Zimbabwe

Rodney Anonymous vs. The World

by Rodney Anonymous

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Published: Nov 19, 2008

(CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

Artist: Chiwoniso

Album: Rebel Woman

Country of Origin: Zimbabwe

On behalf of the entire godless liberal media, Aid or Invade would like to congratulate President-elect Barack Hussein Obama on his recent victory (as foretold in the Book of Revelation).

Aid or Invade would also like to congratulate Zimbabwean singer Chiwoniso Maraire on gathering together all of the right ingredients for her first CD in more than a decade, Rebel Woman (Cumbancha). It's all there, from Chiwoniso's smooth vocals, floating over the lively pluck of a thumb piano, all the way to the accompanying dashes of reggae guitar and soft thud of hand drums.

Unfortunately, as anyone who's ever watched 10 minutes of the Food Network can tell you, sometimes you can have all of the right ingredients and still bake a cake that tastes like a boiled lemur drizzled with rancid milk. That's not to imply that Rebel Woman is a bad CD; it's a frustrating one because it constantly just misses the mark by a hair. The guitars are just a little too soft; the vocals just a little too laid back; the rhythm section too restrained. The whole thing comes off just a little too damn polished. Chiwoniso, for the love of crap, please, please cut loose on your next CD.

Verdict:

This is a really reluctant invasion, and perhaps that's what makes Rebel Woman all the more deserving of one. Because nobody wants to burst a blood vessel screaming "Crank it up! For Christ's sake, let's hear some goddamn emotion" at your CD player.

(r_anonymous@citypaper.net)

Listen, there's never any shortage of goddamn emotion at rodneyanonymous.com.

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