All Music Guide,
Album Review
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Washington D.C. might seem an unlikely outpost of Afro-beat, but in the hands of Chopteeth -- an unlikely, multi-ethnic ensemble -- the music stands tall and proud. They can lock into a groove and hold it tight, but still give the feeling of freedom. Best of all, they sound convincingly African, which is as much in the way they approach the music as in the performances. Saxes can jump in "Eyi Su Ngaangaa" and the politics can be to the front all the way thorough the disc (just listen to "Struggle" or "Weight Your Blessings," for instance), as they should be, but at the heart this is music that makes you want to move. Nor do they confine themselves solely to Afro-beat, thankfully, but look outside, as on "Wili Neneh," which brings in the unusual magic of griot Cheick Hamala Diabaté. What's especially impressive is the fact that the band is responsible for most of the compositions here, with only "Fogo Fogo" from the pen of Afro-beat's father, Fela Kuti. It all closes on the Afro-beat rap of "No Condition Is Permanent," a wonderfully fresh hip-hop take that's undeniably conscious. With absolutely no reservations, this is an outright success. 05/05/09
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