Music / blues

Please don't be dead


Reviews (3)


AllMusic

2018

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By

Stephen Thomas Erlewine

2018

"Lacking the conceptual glue that bonded The Last Days of Oakland, Please Don't Be Dead nevertheless finds Fantastic Negrito resolutely ambitious. Synthesizing art funk, twisted soul, and arena rock with his bedrock blues, he frequently seems giddy with his own audacity".


Exclaim!

d. 18. June 2018

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By

Ryan B. Patrick

d. 18. June 2018

"With his fourth album as an artist, the musical reinvention of Fantastic Negrito is nearly complete. The man born Xavier Dphrepaulezz from Oakland has found his sound - a crackling take on traditional rock, blues and soul that earned him a Grammy for 2015's The Last Days of Oakland ... Please Don't Be Dead is virtually airtight in terms of musicality and intent. Fantastic Negrito continues to live to his "black roots" moniker - a weary, weathered soul survivor raging against the coming storm".


fRoots

Autumn 2018

By

By

Jamie Renton

Autumn 2018

"If this sounds like a mess, it isn't. Negrito is a born musical magpie in the best sense, with a gift for taking his borrowings and creating something all his own. His lyrics are poetic, somethimes allegorical, but it's clear what he's on about. Reference to burning down walls and fighting fear may be universal, but delivered in the current US political climate, have a very specific relevance. Musically, it's a thick, spicy stew of wailing call-and-response vocals, amped-up guitar, soul combo organ and drumming that would do the late John Bonham proud".