Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra

Antibalas, the musical answer to bombs dropping in Baghdad and kids body rocking in Brooklyn, is back with a brand new album. It seems that Antibalas is tired of being one of those subliminally conscious groups that are trying to change the world through living by example. Who Is This America? takes a big clenched fist step towards being on the CIA watch list. Tracks like "Indictment” point accusing horns towards the current Bush administration. "Big Man” is a mocking track that showcases lead singer Amayo’s vocals and words as powerful weapons against a corrupt economy based around debt. Conguero and vocalist Ernesto Abreu brings the soul of Africa and Latin America into the good fight on tracks "Obanla’e” and "Elephant.” Mixed and mastered much better than the first two records, Who Is This America? is a clean-sounding, sharp record that makes you want to dance on Dubya’s lawn. Who Is This America? is Antibalas’ best work to date, not only because the entire band walks into the crosshairs on this one, but because they don’t lose that sexy, organic, natural feel to their music that attracted me to Liberation Afro-Beat Vol.1. Antibalas can still sound completely loose and spontaneous on some of the funkiest solos, while still being able to fall back on really tight, hypnotic rhythms that help the album maintain a continuous heavy groove. One of the best records I’ve heard all year.