Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics

Consumer Guide:
  User's Guide
  Grades 1990-
  Grades 1969-89
  And It Don't Stop
Books:
  Book Reports
  Is It Still Good to Ya?
  Going Into the City
  Consumer Guide: 90s
  Grown Up All Wrong
  Consumer Guide: 80s
  Consumer Guide: 70s
  Any Old Way You Choose It
  Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough
Xgau Sez
Writings:
  And It Don't Stop
  CG Columns
  Rock&Roll& [new]
  Rock&Roll& [old]
  Music Essays
  Music Reviews
  Book Reviews
  NAJP Blog
  Playboy
  Blender
  Rolling Stone
  Billboard
  Video Reviews
  Pazz & Jop
  Recyclables
  Newsprint
  Lists
  Miscellany
Bibliography
NPR
Web Site:
  Home
  Site Map
  Contact
  What's New?
    RSS
Carola Dibbell:
  Carola's Website
  Archive
CG Search:
Google Search:
Twitter:

Loketo [extended]

  • Soukous Trouble [Shanachie, 1990] A-
  • King of Soukous [Sound Wave, 1991] *
  • Extra Ball [Shanachie, 1991] A

See Also:

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Soukous Trouble [Shanachie, 1990]
Shared personnel notwithstanding, Diblo's Super Soukous was a guitarist's record and this is a band's. Six titles, six composers (three singers, two guitarists, one drummer), each of which achieves the same HI-NRG with a different deployment of stripped-down resources (the aforementioned plus bass, synth, percussion, a two-man horn section, and the occasional female chorus). Sure it's all up-up-up. They'll take you there. A-

Aurlus Mabele and Loketo: King of Soukous [Sound Wave, 1991]
attempted singer's record ("Embargo") *

Extra Ball [Shanachie, 1991]
They've subdivided now--Aurlus Mabele keeps the logo, Diblo Dibala takes the John Hancock. But your last chance at a great band is also your best. Mabele's warm, rich, relaxed baritone is merely foremost among several engaging voices, and the guitar dominates, as it should. Endlessly, effortlessly fluent, Dibala pours his most gorgeous effects into a hornless format that varies and repeats like prime James Brown. I just hope he meshes with bassist Miguel Yamba in real life. They should be together. A