Shaka Zulu

This is so profoundly boring and nothing. I wish my musical tastes knew no boundaries, but they do, and this isn't for me at all.

Iconic!

This one just slipped into the background, so much I forgot the album was on. I’ll forget this album come next week.

What's one thing we humans all have in common, regardless of nation, race, age, etc. etc. etc.?

This album answers that question for me.

Had to buy it because not on streaming, and I wanted to own this anyway. Certainly glad I did. Fantastic soundtrack for a hike. Timeless. Beautiful.

That was good, but not my style

My least favorite part of Graceland. Ladysmith Black Mambazo are clearly very talented, but just not my thing.

This album displays the boring, whateverness I get from the group. I kept waiting for the music to kick in like Diamonds on the Souls of He Shoes. Instead, I want to skip the whole thing like I do for Homeless every time I listen to Graceland.

So lovely. Close your eyes and sink into it. Or listen to it while on a train, like I did, and peacefully watch the landscape roll by.

Surely no accident to get this on May 2nd, 30 years from the day of Nelson Mandela's election in South Africa's first democratic election after the end of apartheid. Paradoxically, because of breaking the cultural boycott with Paul Simon, LBM became the sound of South Africa's freedom struggle in the Western imaginary in the late 1980s. They also became one of the first big groups in the emergent 'world music' genre - bringing a touch of exotic flavor to western record collections. Rooted in traditional Zulu harmony and genre, refracted through gospel choir traditions, the album sounds incredible: it's a recording that captures the depth, subtlety, range, and expressive capacity of the voice and a set of virtuosic performances that manifest the power of collectivity, collaboration and intradependence. I think this is the element of this music that made it rise to its occasion and endure since - the peaceful power and collectively rooted strength that's the foundation of harmony and that provides the platform for individual soloists and melodies to shine.

Really interesting but also pretty one-note throughout

Beautiful a cappella compositions infusing traditional call and response with barber shop and doo-wop. This is exactly the kind of record for which this list was made. I probably never would have listened to it otherwise but am very glad I did!

They were the best part of the Paul Simon album too. Such a beautiful sound.

The original link for this is missing tracks, at least on Spotify. Listen to the 30th Anniversary Celebration album instead.

Beautiful a capella!

Lo que dice la Wikipedia es básicamente lo que sabía de este grupo más o menos. Interesante y que tal vez por el éxito de El rey león y su musical ahora todo nos suena parecido, pero ellos llegaron antes.

Het is een kunst, dat zeker. Maar ppffff....wat is dit eentonig. En op de een of andere manier maakt de geforceerde rust mij onrustig. Goed dat we dit ook niet-westerse muziek voorgeschoteld krijgen, maar voor mij was het een worsteling.

Maailmanmusiikista taitaa filtteri olla sen verran kova, ettei tälle listalle oo päätynyt kuin hyviä levyjä siitä genrestä. Tykkäsin tästäkin siis, 4/5

Unjust that this has stayed in the book while Songhoy Blues got cut

Wonderful world music - if that's still there right term. Nothing but voices, but absolutely beautiful and uplifting.

Certainly interesting but I'm not sure it's something I'd really listen to much. I feel like the Paul Simon influence is noticeable. Seems a bit like Americanized African music which seems almost vaguely exploitative at this point?

Relaxing, and the first album I feel asleep to, which no other album has even come close when I try. Not much actually notable about each song though.

Graceful and soothing.