July 18, 2024

I will be reborn

A band's second album is supposed to be the hard one -- it's the one you write after you've spent your whole life on the first album's songs.  For Superfónicos though, the first album was the hard one.
 
Maybe it's because of the pandemic.  Maybe it's because they changed producers.  Maybe it's because four children were born to members of the band while the album was gestating.  Whatever it was, it took Superfónicos more than four years to make Renaceré ("I will be reborn").  You'd never guess that the process was so grueling -- this brassy, soulful, life-affirming record is one of the best things I've heard so far in 2024.  Tune in to Global A Go-Go this week to hear the album's title track.

Also this week (Sunday July 21, 1:00-3:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site): Manu Chao is sounding like the old Manu Chao, new music from Orquesta Akokán and old music from the Cuban bandas gigantes who preceded them, Tete Mbambisa's updated South African marabi, a new single from desert blues heroes Etran de L’Aïr, and a fabulous anthology of África Negra from São Tomé & Príncipe.

 
 
Artist | Country | Song | Recording | Label | Year
 
Oliver Lake | USA | Separation | Matador Of 1st & 1st | Passin' Thru | 1997
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros | England UK | Global A Go-Go | Global A Go-Go | Hellcat | 2001
 
Manu Chao | France-Spain | São Paulo Motoboy | São Paulo Motoboy - Single | Because Music | 2024
Manu Chao | France-Spain | La Primavera | Próxima Estación... Esperanza | Virgin | 2000
Manu Chao | France-Spain | Me Gustas Tú | Próxima Estación... Esperanza | Virgin | 2000
Manu Chao | France-Spain | Denia | Próxima Estación... Esperanza | Virgin | 2000
 
Combo Daguerre | France-Perú-Colombia-Venezuela-USA | Son Ombre | Fracassines | Barbès | 2024
Saturno 4000 | Germany-Colombia-Italy | Solar Heart | Ma Belle Fille / Solar Heart - Single | Batov | 2024
Los Fulanos | Spain | Blue Monday | Blue Monday / Why Don't We Do Some Boogaloo? - Single | Lovemonk | 2024
Superfónicos | USA-Colombia | Renaceré | Renaceré | Spaceflight | 2024
 
Orquesta Sensación | Cuba | Tiene Sabor | Tiene Sabor | Puchito | 1959
Orquesta Akokán | Cuba-USA | Cha-Cha-Cha Pa'Ca | Caracoles | Daptone | 2024
Rolando Laserie | Cuba | Para Mi Isla Un Son | Cuban Pearls 1: Cuba - Soneros De Ayer Y De Hoy | Syllart | 2007-1957
Beny Moré Y Su Orquesta | Cuba | Que Bueno Baila Usted | Asi Es … Beny | RCA | 1958
Carlos Argentino Et La Sonora Matancera | Argentina-Cuba | Ave María Lola | Guaracha EP | Seeco | 1958
 
Tete Mbambisa | South Africa | African Day | African Day | As-Shams / The Sun | 2024-1976
F
Afous D'Afous | Algeria | Tarhanine Tegla | Tarhanine Tegla / Tarhanam Toussassi - Single | Sahel Sounds | 2016
Mdou Moctar | Niger | Imajighen | Funeral For Justice | Matador | 2024
Etran De L’Aïr | Niger | Ighre Massina | Ighre Massina - Single | Sahel Sounds | 2024
 
África Negra | São Tomé & Príncipe | Numigo Iami Ê | Antologia Vol. 2 | Bongo Joe | 2024-1979
Sangazuza | São Tomé & Príncipe | Sun Malé | Quando Eu Parti | Arsom | 1983

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