From Africa With Fury: Rise

Last year, Femi Kuti made the finest album of his career with Africa For Africa [reviewed in #73], a back-to-basics record of stinging Afro-beat grooves to which the great Fela himself would have been proud to put his name. Comparisons – especially fraternal ones – are odious but with his second album Fela's youngest son may just have topped his elder other's. Effectively, Fela, Femi and Seun represent three generations rather than two: there's 20 years between the two brothers; almost the same difference in age as between Femi and their father. The 27-year-old Seun sings, writes, plays sax and leads his father's old band with an energy and intensity that's breathtaking. Much of the musical and lyrical vocabulary suggest the fruit has not fallen very far from the parental tree – the simmering Afro-funk, the call-and-response vocals, the explosive horn playing and Seun's righteous lyrics about struggle and injustice on tracks with titles such as ‘African Soldier’, ‘Mr Big Thief’ and ‘Slave Masters’ all recall Fela at his finest.

What is different, however, is the presentation. It's not exactly slick, but it is streamlined where Fela was sprawling, preferring tight, concise arrangements to the loose, extended improvisations that often found Fela filling a side of vinyl with a single track. Much of this is down to the intelligent, empathetic production of Brian Eno and John Reynolds. The results leave you wondering what Fela might have sounded like with someone like Brian Eno to add a sharper focus to his genius. And that is surely the highest compliment you can pay Seun Kuti about this blazing, brilliant album.