Whatever else you call 2008, you can add “the year of the Nigerian reissue compilation.” With a trio of goodies in Soundway's Nigeria Special series, and now this collection on Strut, there's never been a better time to live in the past a little and survey the amazingly rich terrain of Nigeria in the 1970s.

The primary differences between Nigeria 70 and the Soundway albums is that this one emphasizes tunes and skews more toward highlife than the rock-era styles the Specials highlight. Which isn't to say that Nigeria 70 stints on rhythm by any means — or that it makes no concessions to US/UK styles, as the straight-up disco-funk of Peter King's “African Dialects” and the British Invasion soul of the Immortals'”Hot Tears” prove. But there's something refreshingly basic about the propulsion of these cuts in aggregate; something like Eric (Showboy) Akaeze & His Royal Ericos'”Wetin De Watch Goat, Goat Dey Watcham” just builds and builds without letup for ten solid minutes, and most of the shorter cuts (in the three-to-six-minute range) are more immediate. Olufemi Ajasa & His New Nigerian Bros'”Aiye Le” propels on a Bo Diddley-ish rhythm, modestly intricate vocal back-and-forth and an arresting, astringent little guitar… read more »