Transitional works
Derrick Smith | Richmond, CA | 06/18/2000
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This artful package documents Tony Allen's transition from Fela sidebar to a self-determining artist in his own right. The NO ACCOMMODATION FOR LAGOS album features Afrika 70 and Fela on keyboards and horn; Allen's friend Candido Obajimi sings lead in a style that owes a debt to Fela but fails to match his baritone richness. The A-side is Allen's commentary on the housing scarcity in Nigeria's capital. The B-side is an awesome display of Allen's drumming skills, as he builds a narrated commentary of a solo and, as usual, provides an extensive series of fills behind the horns/bass/guitar arrangement. The second album features an all-new band, a hip synthesizer accompaniment, and a much more relaxed mood despite the continuance of social commentary on "No Discrimination" and "Road Safety", probably the funkiest safety message ever committed to recorded song. All-in-all, not absolutely essential, but a thoroughly-enjoyable taste of modern African music that holds up well almost 25 years later due to the continued relevance of the sounds and groove, particularly to deep house music."
Essential Afrobeat from one of it innovators!
peopleeater | CA, USA | 11/23/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It may be too easy to look at this album as a good effort by Tony Allen to become a leader. It is his first after playing with Fela, the giant of Afrobeat. But, Tony's unique, beat-laden drumming inspired Fela and everyone else working in Afrobeat. No Accomodation has him working with the Afrika 70, one of the tightest bands in the history of the groove. This is a band that could play tight any given time of the day, and they had been doing that for years under Fela already. With Tony Allen writing the tunes and keeping it all together, you get a different side of Fela's political, firepowered funk. The music is still definitely funky, but also sparse. It may be the first album of important minimalist funk. And Tony's newest cd, "Black Voices", doesn't sound like much of a surprise when you hear No Accomodation. His is a journey into funk using the fewest elements possible, but still retaining that infectious groove that makes Afrobeat legendary. This music will make you move. "No Discrimination" has Tony playing with his new band the "Afro-messengers", named after Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. And this bands message is groove, groove and groove. Definitely more seventies sounding, but not the least bit dated. Tony sounds a little more confident not playing at all with the overbearing Fela. The four songs give continual joy with a rhythmic subtlety that has not been heard before in Afrobeat. This is not a transitional album. This is an essential record by a cofounder of Afrobeat finally being allowed to make his funky, minimalist groove heard. It will definitely make you move."
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1