track, Lenyora, is sung in Suthu -- but that's not a problem. As long as you can pronounce 'Lenyora' with ease, then you have it all worked out, and this is a number that you will keep playing on your car stereo until the end of the road.

This album rocks, and is up there with the top albums of the year.

NEW ZIMBABWE.COM VERDICT: 9/10 - If kwaito is your thing, this is your album, genuine pure artistic triumph

ARTIST: T ZOZO & PROFESSOR
ALBUM TITLE: Woz'e Durban
PRODUCED BY DCC
DISTRIBUTED BY EMI
MARKETED BY KALAWA JAZMEE

The title of this album might hit some as a line from some cheap tourism brochure, but in reality, Woz'e Durban has attracted four nominations for the Metro FM Music Awards.

It's not hard to see why. The album has a feel of youthful exuberance and genuine talent, all skillfully combined by Kalawa's finest to produce a party album.

The album opens with the track Botoza, in which Professor & T Zozo take aim at their critics with the line 'Kade lisbotoza/Why lingas'dedeli sizenzel'into yethu'.

It's a danceable tune and if you are not on your feet for Botoza, you sure will be ejected from your seat by the title track which is second on the album.

For some strange reason, I was grabbed by the masterful production of Scathulo, featuring Sox.

NEW ZIMBABWE.COM VERDICT: 7/10 - This is a genuine attempt to entertain, quite a good album

ARTIST: COPPERHEAD
ALBUM TITLE: COPPERHEAD MEETS MJOKES, BATTERY TO COIL
PRODUCED BY DCC FOR KALAWA JAZMEE RECORDS
MARKETED AND DISTRIBUTED BY GALLO RECORDS

The small print on the sleeve of this album says 'featuring the single Umtwanakhe'.

Don't ignore it, it's quite significant. After trawling through the 12 tracks on this album, it becomes clear why Umtwanakhe should be highlighted -- because that's the only genuine hit song on this album.

Except for Umtwanakhe, this album is just mild entertainment full of half-hearted imitation.

NEW ZIMBABWE.COM VERDICT: 5/10 - The focus on Umtwanakhe betrays the artist's own fears about this album

ARTIST: SPIKIRI
ALBUM TITLE: SIMPLY THE BEST
PRODUCED BY DCC FOR KALAWA JAZMEE RECORDS
MARKETED AND DISTRIBUTED BY UNIVERSAL MUSIC

The King Don Father returns with an energetic kwaito/house album! This is a genuine contender for album of the year. Not kidding.

Spikiri has previously been butchered by music critics for producing one-hit albums. He did just enough to drop that tag on this album, his continuing King Don Father series since he dropped Vat N Sit.

From this album comes the hit, Current. It has gone straight to the top of the South African charts, and it looks as though it will stay there for the rest of the festive period.

They say a doctor doesn't provide a cure for himself. That cannot be said for the hit peddler, Spikiri, who is producing albums for over half a dozen artists in South Africa and still manages to find time to wheel out a five-star album for himself.

Current easily gets audiences singing along. The catch line on the track is 'Angek'ungisukele/Ngoba mina ngizithulele/Uzozwa mpama'.

The first five songs on this album have a strong kwaito beat, while the other half is a fusion of kwaito and house, masterfully mixed by Bruce Sebitlo.

NEW ZIMBABWE.COM VERDICT: 9/10 - Unquestionably the album of the festive season, a 'must have'

NEXT WEEK: See a review of new albums from DJ Cleo, Brikz, Zola, Mzekezeke, Mdu
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shapiro@newzimbabwe.com