Manfred Mann's Earth Band
MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND IS the rock beat, and field and studio recordings themselves to this music, which is at once consummate cover band, the arche- of Zulu and Xhosa tribal music, Mann angry and brutal. type for every meat -and -potatoes outfit fashions a kind of Third World heavy- "Somewhere in Afrika" is that rare doing yeoman work in beach clubs and metal that is fresh and compelling. Much work in which word and sound, idea and night spots from Long Island to Southern of its power comes from this clash of cul- execution come together. Indeed, it's so California.Firstitwas Dylan,then tures. On Tribal Statistics, for instance, consistently excellent thatit may end Springsteen whose songs were given an icy, British, bureaucratic voice asks, Manfred Mann's career as a cover artist Mann's crowd -pleasing, hard -rock ren- "Who are you? Give details." The answer altogether. -Mark Peel derings-lots of scorching guitar work comes in a terrifying chorus of male peeled off in big chunks and cloaked in a voices: "Zulu. Xhosa. Sotho. Venda."MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND: thick synthesized shroud. On the new The central, unifying image of Tribal Sta- Somewhere in Afrika.Manfred Mann "Somewhere in Afrika," the Police and tistics, Lalela, Bob Marley's Redemption (keyboards); Steve Waller, Chris Thomp- Al Stewart get the treatment. And the re- Song, and Mann's four-part Africa Suiteson, Shona Laing (vocals); John Ling - sults are good-heavy, but good. The al- isthe Bantustan-the large,isolated, wood (drums, percussion); Matt Irving bum is more than just a sampler of to- semi -autonomous South African states, (bass, guitar). Demolition Man: Runner; day's heavy sounds, however. Its second much like American Indian reservations, Rebel; Eyes of Nostradamus; Third World side is an ambitious suite of hard rock that are set aside for the families of black Service; Somewhere in Africa; Tribal Sta- fused with native African music, a study laborers who work hundreds of miles tistics; Lalela; Redemption Song. Africa in oppression and revolt in Mann's birth- away in the mines or as domestics or fac- Suite: Brothers and Sisters of Africa; To place, South Africa. tory workers in the cities. The conditionsBantustan?; Koze Kubenini?; Brothers Weaving electronic and synthesized thesesongs chronicle-familiessepa- and Sisters of Azania. ARISTA AL8-8194 vocal and percussive effects, a driving rated, enslaved, powerless-seem to lend $8.98, © AC8-8I94 $8.98.
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CIRCLE NO 10 ON READER SERVICE CARD 84 STEREO REVIEW