Receiving Beautiful Nubia’s new album Fèrè reminded me how long I’m running this site because this is already my third review of an album by Beautiful Nubia and the Roots Renaissance Band. With reviews of Awile and Jangbalajugbu plus two interviews Segun Akinlolu has become a constant artist on this site. And again he proves that he’s a guarantor for music that moves your body with infectious afro beats and brings you food for thought.
At times, when most people seem to turn away from politics and escape into privacy (the recent local elections in three federal states of my home country Germany with less than 50% turnout are a good example of people’s unwillingness to participate in the political process) and leave politics to politicians and lobby organisations, Beautiful Nubia’s voice needs to be heard not only in his native continent Africa but all over the world. In fact his re-recording of Dear Africa, which originally appeared on his 1999’s Voice From Heaven album and has lost nothing of its relevance, could easily be re-named Dear America or Dear Europe. While neither the USA nor Europe may suffer the economical distress of most African countries there are a lot of things indicating that the ideals of Western civilisation have become a mere non-binding letter of intent, ideal as in ideational, watered down by corrupt politician who rather care for the wealth of big companies than for the wealth of the people. (”We had a dream to build a great nation/ We had a desire to rule the world/ We lost our way and we should have turned around/ But all we do is keep on going wrong/ How many more years of sorrow will come/ How many more wars will we fight?“)
Like Beautiful Nubia states in Ohun Oju Nri everyone is to blame for the failures in society (”Our leaders run around begging for help/ When the solutions are right here at home with us/ The future of the this land is in the hands/ Of every man and woman, young and old/ Everyone of us has a share in the blame for the failure of society/ See, we’re still slaves economically,/ We’re still slaves politically,/ We’re still slaves ideologically”
Though he looks at society from an African point of view, I think you get the message from my previous remarks that Beautiful Nubia’s message has really a global approach of freedom, equalitiy and humanity.
Humanity and respect is also an important part of your everyday life towards your fellow men. Like it’s predecessors Fèrè offers a balanced mixture of political and personal songs. Take Ife Oloyin (Gotta Tell You) for example. Here we find a singer suddenly realizing how important a special person is in his life (”It’s such a lonely world/ Can’t find no one to trust/ You’re the only one who understands/ Wipe away your tears, just take me in your arms/ This is where I belong and I’m here to stay“).
And then there is the uptempo happy-go-lucky song What A Day, which was a party favourite when it was released on the Voice From Heaven album back in 1999. There are two more songs Beautiful Nubia has re-recorded here. Baba Eledumare and All It Takes both appeared originally on Voice From Heaven. The new version of All It Takesis a soulful song about life’s challenges and the joy one can find in his family (”I have a little son and he thinks I am great/ In his trusting eyes I see a world of love/ Said I’ve been there before, the valley of death/ And the all-seeing father says it’s okay/ So it doesn’t matter whatever they say/ I know where my destiny is taking me“).
Spirit Of A New Generation could best be described as a We Shall Overcome of this century. Merging portions of his own The People Are Ready with an old Yoruba song this is Beautiful Nubia’s uplifting hope song for a brighter tomorrow (”The people are ready, they want a better day now/ They are tired of promises and politics/ They want some reality/ The people are moving to the future with faith now/ There’s got to be a better way, a new dawn of hope/[…]/This is the spirit of a new generation - hardwork and honesty/ This is the way we will do our things now - all for one and one for all/ This is the spirit of a new generation - Courage, transparency/ This is the way we will do our things now - all for one and one for all“).
Ikoko Akufo (Lamentation For A Broken Pot) is the theme song Beautiful Nubia composed for Tunde Kelani’s movie The Narrow Path. The broken pot is actually a metaphor for a young woman who gets defilied before her wedding night.
Mama Agba’s Twilight Treat digs into Beautiful Nubia’s Yoruba heritage with combining three traditional folksongs.
With sixteen songs Fèrè has much more to offer than the above mentioned songs and I really recommend this album warmly to give you something for your head and feet you hardly find in this combination these days.

Tracklisting of Fèrè: 1. Muku-i-muku/ 2. Higher Steps (O Mbo Wa D’ero)/ 3. Eleko’Dere/ 4. Ohun Oju Nri/ 5. Ife Oloyin (Gotta Tell You)/ 6. Onile Ayo/ 7. Ikoko Akufo (Lamentation For A Broken Pot)/ 8. Tables Turn/ 9. Dear Africa/ 10. Mama Agba’s Twilight Treat/ 11. What A Day!/ 12. Mind Of Your Own/ 13. All It Takes/ 14. Spirit Of A New Generation/ 15. Baba Eledumare/ 16. Lamentation version | released 2006 EniObanke Music

For more infos visit beautifulnubia.com and cdbaby.com.

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