cletta1201's Full Review: Gigi by Gigi (Ethiopian)
I think that our ultimate goal here at Epinions is to be able to share the things that we love or hate with other people see that they too can share our passion in whatever capacity they can. For me sharing music is special and fun because I love such a wide variety of music. I hope to be able to shed light on some music that people typically wouldn’t reach for, but once listened to, would enjoy. So that brings me to this review.
I kept seeing press in various magazines about this album that piqued my curiosity, and since my boyfriend is from Ethiopia, I've been exposed to the music some. So after reading about Gigi, I decided to test drive the album and was completely blown away. I think the best thing when listening to a foreign language album is that when you forget that it's in a foreign language and you start singing along, but you don't even know what the hell your saying, that's what this album does for me.
There are no songs in English on the entire cd; you can however inside the CD insert find the loose translations of the songs. I think that it almost goes without saying that when songs are translated they lose some of the sentiment and vigor. If you were familiar with the Amharic (Ethiopian) language it would be even easier to understand, but I’m assuming that you probably are not and that’s okay, you’ll still LOVE this album
This is Ejigayehu Shibabaw’s second album, but you can just call her Gigi. Although this album is entirely in Amharic it is still considered to be her “crossover” album because of the American music incorporation into traditional Amharic lyrics. There are 13 tracks on the album 12 of which Gigi wrote alone and the other having co-written. The first standout track for me is also the album’s first track “Gud Fella” which translates as trouble is brewing. It is about an old love returning and the trouble that it is going to cause. This song is very drum and guitar heavy and does have a very “African” sound to it. Some of the lyrics: “Thought I had given it up/heeded their words/What brought it on again, that old forgotten love/Trouble is imminent, oh where, /Where does he learn these things? /Takes me like candy then chews me like gum” It might sound kind of corny, but sung in another language it’s really beautiful.
Another of my favorite tracks is “Tew Ante Sew” which translates to please stop what you’re doing. It’s a song about asking for your heart back from a lover who has broken it. This song has more of a jazzy feel to it but there is still the heavy drum, guitar and synthesizer feel to it. Some of the lyrics from this song are: “Am I to die for love of a distant man/My heart so desperately hungry/Love ain’t a sack of grain, a beast of burden to bear/Here I am, trying to hock it off/Trying to sell it off”
“Abay” is also a very beautiful track. Abay is the Amharic word for the Nile River, and this song is essentially a tribute to its beauty. How according to Gigi, she is “…graceful, gracious, regal…” She speaks about the blame place on the Nile for many of her country’s faults, but that people must not turn their backs on her, for she is powerful and has given much.
Another song from the album that has really poignant lyrics is “Sew Argen” which translates as make me human. Of all the songs on the album this one is probably the most traditional in sound still with a heavy bass and horn though. On this song Gigi sings: “I’ve once been a hawk, in love with a hawk/A cheetah once, in love with a cheetah/A bear, even a lion, with both in love so long ago/But now in love again, my first with a man/Can’t become human, my first love with man.”
My absolute favorite track on the album is entitled “Zomaye” or my longed haired sweetheart or the one with the long dark hair. It is an up tempo song, as most of the albums songs are, this song is simply put very infectious, it makes you want to dance. Some of the lyrics on this song: “Waited up all night, my eyes are sore/Zomaye, his hair down to his neck/Zomaye down to his shoulders/So long, it falls like stalks of wheat/Heavy with seeds, grown tall and bent to the ground/Like grape leaves in the wind, it shakes.”Poetic, huh?
There is not one bad song on this album; I think Gigi has taken a big step forward for Amharic music and for herself. To be able to incorporate American music into her own and have it be so good and not lose the feeling is a major feat.
It would be erroneous to not say that it is difficult to write a song about a foreign language album, especially a foreign language that I do not speak. I hope that in some small way I have shared with you my affection for this album, I believe if you listen you will not be disappointed.
*I have since seen Gigi in concert and can say that she was AMAZING. The truth of an artists' talent lies in their ability to perform live and acoustically and Gigi passed the test with flying colors.*
If You Like Gigi You Might Like: Aster Aweke, Dawit Mellesse
Some websites to check out
www.gigimusic.net
www.aitrecords.com
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