Radio Ethiopia  by Patti Smith

Patti Smith's second album is titled Radio Ethiopia and was released in 1976. Radio Ethiopia is the first of three consecutive albums that were released under the name Patti Smith Group, a group that initially started with Smith's collaboration with guitarist and songwriter Lenny Kaye.

Musically and sonically, Radio Ethiopia oscillates between punk rock and hard rock without making a clear inclination toward either. Another element is Patti Smith's performance, where she sometimes sings and other times recites and monologues. "Pissing In A River," "Pumping (My Heart)," and "Ask The Angels" were the three singles from the album, which went completely unnoticed if we consider the Billboard singles chart.

It is true that Radio Ethiopia has not received the best reviews and most likely disappointed many of those who were excited by her debut. The “funny” part is that Patti Smith collaborated with producer Jack Douglas to achieve a sound that would secure her a larger audience. The No.122 on Billboard probably does not prove such a thing.