1977 Ngozi Family “Bad Character” on Chris Editions

1977 7” 45 Ngozi Family “Magudubula/ Feeling So Hi” on Chris Editions.

I mean sure, all Ngozi sound like all other Ngozi to some degree, the extremely prolific family having a highly specific sound and voice and not being afraid to explore it to the very depths of what a heavy mixture of soul, psych, and Zambian consciousness has to offer the world. And we are all the better for it. I love this record because Paul Ngozi, the Marlon Brando of the family, decides to take this moment to strip it back to basics a bit. Lots of funky/clean rhythm guitar (Jesper Siliya Lungu), an emphasis on way up-front vocals and a re-commitment to hooky songwriting. The fuzz and effects are there on cue, but they’re far less emphasized, and so Bad Character feels very personal and intimate, mostly sung in English and pidgin Chilapalapa. Not to say I don’t seriously dig when they’re doing their Afrobeat Thin Lizzy thing, but this is a lovely gearshift. Also, the cover art rules! Also, the labels rule! Also the record rules! What more could you ask (a cleaner copy) for? Oh yeah.