--
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)
Benjamin Orr Raging Pages
Curse of Lono Interview
Luxury Stranger Interview
Simon Love Interview
Grand Blue Heron Interview
Pennyblackmusic 20th Anniversary Bands' Night Water Rats, London, 15/9/2018
Arctic Monkeys Arena, Manchester, 7/9/2018
Tom Robinson Interview
Sorrow Under the Yew Possessed
Richie Havens Something Else Again
Top Reviews (Current Magazine)
Groovy Uncle Meanwhile Back in Medieval Britain CD (Trouserphonic Recordings)
Blancmange Wanderlust CD (Blanc Check Records)
Michelle Lewis All That’s Left CD (Michelle Lewis Music)
Mike Farris Silver and Stone CD (Proper Records)
Dodson and Fogg Stopping to Admire the Flowers CD (Wisdom Twin Records)
Rick Ford and Mixon Across the Border/Trouble CD (Faradawn Records)
Natasha England Somehow CD (Platform Records)
Neilson Hubbard Cumberland Island CD (Proper Records)
Downpilot This is the Sound CD (Tapete Records)
Ty Segall and White Fence Joy CD (Drag City)
Debut album of music from radical poet Benjamin Zephaniah, which sadly falls " between musical genres and without any clear place to be or go"