The popular music coming out of the South African nation of Zambia in the mid-'70s was loud, edgy, guitar-based, and often a far cry from the more festive Afrobeat sounds emerging out of countries like Nigeria and Ghana. Zambia's liberation from British rule had resulted in a tenuous government that brought its people into hard and impoverished times, leaving the landlocked nation quite isolated. The influence of imported American and British music remained strong, and the scene that emerged in the early '70s combined elements of hard guitar, psych, funk, and soul into a distinctive genre eventually coined Zamrock. On
Welcome to Zamrock, Vol. 2
, archival label
Now-Again
continues their exploration of Zamrock's major players including bands like
Born Free
,
Salty Dog
, and
Witch
. With lyrics frequently sung in English and reflecting social and political strife, tracks like
Rikki Ililonga
's dark bluesy "Stop Dreaming Mr. D,"
Ngozi Family
's rallying cry "Hold On," and
Chrissy Zebby Tembo
's "I'm Not Made of Iron" are prime examples of Zamrock grit. ~ Timothy Monger