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Lucius gets mellow
By
Our Reporter - 02-07-2002 |
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Music critics and listeners alike often judge a work in relation to previous works of the same artist. Most critics and listeners’ judgments are often on whether the artist has surpassed his/her previous effort or not.
This however, tends to be a faulty analysis of the work at hand as it is not often judged by its individual strengths or weaknesses.
It is in this regard that I would take exception by looking at Lucius Banda’s latest offing Not Easy Road as an individual work.
Not Easy Road does not seek to impress the listening public. In other words, Banda is singing for himself and dares all those wishing to listen to do the same.
A justified fact because the artist initially explained that he was celebrating the journey since he started music some 17 years ago and expressing the feeling that “it has not been an easy road”.
Which is why most, if not all songs on Side A of the tape are mellow songs which celebrate one thing or another.
Kennedy Wakwatira, which features the husky-voiced San B has already proved to be a popular hit on the market since its release more than a month ago.
Kennedy Wakwatira is a jovial wedding party song that celebrates the bridegroom’s entry into holy matrimony, expressing the parent’s joy on their son’s marriage.
Similar in taste is Zosowa where he sings praise to a newly found love, who is both beautiful and respectful to elders.
Dyoko Dyoko is an attack on men who never want to see a beautiful woman and let her go.
The first stanza goes something like this:
Amalume panopa mwatani/Mukaona asungwana mtima wanu dyoko dyoko/Musawone skirt pachingwe/mumafufuza mumudziwe mwini wake/koma amalume mugonje tsopano/Mulungu adzagula chipande china/Ana akazi akungoba-dwila ngati magalimoto a ku Durban
The three songs may give one the impression that Lucius has gone all mellow in Not Easy Road, which is not the case.
In Dyera he decries greed among brothers, stating that such acts lead to an outsider running away with the booty.
In the title track, Banda touches on the plight of the African peoples and sings that theirs has not been an easy road.
He cites slavery, colonialism and the recent foreign debts as some of the factors that have crippled the continent.
In one verse, he urges the foreign nations to provide aid to Africa without any attachments.
Not completely forgetting the plight of orphans in the country, he calls for a more concerted effort and collective responsibility in taking care of the orphans in Mwana Wamasiye.
He observes that it is disheartening that people reach a point of shunning orphans’ funerals.
In Too Many Cry he wonders why there is so much mourning. He says this in relation to the Police shooting of Chancellor College student Fanikiso Phiri last year and the death of Evison Matafale in Police custody also last year.
He says instead of hunting for dangerous criminals, the Police are busy shooting innocent civilians.
Banda dives into the political arena with the song Kuyamika. He observes that people are not willing to give respect where it is due when one is alive. They are only willing to sing praises when one is dead and buried.
When he is alive, a person’s weaknesses are more highlighted than his good points.
He sings that both President Bakili Muluzi and First Lady Shanil Muluzi are good people but people will only appreciate their work, when they are gone.
So in its own right, Not Easy Road stands as a piece of rare art. Party goers will love Side A of the cassette while those who are more concerned about the message will have to sit down and listen to Side B.
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