![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.reviler.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/NextStopSowetosmall_3.jpg\" "\\"Next")
<\/a><\/p>\n93<\/span>\/100<\/strong><\/p>\n Next Stop Soweto: Township Sounds from the Golden Age of Mbaqanga<\/em> is the first part in a new Strut Records <\/a>series that mines forgotten gems from the underground sounds of South Africa in the 60\u2019s and 70\u2019s.\u00a0 It is also by far the most fun record I have heard this year, the perfect soundtrack to beat back the blues of a Minnesota Winter (2 degrees below zero this morning).\u00a0\u00a0 Township<\/em> concentrates on \u201ctownship jive\u201d a distinctly African music genre that combines the rural, rhythmic roots of the country\u2019s indigenous music with western pop hooks and vocal harmonies.\u00a0 \u00a0The sound is full of life and energy \u2013 and Strut captures it in twenty tracks from different artists without a single dud amongst them.<\/p>\n With so many different bands in the compilation it can be difficult to summarize the record\u2019s overall sound.\u00a0 Sure it is all very danceable and upbeat, but Township also contains remarkable variety: there\u2019s the almost Tropicalia swing of the Mahotella Queens in \u201cZwe Kumusha,\u201d the tinny horns and funky Soul of the African Swingsters \u201cEmuva,\u201d the hoary yell of impossibly low-voiced Ibetkitshe Namajongosi in \u201cUmaduna Omnyama,\u201d as well as a huge number of other distinguishing varieties. \u00a0\u00a0The one common denominator that brings the songs together is that each one has such a goddamn catchiness to it that one can\u2019t help but wonder how they\u2019ve been buried for so long in obscurity.<\/p>\n In the modern age what will probably distinguish Township<\/em> the most though is that it seems to be a direct link to the goldmine from which pop superstars Vampire Weekend have carted away their entire sound.\u00a0 \u00a0As Gorilla Vs. Bear<\/a> put it though recently when faced with VW\u2019s new disc: \u201cWe\u2019d rather listen to the real thing.\u201d \u00a0And while at times I love Ezra Koenig and the gang\u2019s punk-inflected African stylings, for the pure unadulterated version it\u2019s best to go straight from the source.\u00a0 And as far as sources go, you can\u2019t get much better than the Soweto compilation. And the best part? This is only the first in a three record series \u2013 the next two getting Spring and Summer releases respectively.<\/p>\n — Jon Behm<\/p>\n