Following the 2008 Carnival season, 2009 had some REALLY big shoes to fill in terms of just how much attention it attracted, its total presentation and effect, and of course, musically speaking. The music from 2008, across the board, not just in Trinidad was just so BIG, and not even by my tastes alone, that had 2009 come in just as strong, it still would have had a hard time, by comparison, following the year. So, with Trinidad’s Carnival having now come and gone and all of those questions having been answered, I think it’s pretty safe to say that 2009 didn’t exactly do a good job (not that anyone expected it to) and in the five or six years now that I’ve REALLY been listening to Soca, it was probably one of the weaker seasons that I’ve been experienced. Now, that’s not to say that it was COMPLETELY a waste, of course it wasn’t. the undeniable highlight of Trinidad’s Carnival was DEFINITELY Faye-Ann Lyons who, although I don’t think she came in as strong as she did in 2008 (even despite the fact that, unlike in 2008, she won EVERYTHING and had two legitimate hits), turned 2009 into her own personal showcase headlined by two MASSIVE Monarch performances which won her two crowns and subsequently, a second consecutive (third overall I believe) Road March title for Meet Super Blue. Besides Lyons, also having a pretty good season in 2009 was longtime veteran and my favourite Soca artist on the planet, Destra Garcia, who probably had the biggest single tune (of course I’m partial) with Bacchanal and also steady and consistent Blaxx whose song Tusty, again, although not as good as his 2008 effort (the RIDICULOUSNESS that was Breathless). The always solid KMC also had a decent year, as did Nadia Batson and a few others. However, there were several SIGNIFICANT top notch Soca artists who simply didn’t make the grade this year or pushed forward at an obviously lower level than they had in 2008. The first of those is the most unusual as well, Bunji Garlin. The WELL decorated Garlin had about as LITTLE motivation to succeed in 2009 as anyone as he could simply phone in his entire Carnival season to support his wife (Lyons) which is exactly what he stated was his goal at Monarch. However, although he came nowhere near reaching the levels of 2008’s Fiery, Garlin’s 2008, highlighted by a tune which is growing on me still, Clear De Road. So, yeah, he clearly wasn’t at his best, but did he really want to be? Less questions of motivation surround someone like ‘D Boss’ Iwer George who really didn’t have that good of a season (not that you would know it, because he was EVERYWHERE with a commercial which now sickens me) in my opinion. The same is also said of BIG artists like Shurwayne Winchester, Denise Belfon (who is effectively past her prime, but didn’t even have as good of a year as she did last year when she was also past her prime) and Dawg E Slaughter (who just a couple of years ago was one of my favourites). So many artists just didn’t BRING IT, like they did in 2008.
All of that being said, BY FAR the greatest ‘offender’ of failing to live up to standards set in the previous year was Machel Montano. UNARGUABLY one of the biggest stars Soca has ever seen in its still young history, 2009 saw Montano seemingly either simply not trying/caring or just clueless as to what was going on. Because of the mastery he has exhibited just in recent years, the ‘Michael Jackson’ of Soca, at least from me, gets the benefit of the doubt that he was all but taking the year off and didn’t care that the tune I personally heard played from him most frequently wasn’t his Road March contender, Wild Antz, nor his combination with US based stars Lil John and Pitbull but a tune named Tempa Wine, a combination he did with protégé and potential superstar Patrice Roberts for last year’s Crop Over. I’ll just assume that he didn’t care, rather than that he is just faltering (although a public spat with Winchester may suggest different). Last year, although Montano passed the crown of Road March which he had won in the two previous years (with Jumbie and Band of The Year, respectively) to Lyons, he STILL ended up delivering a year which was downright MAGICAL, musically speaking. And what better way to celebrate the successes of a season than by releasing an album! While the jury is still out on if/when Machel will release a 2009 album (although I’m hearing now that it’s looking more likely), if it does come forth it will have downright MASSIVE shoes to fill as, perhaps only amongst the hardcore fans, Montano has been releasing some of the strongest albums in Soca music amongst anyone for quite awhile. 2008’s edition, Flame On, has to be regarded as one of the best he has ever pushed forth and while I’m not all that familiar with his albums going further back, just in recent history, standing in comparison to its two most immediate predecessors, Book Of Angels (2007) and B.O.D.Y. (2006), Flame On holds up very well. The album, reportedly his tenth to date, definitey capitalized on the wonderful year and pretty much stands as a ‘soundtrack’ to Montano and company’s orchestra of MADNESS in 2008. For my own personal reasons I definitely have to say that I was looking forward to this one and I’ve pretty much been playing it VERY consistently nearing a year now as Montano scored with some of my favourite tunes in so many of my favourite tunes in 2008 and I wasn’t alone as the demand was VERY high for Flame On and so much so that, unlike either B.O.D.Y (Band Of De Year) or Book Of Angels (which may just have the best title for a Soca album that I’ve EVER heard), this album was actually released in the Caribbean and Europe as Flame On, but, through switching labels, eventually became known after one of it’s largest hits, Wining Season as it reached stateside. Regardless of how you know it, Flame On or Wining Season, if you are a fan of Soca or of Machel Montano’s in particular you should have this one already because EASILY it was one of the, if not THE best Soca album of 2008, period.
Flame On is SATURATED in hits from beginning to end (even the one tune that I don’t like here) and it’s even missing one. Hardcore Soca heads will IMMEDIATELY notice the absence of the aforementioned Tempa Wine which was done after the album’s initial release (but if you REALLY want it on an official release, mysteriously it shows up on the latest edition of Don’s Collector, Saison 3, a collection of hit tunes from the French Caribbean). Although being sans Tempa Wine, as I said, the hits on Flame On aren’t exactly lacking and they’re even bolstered in the most unusual ways as the album rolls in with the very ODD, yet equally ADDICTIVE Unconditional Love Prelude which clocks in over two minutes. This is like a GOSPEL version of the original tune which I’m sure embarrassed several Soca heads (your’s truly included) that we were just listening to it alone for quite awhile. EVEN THE PRELUDE ON THIS ALBUM IS BIG! The first actual song here is, of course, Unconditional Love’s original version and the real madness on Flame On begins! Before I heard another tune which I’ll be talking about momentarily, Unconditional Love was not only my favourite Machel Montano tune of Trinidad’s Carnival season 2008, the entire season in general as well (at the end of the day my favourite tune was probably Breathless, but I heard Unconditional Love weeks before it or Faye-Ann’s Get On, my number two). This one is just ridiculous and even though the next tune on the album was pushed for Road March, I think they made a mistake. MADNESS! Concluding the opening is the aforementioned Road March contender which I believe finished third after Breathless and champion Get On, Blazin D Trail. As I said, I do feel they chose the wrong tune to support (not that Unconditional Love would have won) (it wouldn’t have), but Blazin D Trail is still full on INSANITY! The song definitely does have the Road March feel to it, it’s just kind of overbearing at times and I think a more melodic tune would have done better for him (even Jumbie had more ‘funk’ than Blazin). But don’t take that as a diss, when you listen to this one ONE TIME, you recognize it’s power immediately! An excellent tune, an excellent opening in full and it gets better!
Meet better. One of the best things I feel Machel Montano has EVER done for himself was welcoming into his camp (formerly Xtatik, now HD, as he claims to be the first human to go High-Def) the diminutive potential superstar cousin of Bunji Garlin, Patrice Roberts. Besides her own endeavours, has supplied Machel, in combination, with UNFORGETTABLE hits, like Tempa Wine and even Band Of De Year. 2008 was no different as the two delivered my second favourite tune between the two (after BODY) the DAZZLING Rollin! Rollin brings tears to my big 27 year old grown man eyes, I LOVE THIS SONG! Roberts has a quality, like Nadia Batson and Antiguan singer Tizzy, to bring MELODY to these MONSTROUS jump up Soca tunes and she has rarely done a better job than when she chimes in on Rollin, effectively stealing the show from her boss! MASSIVE, HUGE and one of my favourite Soca tunes ever. Roberts is probably the least known artist who Montano taps for Flame On, he also gets the legendary David Rudder to join him on the COOL Oil & Music. This one is for the more MATURE ears (slightly), but whoever can really appreciate it and between powerhouses loaded at the front of the album your ears (and your feet if you’re moving) will definitely thank you. Cool tune. Even more popular than Rudder is The Mighty Sparrow, one of the most revered Caribbean artists altogether, who joins Montano on a remake of his CLASSIC tune, the Congo Man. This one is just BRILLIANCE and, in my opinion, one of the most significant tunes to come from 2008 (Bunji did a similar thing remaking Fiery from Maestro) in full. This one brought smiles to so many in the older crowds definitely and the youths will appreciate it as well, as it isn’t just a straight remake, but Montano adds just enough of himself into it to make it his own. EPIC! Then there’s WINING SEASON! The tune may have just been the single biggest hit for Montano in 2008 altogether and it’s BOUNCE will grow on you like a fungus, guaranteed! If Wining Season doesn’t get you moving in some way, then you, my friend, are a corpse! Setting the stage ultimately from Oil & Music is the just as cool Make Love which kind of went under the radar a bit, but for me is one of my favourites, especially for the dance floor. Getting a bit more GRIMY, Montano takes on one of the more popular straight Soca riddims of the past few seasons, the Pressure Boom (aka Leggo Mi Riddim), for one of my favourite tunes here, the somewhat underrated Jamishness. No, he didn’t reach the heights set by Lucian Ricky T (who dropped the Pressure Boom), but Jamishness is still a SPECIAL tune, indeed. The last original Soca tune on Flame On, sequentially is another of the underrated tunes, the somewhat generic We Will Live which I didn’t remember being quite as good as it is now listening to it for this review. It is essentially the first of two changeups on the album as it features Montano in a bit reflective and conscious states at times. Still, its real power is evident even though it may not scream out at you, listen to it a few times REALLY get it. Winding down Flame On the big remixes and combinations roll in as Machel taps to modern Reggae legends in Shaggy and Buju Banton. Shaggy does a better job on his take with Machel on Wining Season (it helps that he has a better tune to work with definitely) and the tune just generally sounds ‘louder’ and ‘bigger’ than in its original form (although I still prefer the original to the remix). Buju definitely adds a surprise element and a Reggae element to the already well chilled Make Love and he doesn’t hurt it at all, I just find it a bit unusual sounding (I REALLY wish they had made a video for this song however). Machel of course has a long history working with Reggae artists having worked with the likes of Beenie Man, Vybz Kartel and even Sizzla in the past and Bermy upstart Collie Buddz for this year on the tune Fly Away. Extinguishing the flame on Flame On is my least favourite tune on it, Defense (The Anthem) which features Montano alongside Lil John and Pitbull from the States. Given what occurs in the twelve tunes before it the Soca - Hip Hop - Reggaeton odd sounding hybrid is entirely forgivable ending things here (and incidentally the same trio repeated the feat this year on the tune Fire On The Floor which may be the only example of Machel Montano improving on 2008 as I ENTIRELY favour it to Defense.
Overall, Flame On is simply one of the strongest Soca albums from a single artist that I have probably EVER heard. The album gives me that POWER, jump up sound which I absolutely LOVE and just enough in the way of the smooth and groovy vibes to take the feeling off of being overwhelmed at times which is downright CRUCIAL when it comes to Soca albums like this. I also feel that the album is somewhat of a landmark in Machel Montano’s career as whole as, he may very well be slipping a bit (he turns thirty-five this year) and Flame On may have been one of the last bits of all out GREATNESS that he brings. Regardless of what the future may or may not bring, Flame On is a special album recommended for Soca fans new and old alike. 2009 may have seen a changing of the guard event or maybe just an off year from Machel Montano. 2008, however, was a different story, one which played out as one of his best, one where he was still King. AMAZING! Go get it!
All of that being said, BY FAR the greatest ‘offender’ of failing to live up to standards set in the previous year was Machel Montano. UNARGUABLY one of the biggest stars Soca has ever seen in its still young history, 2009 saw Montano seemingly either simply not trying/caring or just clueless as to what was going on. Because of the mastery he has exhibited just in recent years, the ‘Michael Jackson’ of Soca, at least from me, gets the benefit of the doubt that he was all but taking the year off and didn’t care that the tune I personally heard played from him most frequently wasn’t his Road March contender, Wild Antz, nor his combination with US based stars Lil John and Pitbull but a tune named Tempa Wine, a combination he did with protégé and potential superstar Patrice Roberts for last year’s Crop Over. I’ll just assume that he didn’t care, rather than that he is just faltering (although a public spat with Winchester may suggest different). Last year, although Montano passed the crown of Road March which he had won in the two previous years (with Jumbie and Band of The Year, respectively) to Lyons, he STILL ended up delivering a year which was downright MAGICAL, musically speaking. And what better way to celebrate the successes of a season than by releasing an album! While the jury is still out on if/when Machel will release a 2009 album (although I’m hearing now that it’s looking more likely), if it does come forth it will have downright MASSIVE shoes to fill as, perhaps only amongst the hardcore fans, Montano has been releasing some of the strongest albums in Soca music amongst anyone for quite awhile. 2008’s edition, Flame On, has to be regarded as one of the best he has ever pushed forth and while I’m not all that familiar with his albums going further back, just in recent history, standing in comparison to its two most immediate predecessors, Book Of Angels (2007) and B.O.D.Y. (2006), Flame On holds up very well. The album, reportedly his tenth to date, definitey capitalized on the wonderful year and pretty much stands as a ‘soundtrack’ to Montano and company’s orchestra of MADNESS in 2008. For my own personal reasons I definitely have to say that I was looking forward to this one and I’ve pretty much been playing it VERY consistently nearing a year now as Montano scored with some of my favourite tunes in so many of my favourite tunes in 2008 and I wasn’t alone as the demand was VERY high for Flame On and so much so that, unlike either B.O.D.Y (Band Of De Year) or Book Of Angels (which may just have the best title for a Soca album that I’ve EVER heard), this album was actually released in the Caribbean and Europe as Flame On, but, through switching labels, eventually became known after one of it’s largest hits, Wining Season as it reached stateside. Regardless of how you know it, Flame On or Wining Season, if you are a fan of Soca or of Machel Montano’s in particular you should have this one already because EASILY it was one of the, if not THE best Soca album of 2008, period.
Flame On is SATURATED in hits from beginning to end (even the one tune that I don’t like here) and it’s even missing one. Hardcore Soca heads will IMMEDIATELY notice the absence of the aforementioned Tempa Wine which was done after the album’s initial release (but if you REALLY want it on an official release, mysteriously it shows up on the latest edition of Don’s Collector, Saison 3, a collection of hit tunes from the French Caribbean). Although being sans Tempa Wine, as I said, the hits on Flame On aren’t exactly lacking and they’re even bolstered in the most unusual ways as the album rolls in with the very ODD, yet equally ADDICTIVE Unconditional Love Prelude which clocks in over two minutes. This is like a GOSPEL version of the original tune which I’m sure embarrassed several Soca heads (your’s truly included) that we were just listening to it alone for quite awhile. EVEN THE PRELUDE ON THIS ALBUM IS BIG! The first actual song here is, of course, Unconditional Love’s original version and the real madness on Flame On begins! Before I heard another tune which I’ll be talking about momentarily, Unconditional Love was not only my favourite Machel Montano tune of Trinidad’s Carnival season 2008, the entire season in general as well (at the end of the day my favourite tune was probably Breathless, but I heard Unconditional Love weeks before it or Faye-Ann’s Get On, my number two). This one is just ridiculous and even though the next tune on the album was pushed for Road March, I think they made a mistake. MADNESS! Concluding the opening is the aforementioned Road March contender which I believe finished third after Breathless and champion Get On, Blazin D Trail. As I said, I do feel they chose the wrong tune to support (not that Unconditional Love would have won) (it wouldn’t have), but Blazin D Trail is still full on INSANITY! The song definitely does have the Road March feel to it, it’s just kind of overbearing at times and I think a more melodic tune would have done better for him (even Jumbie had more ‘funk’ than Blazin). But don’t take that as a diss, when you listen to this one ONE TIME, you recognize it’s power immediately! An excellent tune, an excellent opening in full and it gets better!
Meet better. One of the best things I feel Machel Montano has EVER done for himself was welcoming into his camp (formerly Xtatik, now HD, as he claims to be the first human to go High-Def) the diminutive potential superstar cousin of Bunji Garlin, Patrice Roberts. Besides her own endeavours, has supplied Machel, in combination, with UNFORGETTABLE hits, like Tempa Wine and even Band Of De Year. 2008 was no different as the two delivered my second favourite tune between the two (after BODY) the DAZZLING Rollin! Rollin brings tears to my big 27 year old grown man eyes, I LOVE THIS SONG! Roberts has a quality, like Nadia Batson and Antiguan singer Tizzy, to bring MELODY to these MONSTROUS jump up Soca tunes and she has rarely done a better job than when she chimes in on Rollin, effectively stealing the show from her boss! MASSIVE, HUGE and one of my favourite Soca tunes ever. Roberts is probably the least known artist who Montano taps for Flame On, he also gets the legendary David Rudder to join him on the COOL Oil & Music. This one is for the more MATURE ears (slightly), but whoever can really appreciate it and between powerhouses loaded at the front of the album your ears (and your feet if you’re moving) will definitely thank you. Cool tune. Even more popular than Rudder is The Mighty Sparrow, one of the most revered Caribbean artists altogether, who joins Montano on a remake of his CLASSIC tune, the Congo Man. This one is just BRILLIANCE and, in my opinion, one of the most significant tunes to come from 2008 (Bunji did a similar thing remaking Fiery from Maestro) in full. This one brought smiles to so many in the older crowds definitely and the youths will appreciate it as well, as it isn’t just a straight remake, but Montano adds just enough of himself into it to make it his own. EPIC! Then there’s WINING SEASON! The tune may have just been the single biggest hit for Montano in 2008 altogether and it’s BOUNCE will grow on you like a fungus, guaranteed! If Wining Season doesn’t get you moving in some way, then you, my friend, are a corpse! Setting the stage ultimately from Oil & Music is the just as cool Make Love which kind of went under the radar a bit, but for me is one of my favourites, especially for the dance floor. Getting a bit more GRIMY, Montano takes on one of the more popular straight Soca riddims of the past few seasons, the Pressure Boom (aka Leggo Mi Riddim), for one of my favourite tunes here, the somewhat underrated Jamishness. No, he didn’t reach the heights set by Lucian Ricky T (who dropped the Pressure Boom), but Jamishness is still a SPECIAL tune, indeed. The last original Soca tune on Flame On, sequentially is another of the underrated tunes, the somewhat generic We Will Live which I didn’t remember being quite as good as it is now listening to it for this review. It is essentially the first of two changeups on the album as it features Montano in a bit reflective and conscious states at times. Still, its real power is evident even though it may not scream out at you, listen to it a few times REALLY get it. Winding down Flame On the big remixes and combinations roll in as Machel taps to modern Reggae legends in Shaggy and Buju Banton. Shaggy does a better job on his take with Machel on Wining Season (it helps that he has a better tune to work with definitely) and the tune just generally sounds ‘louder’ and ‘bigger’ than in its original form (although I still prefer the original to the remix). Buju definitely adds a surprise element and a Reggae element to the already well chilled Make Love and he doesn’t hurt it at all, I just find it a bit unusual sounding (I REALLY wish they had made a video for this song however). Machel of course has a long history working with Reggae artists having worked with the likes of Beenie Man, Vybz Kartel and even Sizzla in the past and Bermy upstart Collie Buddz for this year on the tune Fly Away. Extinguishing the flame on Flame On is my least favourite tune on it, Defense (The Anthem) which features Montano alongside Lil John and Pitbull from the States. Given what occurs in the twelve tunes before it the Soca - Hip Hop - Reggaeton odd sounding hybrid is entirely forgivable ending things here (and incidentally the same trio repeated the feat this year on the tune Fire On The Floor which may be the only example of Machel Montano improving on 2008 as I ENTIRELY favour it to Defense.
Overall, Flame On is simply one of the strongest Soca albums from a single artist that I have probably EVER heard. The album gives me that POWER, jump up sound which I absolutely LOVE and just enough in the way of the smooth and groovy vibes to take the feeling off of being overwhelmed at times which is downright CRUCIAL when it comes to Soca albums like this. I also feel that the album is somewhat of a landmark in Machel Montano’s career as whole as, he may very well be slipping a bit (he turns thirty-five this year) and Flame On may have been one of the last bits of all out GREATNESS that he brings. Regardless of what the future may or may not bring, Flame On is a special album recommended for Soca fans new and old alike. 2009 may have seen a changing of the guard event or maybe just an off year from Machel Montano. 2008, however, was a different story, one which played out as one of his best, one where he was still King. AMAZING! Go get it!
Rated 5/5 stars
Ruff Rex Productions
2008
http://www.myspace.com/machelmontano
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