Unlike his countryman Tuku, Thomas Mapfumo has always been a controversial figure in Zimbabwe-so much so that he now lives in exile in Oregon, of all places. Mapfumo emerged in the '70s with music that also drew on the Shona mbira tradition but was unabashedly influenced by Western rock 'n' roll. When Zimbabwe was still Rhodesia, Mapfumo was imprisoned by the all-white government for his "chimurenga singles"-liberation anthems that motivated the guerrillas. He was no more malleable under the subsequent administration, serving as a constant Bob Marley-like thorn in Robert Mugabe's side. Despite its enormous popularity, Mapfumo's music was banned, and in 2000 he was forced to leave the country. His latest release, Rise Up, has a revolutionary spirit. The accompanying artwork shows two wrists bound by barbed wire, meant to convey Mapfumo's message that people "fight back." It also has the distinction of being Mapfumo's first digital-only release, meaning if you can't download the mp3s off of CalabashMusic.com, you can't have it. (This has caused consternation among older music critics and those living in the hinterlands. They'll get over it.) Rise Up is solid Mapfumo songwriting and musicianship, filled with lilting mbira and punctuated by female backup singers. It showcases Mapfumo's voice at its best-smooth and low and rich. "Handimrotya" gets a little funky with electric guitars, while "Ndodya Marasha" leans heavily on acoustic piano. The songs here are a little bit rock, a little bit Shona, a little bit singer/songwriter. It's certainly worth spending 99 cents apiece for a couple of them, though you might not want the whole CD.