Where the Gods Are in Peace

by Antibalas

Overview

Sixteen years after releasing their debut album, Antibalas remain a singular band, a group that has embraced the sound and fury of Afro-beat, playing it with faith and fire, while infusing it with an American sensibility that makes it clear they are not simply copying Fela Kuti and his contemporaries. Despite a multitude of personnel changes since they started out, Martin Perna and his bandmates still lay down lean, furious grooves, brought home by some tremendously skillful players, and 2017's Where the Gods Are in Peace shows that they haven't lost a bit of their strength or their skills. Lyrically, the album is dominated by recurring themes of corruption and plunder, as outsiders rob cultures of material and spiritual wealth. One can see a certain irony in a group of Americans expressing these thoughts while playing music rooted in African traditions, but the opening track, "Gold Rush," makes it clear this is an outrage that's relevant to America's past (and present) just as much as the Third World. Musically, these three extended compositions (one, "Tombstown," is presented as a three-part suite) are dance music at its toughest and most muscular, with the layers of percussion laying down a solid foundation as the horn section sways above it all, and the spectral organ lines and gritty guitar solos add pithy punctuation to the tunes. Duke Amayo's vocals are inspired and spirited enough to stand out in such a strong ensemble, and the vocal contributions from the members of Zap Mama on the "Tombstown" cycle are the icing on a richly flavorful cake. There aren't many current groups that do what Antibalas does so well, especially in the United States, and Where the Gods Are in Peace reminds us that they take their art and their message seriously, even as their music generates an impressive degree of joy. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	09/15/2017
Label:	Daptone
UPC:	0823134004610

Tracks

1. Gold Rush
2. Hook & Crook
3. Tombstone, Movement 1: Good Doer
4. Tombstone, Movement 2: Mami Water Town
5. Tombstone, Movement 3: Gates of Zion

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Antibalas   Primary Artist,Vocals (Background)
Duke Amayo   Congas,Vocals,Percussion,Vibraphone
Mayteana Morales   Vocals (Background)
Raymond Mason   Trombone
Domenica Fossati   Vocals (Background)
Miles Arntzen   Drums
Nikhil Yerawadekar   Bass (Electric),Keyboards,Percussion
Jas Walton   Sax (Tenor)
Lollise Mbi   Vocals (Background)
Kevin Raczka   Percussion
Martin Perna   Sax (Baritone)
Zap Mama   Vocals,Featured Artist
Marcus Farrar   Shekere
Jordan McLean   Trumpet
Morgan Price   Sax (Alto)
Marcos Garcia   Guitar (Electric)
Abena Koomson   Vocals (Background)
Timothy Allen   Guitar (Electric)
Reinaldo DeJesus   Congas,Percussion
Will Rast   Organ,Piano (Electric)

Technical Credits

Jim Bertini   Engineer
Antibalas   Group Member
Duke Amayo   Composer,Producer,Cover Design,Group Member,Illustrations
Raymond Mason   Group Member
Miles Arntzen   Group Member
Aaron Johnson   Composer
Jas Walton   Group Member
April Golden   Mastering
Mike Tallman   Package Layout
Manzel Bowman   Cover Design,Illustrations
Matt Thompson   Management
The Brothers Mann   Mixing,Producer
Nikhil Yerawadekar   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Group Member
John Golden   Mastering
Victor Axelrod   Composer
Kevin Raczka   Group Member
Martin Perna   Composer,Producer,Group Member
Luke O'Malley   Composer
Marie Daulne   Composer
Marcus Farrar   Group Member
Stuart Bogie   Composer
Jordan McLean   Group Member
Marcos Garcia   Composer,Group Member
Brian Ross   Management
Timothy Allen   Group Member
Reinaldo DeJesus   Group Member
Will Rast   Group Member
Jeremy Page   Engineer