The business of packaging and marketing Dancehall stars to possibly be the ‘next big thing’ internationally is one which CONTINUOUSLY evolves and confuses equally. While the currents ranks are literally SOAKING with potential new faces to spring on international ears, REALISTICALLY speaking, I don’t think the possibilities run that deep at all. For instance, take the case of Vybz Kartel. If the Portmore lyrics demon were going to be a viable candidate to receive MASSIVE international attention and make himself a star to those outside of the Reggae/Dancehall world, he would have already done so. What limits Kartel (like it did Bounty before him and like it will Aidonia after him) the most in my opinion is that you can virtually say ‘good luck’ to the Patois-challenged international heads who willfully dig into Sean Paul, Elephant Man and Beenie Man records for the riddims. Kartel is, essentially, ‘handicapped’ by his talent. If you can’t appreciate the torrent of lyrical genius he delivers, then you can’t really appreciate him as an artist. That’s one situation. Another is the case of someone like Sizzla who has already been through the process of glossy marketing and image building on a large scale with his major debut, The Overstanding album, from back in 2006 (and he may end up getting another shot at it, before too long). Normally, Sizzla doesn’t have the same language problem of Kartel, the Killer and Aidonia, instead, he has the problem of presenting a virtually entirely new genre to the masses to which many of them haven’t fully experienced in Roots Reggae. Of course, there was Nesta but Marley died even before I was born and others in smaller dosages such as Buju and Capleton, both of whom did solid, admittedly but eventually reverted back to primarily going after the Reggae audiences who continued to show them respect (Buju actually remains somewhat of a household name to Hip-Hop heads, however, in my opinion, but that’s largely due to his Dancehall hits which crossed him over before he crossed himself over (musically speaking, of course)). And if you can’t appreciate roots Reggae in its purest form, then you can’t appreciate Sizzla at the absolute height of his powers. Looking ahead now, there’s Busy Signal. Busy had his first taste of BIG time exposure last year when VP Records (who happen to be on the stage again in this situation as they will be in the majority of future cases; as they were in the majority of the past cases) released his sophomore album, Loaded and did so on the strength of a big time video single, Tic Toc. Apparently that proved to be a relatively big success as the label has already gone on record as being interested in following up Loaded in 2009, which is unheard of for Dancehall artists at the top of the game these days (not since Elephant Man ran with Greensleeves for four album, four years consecutively). Busy holds the ’advantage’ over Kartel and Aidonia and the likes because his actual ability doesn’t diminish if he isn’t the tongue-rolling captivating wordsmith he can be, like his peers at times. There are others such as Assassin (whose music (I THINK) is PERFECT the way it is), Tanya Stephens who has received a small bit of attention, Ce’cile, who will; and of course Baby Cham who is currently signed to a major label (Capitol) all of whom MAY be up for the next step internationally.And then there’s Mavado. Were you to ask me as recently as a year (probably even six months) ago, I would have said NO WAY IN HELL Mavado can crossover. Why? Mavado, at his best has a style which is probably the single most DARK and downright EVIL we may have consistently ever seen in the Dancehall and DEFINITELY for a singer. On his debut album, Gangsta For Life: Symphony Of David Brooks (also from VP), two very very short years ago, Mavado hadn’t reached a level where he could adequately make tunes offering a variety of different vibes. In the time since, Mavado has most notably involved himself in the HOTLY anticipated clash versus the aforementioned Vybz Kartel and regardless of what you may think (or more importantly, who you may think won), the ’Gully Gad’ definitely well held his own, which was remarkable. Musically speaking, to be perfectly honest, Mavado has shown just a hint of evolution in his music but there is still work to be done. He has scored hits outside of the violent tunes (most notably a VERY big one which is on this album) which are at least respectable (as opposed to Squeeze Breast, which was atrocious) but also the long running feud with Kartel at least allowed him to continue to record the violent tracks as well. Now, Mavado is the latest in line to receive a big push from VP Records as they push forth his sophomore album, the MUCH MUCH MUCH more light, Mr. Brooks. . . A Better Tomorrow. The comparison between the two album covers, A Better Tomorrow and Gangsta For Life, tell a story on their own. The very dark cover on GFL told a story in and of itself where you could almost FULLY know what that album was going to be about and was projecting, even if you didn’t know the artist. Whereas A Better Tomorrow, at least in theory, shows something far more ’bright’ and perhaps more importantly, ’bright thinking’ with the brighter (not exactly sunny, there are a few clouds) skies. Mavado has what is apparently an angel shirt on in the cover photo and in the liners there are quite a few other ‘upful’ looking photos as well. Now as far as the music goes? There are definitely more upful minded tunes, more emotionally neutral ones (meaning the sexual ones for the most part) and, of course, A Better Tomorrow is highlighted by a tune which was made for the clubs and is apparently doing damage internationally with the help of a video which is in heavy rotation (which you’ve undoubtedly seen before if you’ve read this far into this review). The interesting thing for me personally is that I was quite vocal of saying that Mavado, when he was able to, would do good to add a different dimension to his vibes: But I think I miss the old evil Mavado!
One area where A Better Tomorrow does manage to improve on its elder sibling is on the topic of skits. A RIDICULOUS nine (9!!) were present on Gangster For Life (including two to start the album which is just fucked up) only two, by my count adorn ABT, however. Getting things started on Mr. Brooks… A Better Tomorrow from Mavado (where he takes a credit as an executive producer) (good for him) after one of the skits which finds ‘Grincha’ reprising his role of Mavado’s slain father hauntingly so, is the Daseca produced Every Situation. This tune is receiving quite a bit of early attention and that’s to be expected, but I REALLY don’t like it at all! The very dark sounding tune is actually meant as an inspirational (dare I say RELIGIOUS???) tune but it just doesn’t work. Not at all coming close to the MASSIVE tune Dying and it actually comes off vocally downright weird at times. Things aren’t looking too good at the opening here. Next is a can’t miss, easily one of the best tunes on the album and one of the best tunes Mavado has done altogether and certainly in the past two years as he rolls out On The Rock. I actually saw a pre-release tracklist for this one which hinted at the remixed version of the tune being present (which featured Hip-Hop star Jay-Z with the tune having caught the attentions of the international hitmaker) but even be that not the case, this one is a welcome addition chiming in over Baby G’s Mission riddim, proving to the opener that yes, you can be DARK and UPFUL at the same time. Older and more initiated fans may find it a bit old now (could say that about a few things on here actually) but for newer fans this should be one of the real attention getters on the album and even the older ones have to admit that they expected to see it here. Big tune always. Completing the opening of ABT is another pretty big tune from 2008 this time (I THINK On The Rock might’ve been late 2007 actually), the LARGE So Blessed. The Stephen McGregor programmed piece (over a riddim of the same name) is something which I could envision receiving single status at it definitely does have a big sound and is MELODIC simultaneously. And, unlike Every Situation, does a good job of showing off Mavado’s often overlooked and underrated vocals. Things got better after a downright strange start for A Better Tomorrow.
As I mentioned, Mavado is seemingly taking things more easy on this album (a very quick turnabout from the fire breathing monster he was trying to be on Boxing Day), so you get tunes which you just wouldn’t have seen two years back. One such is the biggest (not best) tune on the album and commercially the most viable of his career to date, (I’m) So Special. This tune comes across TJ’s controversial Unfinished Business riddim (and is seemingly the largest chunk at state in Dave Kelly’s suit against TJ for being too close to his own Showtime riddim) and was a hit virtually from the very first time it spun anywhere. I do actually like this one and it is well powerful (and just COOL) for the dance floor. Equally nice is the closer for the album, previous single Overcome which is just EXCELLENT! Easily one of the best tunes on this album and if you want to call it THE best, I’m not arguing. The McGregor produced piece was on VP’s recent Strictly The Best #39 (where it reigned supreme) and I’ve loved the sufferer’s anthem from the first time I heard it. HUGE track. Another tune worth mentioning (and another McGregor piece) is the WICKED Jailhouse which, although it isn’t necessarily the most upful vibe in the world, it definitely is one which is more positively vibed than negatively so. I don’t recall hearing this one before really and it quickly won me over (lovely backing vocals from an identified songstress) with the downright addictive sound which is probably more R&B/acoustic, but it works, trust me! That being said, I can’t help but delve back into the violent stuff when it comes to the album’s finest overall and Mavado wouldn’t be Mavado if he COMPLETELY eschewed from the gun altogether and thankfully he doesn’t. To my opinion, A Better Tomorrow hits its highest point when Mavado rolls across TJ’s Beast riddim (built by Daseca) with Gangsta Don’t Play. This HUGE gunman tune, in my opinion, rivals others such as Weh Dem A Do and, of course, Amazing Grace. And while Mavado is currently (at least seemingly) going through a metamorphosis, the Kartel aimed Gangster Don’t Play proves that he hasn’t completely emerged as a butterfly just yet. WICKED WICKED WICKED! Almost by design (and it was) immediately trailing Gangster Don’t Play is the lion’s share of ABT’s gun tunes with both Real Killer and Chiney K. Real Killer is the better of the two as the tune was quite a nice sized local hit for Mavado as it boasted to be coming in with No Chorus. Of course that begs the question (at least to me) were you too lazy to write a chorus Mavado??? Regardless, Real Killer is a BIG tune coming across Di Genius’ equally BIG Day Rave riddim. Chiney K actually has some elements of an (at least somewhat) conscious tune, but at its core it’s another gun tune and a fun one at that (nother McGregor production there, riddim of the same name).
So what’s wrong with it??? After Jailhouse there isn’t really anything which I would necessarily call GOOD on A Better Tomorrow besides the aforementioned Overcome. Both Don’t Worry (Daseca) and Money Changer (Jukeboxx, Shane Brown, Warning riddim) are decent tunes and I actually used to like Money Changer a little more than I do currently. Money just draggggggs things down and is soooooo predictable really. And I don’t think Mavado could come up with a big gal tune to save his own life! In Di Car Back which some people actually like (WHY???) is just BAD over McGregor’s Work Out riddim. But it’s better than Which Gal on the same producer’s WICKED Bee Hive riddim which is completely useless wherever you may find it and certainly on A Better Tomorrow. Thankfully, Overcome chimes in to save the day at the end.
Overall, I’m kind of confused here: Mavado and VP are obviously attempting to change his image (I actually read an interview were it said he wanted to be a ‘pop star’) (UNBELIEVABLE) and the result of that is A Better Tomorrow and I’m definitely not about to fret over a man trying to increase his fan base and, thus, the food on his table. BUT. Maybe album number two wasn’t the time. Mavado, STILL, at his best is a gun over gun type of artist. When he isn’t that, he can be an artist who can adapt that style and deliver upful sufferer’s tunes like Overcome and On The Rock. OCCASIONALLY he can also find something like So Special as well but that’s it. He’s not one to be making tunes about making money and flossing and the likes and he belongs as close to a gal tune as Luciano belongs to a Soca Monarch stage. A Better Tomorrow will essentially be Mavado’s introduction to a broader international audience with the promotion VP figures to (and already has) pushed behind it. What they’ll find is an obviously very talented Dancehall artist who has the potential to make very big hits and has been doing just that back home over the past four years or so. Unfortunately what they won’t find, for the most part, is his best.
3/5 stars.
VP Records
2009
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