| features in: Album Chart of 1978 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s |
As clearly marked on the label itself, this is an album of two distinct halves, with side 1 being described as the “soul” side, and the flip being labelled the “Zulu Vocal Jive” side. The resonance with which each side hits me is almost a formality before I’ve heard a note, and so it proves to be; where the first half is fair-to-middling, the second is super-exciting. Interestingly, producer Hamilton Nzimande is credited with writing the entire “soul” side and the girls themselves – Lindiwe Mthembu, Ruth Mafuxwana, and Jane Dlamini – account for 5 of the 6 on the superior side. Best of these is the title-track which opens up the second side, Lindiwe Mthembu’s “Ujabulisa Abantu” (“Happy People”), which features some gritty, over-amped guitars, a trait which continues subtly on this tougher, and altogether better, half. Two fantastic late-album highlights are delivered with “Izindlela Ziyahlangana” (“Encounter”) which finds the girls sharing the vocals with a couple of males, a groaner and a singer, one of whom may well be the credited songwriter, Mabhawodi Ndlovu. Even better is Ruth Mafuxwana’s “Ekhaya Kulezontaba”, a call and response stomper which seems to be pining nostalgically for mountain homelands. If I haven’t got that right, well, no matter, the infectious jive is all you really need… (note: you can download this out-of-print LP for free from the ever-wonderful Electric Jive.)
The Jukebox Rebel
11–Oct–2014
| Tracklist |
| A1 | [03:34]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Babehlekisa Ngathi (Hamilton Nzimande) Africana |
| A2 | [03:11]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Kudala Bengitshela (Hamilton Nzimande) Africana |
| A3 | [03:31]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Ngixolele Mngani (Hamilton Nzimande) Africana |
| A4 | [03:20]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Sala Maradebe (Hamilton Nzimande) Africana |
| A5 | [03:21]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Bengisebenza Egoli (Hamilton Nzimande) Africana |
| A6 | [03:35]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Ngeke Siwakhe Lomuzi (Hamilton Nzimande) Africana |
| B1 | [02:32]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Ujabulisa Abantu (Lindiwe Mthembu) Africana |
| B2 | [02:29]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Ngixolele Baba (Lindiwe Mthembu) Africana |
| B3 | [02:32]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Emendweni Kuyashisa (Ruth Mafuxwana) Africana |
| B4 | [02:49]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Izindlela Ziyahlangana (Mabhawodi Ndlovu) Africana |
| B5 | [02:34]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Ekhaya Kulezontaba (Ruth Mafuxwana) Africana |
| B6 | [02:42]  Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje - Ningibulala Ngiphila (Jane Dlamini) Africana |
