Afreaka!

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Afreaka!
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 1970
RecordedSummer 1970
Genre
Length40:46
LabelDawn
ProducerBarry Murray
Demon Fuzz chronology
Afreaka!
(1970)
Roots and Offshoots
(1976)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Afreaka! was the first album released by the English rock band Demon Fuzz. It was initially issued in 1970 by Dawn Records, to which the group was signed. The following year, a U.S. pressing was made by Janus Records (catalog number JLS 3028).[2][3] It was a Billboard "4-STAR" selection in June 1971.[4] In the 21st century, another pressing on vinyl was made by Janus under the same catalog number as the 1971 edition.[2]

Three CD reissues were produced, all of which include as bonus tracks 'Message To Mankind', 'Fuzz Oriental Blues' and the band's cover of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' 'I Put A Spell On You', all from the group's 1970 maxi-single. In Japan, a two-CD (12-cm and 8-cm) set in a gatefold paper sleeve was made by Arcàngelo in 2004.[5] Castle Music released a CD (catalog number CMRCD 1197) in 2005.[6] Esoteric Recordings in the UK issued a CD in 2009 (catalog number ECLEC2111).

The musical style has predominantly been described as progressive rock,[7][8][9][10] psychedelic soul[7] and funk,[7][1] as well as acid rock,[7] jazz fusion[1] and jazz rock.[8] The recording is sometimes sampled by latter-day DJs.[1]

Track listing[edit]

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Past, Present, and Future"
  • Ray Rhoden
  • W. Raphael Joseph
9:43
2."Disillusioned Man"
  • Ray Rhoden
  • W. Raphael Joseph
4:53
3."Another Country" (The Electric Flag cover)Ron Polte8:20
Total length:22:59
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
4."Hymn to Mother Earth"
  • Ray Rhoden
  • W. Raphael Joseph
7:55
5."Mercy (Variation No. 1)"Ray Harris9:35
Total length:17:31
Compact disc bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."I Put a Spell on You" (Screamin' Jay Hawkins cover)Jay Hawkins3:55
7."Message to Mankind" 3:54
8."Fuzz Oriental Blues" 6:45

Credits[edit]

  • Sleepy Jack Joseph - bass
  • Ayinde Folarin - congas
  • Paddy Corea - congas, flute, sax, arrangements
  • Steven John - drums
  • W. Raphael Joseph - guitar
  • Ray Rhoden - piano, organ
  • Barry Murray - production
  • Clarance Brooms Crosdale - trombone
  • Smokey Adams - vocals

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Jurek, Thom. "Afreaka! [Bonus Tracks] - Demon Fuzz". Allmusic. a wild mash of Afro-Latin funk, breakbeats, tripped-out soul, jazz fusion, and psychedelic journeying. [...] DJs like Gilles Petersen have been hip to [...] Demon Fuzz for years, and as of the 21st century [...] other club jocks are [...] sampling this [...] LP.
  2. ^ a b "Demon Fuzz - Afreaka! (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-02-03.
  3. ^ "New LP/Tape Releases". Billboard. 1971-06-26. p. 52. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
  4. ^ "4-STAR". Billboard. 1971-06-26. p. 51. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
  5. ^ "DEMON FUZZ / デモン・ファズ + シングル". diskunion. Retrieved 2013-02-03.
  6. ^ "Demon Fuzz". Wax Poetics. 2010-07-12. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  7. ^ a b c d "Demon Fuzz "Afreaka!" (1970, Music On Vinyl)". Music Is My Sanctuary. demonstrates their excellence in playing psychedelic soul, dub-heavy funk, progressive rock, afro-jazz and black acid rock.
  8. ^ a b "Afreaka!". Record Collector. despite the tribal imagery and ethnic progressive rock label, Afreaka! is a mixed bag of jazz-rock
  9. ^ Corbett, John (May 18, 2017). Vinyl Freak: Love Letters to a Dying Medium. Duke University Press. p. 71. ISBN 9780822373155. a strange progressive rock record
  10. ^ "Demon Fuzz "Afreaka!" (1970)". Jive Time Records. Demon Fuzz's blend is just right and succeeds in cooking up an appetising dish of progressive rock/soul/jazz/world fusion