byWilred okiche

Terry G is born again!

Ok maybe not but it seems like the man has discovered his spiritual side and he flaunts it to no small measures in his new album. He aims for the skies, names his album Terry G.zuz (a play on Jesus), earns his wings on the album cover but fails to soar.

His spirituality is overtly on display here even as he goes back to his roots (he started as a gospel singer). He strongly renounces his former titles as he insists on the viral lead single “I no be the ginger again/ I no be the swagger again/call me the Akpako master.’’ It is a refrain he makes over and over again as though trying to convince not just listeners but himself as well. At least five tracks on the set are dedicated to ‘the man above’ and with all the bell clanging and praise singing, it seems like he has come a full circle.

But it is a Terry G album after all. Meaning songs like ‘Akpako’ take centre stage. The club banger is in the mold of his former hits and will get you dancing irrespective of social class. It is the kind of song you chide your room mate for playing only to find yourself chanting along thirty minutes later.

He maintains the same tried and true formula throughout the disc to disappointing results. Grunting, ranting, braying, auto-tuning and Terry Ging- for want of a better word, on beats that are by now so familiar might not sound like music coming from anyone else; but for Terry G, we make an exception. But this is a low even for the man who sold us all that free madness.

He squanders a 9ice guest appearance, does not know what to do with Faze’s vocals but revives Awilo’s career briefly on ‘Brukutu’, one of the album’s highlights. He finds in Timaya a kindred spirit and together they make a whole lot of avoidable noise. And that ever present bell clanging! Just stop it already.

For an album relying heavily on formula, it sounds better when it strays, like on ‘Baby Don’t Go’ where he reveals a softer side and pleads with his woman not to leave. And it will take the strong woman to continue listening after the first few tracks.

The streets love Terry G though and this one is for them. His is an acquired taste. It is for you too if you like your music fun, wild, noisy, danceable and devoid of any intellectual input whatsoever. Not that that is a bad thing.

Oluwapelumi