This formerly lost-to-the-ages 1974 release is now ready for fans/addicts to pull into their world music-collecting realm. The eleven-strong conglomerate that was the Sweet Talks hailed from Tema, Ghana and this short but scintillating album boils with their youthful highlife-meets-Afrobeat enthusiasm. Then again, they do call it The Kusum Beat and anyone with ears will instantly recognize a slight difference in their haughty vocals, chattering guitars and hard-to-beat horn arrangements. The drummer lays heavily into the hi-hat, keeping the rhythm on high boil throughout and there is a palpable jazziness to their trumpet solos that will please even the most discriminating seeker. The repeating musical statements, mostly based around a cheap-sounding organ, almost become swirling and psychedelic at some points and the rhythmic structures advance before your ears and suck you in with a charming yet unrelenting flow. Nice plus. (Soundway, www.soundwayrecords.com) Jeff Monk
Winnipeg music & culture since 1989