Well what can one say about animation in Nigeria…? Not a lot as it happens. The animation sector in this country is virtually non-existent, however that doesn’t mean some people aren’t giving it their best shot.  If only this country’s so-called creative visionaries had any real vision at all. Sigh, ah well…it’s a little sad when you consider that many of the animators in this country often fall short of their aims to provide us with some decent (homemade) animated entertainment simply because most (if not all) are doing the said animation with meager resources and very little manpower. Money simply seems to be the measure of one’s creativity most times, though I guess this isn’t only peculiar to the Naija creative scene. However, breaking ground in this area is made even more difficult by the lack of an actual animation industry. Where do these poor animators go and even more to the point, would anyone be willing to listen to them? I have nothing but praise for those who try though and urge them to keep moving forward in their attempts to bring these types of creative media to the forefront. There was a time in Nigeria where the Music industry was also virtually non-existence. With most music artists-even the more prominent one’s- of those times, struggling and grossly unappreciated. Perhaps that’s what this country needs, someone or some big corporation (like MTV base did with the music industry) to swoop in and give the weak and ailing  body of this particular sector of creative media, a much needed  shot in the arm. Perhaps, if someone could just make the break, then these money grubbing entrepreneurs would see that there was a vast wealth of untapped talent sitting under their noses all along. I believe the market is out there….waiting. All someone has to do is come and pluck the apple from the proverbial tree.

Meanwhile…here’s a little peek at the kind of apples some of these apple trees have been able to produce with so very little nourishment.

COCONUT ISLAND!

click here for more info

THE ADVENTURES OF ALAYO!

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Update: 2nd of October/2009

It’s been recently brought to my attention that I may not have been exactly clear as to my beef with the problems facing animators in Nigeria. The crux of my argument was not to suggest that their weren’t enough animators or people doing animation in the country. Quite the contrary, Nigeria has an ample (if sometimes under-used) amount of talented people in several areas involving creative media. However, while the country boasts the largest t.v network in Africa- and some say the world- and the presence of a number of satellite cable companies, it has yet to provide home based animators with the platform from which to launch themselves. It’s more than a little sad (and there’s a slight, but hardly notable chance that I may be wrong) to accept that none of these networks carry any Nigerian made animations on their broadcast schedule. Having said that, a recent visitor to the site alerted me to this trailer of another Naija based animated feature in the works, which is set to be released in 2010 and I was more than reasonably impressed with the prospects of what I saw to be compelled to post it here. (I hope the animators don’t mind?)

So a big thanks for this:

THE O TWINS!

To visit the online site click here

Yemi sax, as he is called, is a Nigerian saxophonist. He is, without doubt, really good and arguably, one of Nigeria’s best.

I however can’t understand why he would do an album in such a silly way. So much skill, no creativity.

This is not so much a review. I am just expressing my curiosity. Why? Someone said he did it because he lacked musical education. I think it could have been a function of lack of respect for the art form. I mean, why take pains to be creative? Its not worth it. I’m assuming he must have thought along such lines. My skill can take me through.

Maybe I should do a review of some sort, its definitely not worth taking the pains to do a real review of the nineteen or so tracks.

If you are wondering which album, he’s got just one.

I mean, he couldn’t just take the pains! Ah! Why?!!! I really can’t believe it. I wish I could hear from the horse’s mouth. Can someone please ask Yemi for me; why?

If you are looking for a demonstration of plenty skill, no creativity; plenty saxophone pains, no production pains, then, the album is a must buy. Or at least, a must listen.

Brand new track from Phizzle. I’m really starting to like this guy. I’m not sure about how I feel about this song. Its poorly produced and Phizzle appears to already be getting lazy with his lyrics.

In a nutshell, this is crap and I expected so much better that I posted the song up before listening to it. Never again.

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If you have any interest no matter how little in music or sound in general or you’re going to love this video. Must watch!

The music lives in us!

INTRO

Good studio drama. No point going further.

STAY(HEY YO) FT. NAETO C.

Now, I am listening to this track and I must say this song is capable of growing on you. Simple but apt vocal harmonies are employed. Beautiful. It starts with this interesting use of synthesizers, simple, and beautiful, still. Smooth R n b. Simple and confident singing from Dare; no attempts at doing anything extraordinary… and that may be exactly what makes it such a good song to listen to. That may be why it’s not a fantastic, spectacular or extraordinary song too. I don’t think any of these was intended for the song. There is no sign of such intentions to make the song fantastic. I guess, ordinary is not bad; after all, a good ordinary is always better than a poor extraordinary. Naeto C did well. Good production… and that part that comes before the chorus – bridge? It’s good. This is a good ordinary song that seems to take us a little back in time.

NOT THE GIRL

Of course, this is a good song but it is not without some characteristics I would simply refer to as unfortunate. I love the story. The piano performance is good but was the pianist distracted or just bored? We could do with a lot more dynamics and expression on the piano in a song that is just basically piano and voice. If Cobhams played that piano I am quite sure he could have done much better in terms of expression but I guess good pianists cannot but express their mood in performance. I must add too that there are many types of pianos in the world of music production; the choice of piano in this song is not the most suitable for a voice texture such as Dare’s but I could have settled for what was used if I didn’t know better. The piano, in my opinion utterly fails to carry the voice. Also, the choice makes the piano sound slightly distorted on some playback systems.

The singing is generally good and that’s just what it is but like I earlier said, good and ordinary is not necessarily bad, especially if that is what is intended. I could have said that was what was intended but for the attempts at climax – a perfect example of poor extraordinary. A failure! I wished the attempts at the climax(es) were successful. Ordinarily, songs climax once but here we have two major attempts at climax and they were awful. The orchestra drama attempted by Cobhams failed to rescue the situation and the singing at those points was simply terribly poor. That said I must admit that the minor attempt at climax at the bridge was good, a simpler and well executed climax and that the anticlimax at all points were good too. The mixing of the song is not so good, could have much better. Maybe we should blame the mastering but I suspect a lot of equalization was done to cover up bad micing or take down but like I said at the beginning – it is a good song.

NO STARS

Now, that’s a piano with expression; and some singing with expression too – a good entry. The song equally progresses fine too, a total agreement between the song, the singing and the accompaniment – a good blend indeed. I love the backup in the chorus – simply beautiful. I think Dare can really manage a simple climax and anticlimax. This is nice.

MORE

This is another good song, good performance and good production. I don’t fully agree with so much auto tune on this song, though. I guess it’s the norm now; we might as well go with the flow. Ok, now I think that auto tune adlib or something is a little silly.

STYLE

I don’t know what 9ice was really doing on that song – telling and showing Dare what it means to have style? I think that’s not nice. I however agree that if we are patient Dare will bring home Grammies but he’s got to have a style first. Ability to jump from style to style is not a style; rather, it suggests the lack of it. I maintain that this is definitely faulty reasoning… Please can someone stop that saxophonist?!!! That is some horrible tone for the alto saxophone. All the choices made in producing this song are good but for this saxophone choice; the attempt to cover up the poor tone with production gimmicks did not help and it only shows they knew it was poor but decided to cover it up and leave it! Oh my God!! Wrong decision – We can see through. Dear saxophonist, using a slightly harder reed would have saved the day. However, the note selection is not so bad.

SE TI GBO FT. 2FACE, NAETO C

I honestly like this groove – Properly executed, simple and listenable. It might be a good idea if dear Dare stuck to something like this, just a little more pumping and consistency on this could be the magic he’s looking for. A little more swagger please!!! I think the real Dare is somewhere around this track and People could really grow to identify with this – on a classy level (I think he’s looking for that). Of course, the features did well.

CARRY GO FT. 2FACE, NAETO C

The chord progression on this beat did the trick! It’s simply beautiful and it was used well. However, I never really appreciate digital acoustic guitars but I guess no crucifixion for that. A live acoustic is quite difficult to record properly so it’s better to play safe, I agree, but a live acoustic would have added life, no doubt. Is Dare going falsetto here? It’s certainly not convincing enough for a professional singer of Dare’s status. The vocal harmony on this song is not bad at all.

2face did justice, no doubt. Maybe 2face thought falsetto wouldn’t be a good idea so he struggled with the high pitch – and quite well too. Dangerous idea but he survived. Dare took no chances with such mountains, his voice range wouldn’t allow – good decision too but simply avoiding high pitches might have been a better decision all together.

LET YOU KNOW FT. PHEEL

There is some rather good digital acoustic guitar here. Nice. All this pidgin English is definitely not taking this song to the grass root and neither is it giving it that NAIJA character. It’s a nice and soft song. The way the backups were mixed is rather smooth, quite appropriate. I like this song but for some reason, it can easily pass unnoticed. I wished there was something deliberately placed in it to force the listener to pay attention to the track.

WITH THIS WOMAN

I am beginning to think Dare might be better at delivering backups than leads. I love the backup on this song. It’s simply smoothly rendered. The lack of authority I often perceive from Dare’s singing appears to be turning out as a plus on the backups here. I simply love it but I can’t say this lack is a plus for the lead on this song too. It isn’t. The accompaniment is on point once again but I think there’s a need to appreciate that this a rather restless generation of youths – if you are slowing it down you are dulling it, boring it. Cerebral groove as disseminated by this track is really not the best for this age. Excitement is a word to put in mind – not cerebral tingling, there’s a huge difference.

NO (SHE SAD)

I understand that a reggae drum roll can be difficult within the digital environment but this introductory roll is just lame! Plain lame!!!

What is it with this auto tune anyway? Auto tune is particularly good for covering up not too good singing. I am beginning to get suspicious.

We need some heat on this album. Damn it! I am seriously beginning to get bored. I take consolation in the fact that this is a good reggae groove but then another terrible roll.

Why?!!! Is this child’s play or what? – The adlib. Get serious and use a life instrument please. It’s really not that difficult. I understand that the auto tune made the voice sound like an instrument, vocal synthesizer or something of the sort but really, seriously….please.

THINKING

I am thinking – that Dare is not facing the reality of the times and his immediate environment – that’s assuming he is thinking about the world stage, the international scene. The best thing about this album is the fact that Dare choose a producer who truly knows how make music, he probably can make almost anything sound nice, listenable.

KEEP YOU HEAD UP

Ok, I guess this is where we go playful and the recessional and thanksgiving song comes up. Another producer magic I must say. It makes another song truly listenable. With some energy and passion, this could have been a really fantastic song.

CLOSING REMARKS

This album demonstrates a lot of effort at making listenable music and I think considerable success was achieved there. Had the focus been on making an album with passion, considerable success might have been made in that respect too. That certainly would have made this the album we so badly wanted to have from Dare, and of course – some definite sense of direction and character too, please.