--
Login
|
Logout
| User:
Not Signed In
| Email | Cart | Items
Home |
Magazine
| Photography |
Discussion
| Buy | Sell |
My Account
| About
www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk
Band:
Benjamin Zephaniah
Label:
One Little Indian
Title:
Naked
Tweet
Review (1)
Release Details
Add Release
Releases (1)
Articles (0)
Cover Art (0)
Versions (0)
Edit Release
Releases List (1)
Reviews (1)
Pictures (0)
Summary (0)
Related (0)
Jukebox (0)
List All (1)
Band:
Benjamin Zephaniah
Title:
Naked
Reviewed By:
Daniel Cressey
Date Published:
09/02/2005
Label:
One Little Indian
Format:
CD
Release Year:
Label
Lookup:
This album from radical poet Benjamin Zephaniah falls in a strange position, between musical genres and without any clear place to be or go. Zephaniah’s anger and discontent still burn brightly – “I wanna catch gameshow hosts and put the bastards on trial,” he says on ‘Naked’. He boils over talking about the politicians he despises and the racism still experienced by black people in this supposedly liberal society. His humour is also intact however. On ‘Superstar’ he takes a wry look at modern celebrity and how “life’s hard for superstars – the road cannot contain our cars”.
Zephaniah’s poetry has a huge bite. His humour is spot on and his scathing disdain razor sharp. The targets of Zephaniah’s scorn are well selected and nicely dissected.
As music, however, it doesn’t totally hold together.
The backing tracks for the poetry are strangely unsatisfying. While technically competent and generally in-sync with the spoken words there is a hint of irrelevance about them. Zephaniah’s declamations are quite strong enough to stand on their own. Slightly retro backing music underneath diminishes their impact rather than adding to their punch.
'Naked' doesn’t fit with any current musical genre, but nor is it strong enough to truly claim its own ground. This is a shame as Zephaniah has a lot to say and a nice way of saying it.
Track Listing:
Commenting On: Naked by Benjamin Zephaniah
Header
Comment:
Your Name
Your Location
ie London, England
tick box before submitting comment
First
Previous
Next
Last
Related Bands
(edit)
Related Labels
One Little Indian
Review Header
Debut album of music from radical poet Benjamin Zephaniah, which sadly falls " between musical genres and without any clear place to be or go"
Articles A-Z
View All
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Naked - CD
Debut album of music from radical poet Benjamin Zephaniah, which sadly falls " between musical genres and without any clear place to be or go"
First
Previous
Next
Reviews A-Z
View All
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Top Articles (Current Magazine)
Stephen McLaren 'Put Me On The Television' Video Premiere
Hector Gannet Live at Polestar Studios
Jeremy Thoms Interview
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities #2
Nicky Crewe A Life in Music
Steve Hackett Interview
McCookerybook and Rotifer Interview Part 2
Philip Parfitt Interview Part 1
U2 Raging Pages
Paul Brett Interview
Top Reviews (Current Magazine)
Rats on Rafts Excerpts from Chapter 3: The Mind Runs a Net of Rabbit Paths CD (Nonplace)
Lost Doves Set Your Sights Towards the Sun CD (Green Tea Productions )
Still Corners The Last Exit CD (Wrecking Light Records )
Telescopes Songs of Love and Revolution CD (Tapete Records)
Gary Lucas The Essential Gary Lucas CD X2 (KFR )
RVDS Moods and Dances 2021 CD (Bureau B)
McKenzie FIX Pandora's Box CD (Crystal Seven Records )
Barry Gibb Greenfields CD (Universal Music)
Celeste Not Your Muse CD (Polydor)
Arlo Parks Collapsed in Sunbeams CD (Transgressive Records)