Thankfully, its still the case in Reggae music to a degree where we still see artists who are most commonly associated with a specific producer and, by extension, a specific producer. Throughout the years some of our finest artists come from some of the equally finest and STABLE labels and producers where they spent either parts of or ALL of their formative years. For example, staying within the spectrum of Roots Reggae (as that’s why we’re here today, after all); when you think of the names Sizzla Kalonji and Turbulence, you would probably automatically think of Xterminator. The once MIGHTY imprint (which is apparently making a comeback these days) gave to both artists their COMPLETE start and introduction to the world class stage of the game and was also home to both Luciano and Mikey General as well as the well underrated Prince Malachi amongst others throughout the early and mid 1990’s. Xterminator has since become rather spotty (as is the case with MOST labels you’ll find in Reggae, as they tend to have ‘lives’ in terms of a ‘lifespan’, much like an artist because, for the most part, a LABEL tends to be specifically ran by one person and certainly making a great deal of money can dilapidate one’s hunger) as it’s head Philip ‘Fattis’ Burrell has seemingly been enjoying a state of retirement but a recent return to work on Linval Thompson’s EXCELLENT Ghetto Living album perhaps hints at the aforementioned return. At the same time Burrell was making waves with Xterminator, you also saw the somewhat mysterious rise of one African Star, ran by one Stuart Brown wasn’t exactly ‘in it’ for the long run but definitely left the game with one undeniably POWERFUL force. You can thank Brown for developing the rootical aspect of the King Shango, Capleton, as, having left behind a past marked by being one of the baddest of Dancehall bad boys, Capleton sighted Rastafari and did so THANKFULLY in the musical presence of Brown and African Star to whom he (and we) can give thanks for earlier Roots hits from the superstar chanter like Tour, Wings of The Morning, (the WICKED Death Road) and even Witness and I Will Survive. Of course, African House would eventually give way to David House and other fine artists such as Jah Thunder, Military Man and most recently Jah Malo and of course Munga Honourable (AND Brown would serves as executive producer to the CLASSIC More Fire album also). And lastly I’ll mention the VERY underrated Star Trail which, of course is most closely associated with star chanter Anthony B and, despite the reportedly unfair business practices of its head, Richard ‘Bello’ Bell, he definitely did EXCELLENT work for Anthony B as well as a seemingly never ending list of similarly gifted artists, including Beres Hammond, Capleton, Sizzla, Everton Blender and even the late and great Garnet Silk. Think about it, the three big Roots chanters from the same era, Sizzla, Capleton and Anthony B, all came through and developed in labels and under producers who DEFINITELY did fine work with them and to whom the Reggae listening world shall forever be grateful.
There were other labels around the same time which definitely weren’t getting their fare share of attention but in their own way offered SO MUCH to the Reggae community as well. Such a label would definitely have to be Kings Of Kings. If you take a detailed look at just how many artists rolled through KoK at early stages of their careers and subsequently spent a considerable amount of time there, it can be very surprising. The equally underrated singer Chrisinti (more on him later) spent quite a bit of time with the label after emerging under the wings of Beres Hammond I believe and at that very same time you would have found Ce’Cile, of all people, doing the very same thing, spending her developmental years writing, recording and singing backing tracks for many KoK projects. Not only them but producer Cordel Burrell (bka Scatta) also developed at Kings Of Kings and should you ever take a look back at some of his more successful riddims, such as the Martial Arts, the Double Jeopardy and even the Coolie Dance, you’ll see that they, despite being VERY hardcore Dancehall, came under the Kings Of Kings banner. The label head himself, Colin ‘Iley Dread’ Levy has also been active as an artist (thus, he developed himself) having released two albums to my knowledge, Friends For Life and the very well regarded Unite The People. However, in terms of specifically being a Roots Reggae artist, if it isn’t Chrisinti, KoK greatest find would DEFINITELY be Trenchtown chanter Norris Man. Norris actually scored his first and arguably still biggest hit, Persistence with Levy and Burrell and KoK back in ~1997 and unsurprisingly it was Levy who took an executive producer’s credit on his debut album of the same title for VP Records in 2000. Norris Man then ‘took his show on the road’ for awhile as his second album, Better Your Soul, from the following year was produced by Colin McGregor of Jah Scout Records from out of St. Francisco (which featured both Ce’cile and Scatta throughout) but he would ultimately return just two years later to resume the work with Levy and KoK, for his third album, World Crisis, which ended up being not his best (it was better than Better Your Soul however) but definitely one of a very nice quality and it showed a more versatile side of the typically unusually (if such a thing exists) vibed chanter. World Crisis was distributed through Jet Star in the UK and throughout Europe and I don’t actually think it made its way on to this side of the pond as of yet (neither physically or digitally) outside of the usual online retailers and that’s really a shame because I think it could have really done something. The album featured Norris Man on some harder edged (Scatta constructed for the most part) riddims, here and there and although, as I said, it wasn’t his finest effort, it just might be the most INTERESTING album he has EVER had.
At his norm, Norris Man has BY FAR one of the STRANGEST styles in the game today. His odd wailing type of chant has worked for him (and interestingly when he doesn’t use it, he doesn’t seem as effective) definitely and its well highlighted as is his more straight forward style throughout World Crisis. Opening things is the first of five official combinations with (unsurprisingly) the only of the four artists who repeats appearances, the aforementioned Chrisinti on the OUTSTANDING City Lights. This BIG tune comes across one of the most interesting riddims I’ve ever heard, the aptly titled Hiccup. Over the Hiccup, Norris and Chrisinti deliver a vibes which is downright dazzling at times and with a harder edge, is a real winner and a very nice opener for the album. To my ears City Lights is only topped DEFINITIVELY on World Crisis by the tune it immediately precedes, the album topper Congo Shanti. This tune is just POWERFUL as it comes across some sweet sweet riddim which Norris Man effortlessly rides with a message for His Majesty which is not to be missed. Its so interesting hearing him go with a style like this which is part chant and part DJ but whatever it is, he worked it to near PERFECTION on Congo Shanti, the best tune on this album and any other he’s ever made definitely. Sealing up the opening of the album is the second combination on World Crisis, the somewhat addictive (you’ll find yourself singing with it about halfway through the chorus) Don’t Boast alongside veteran DJ Frisco Kid. The song really isn’t anything special, to be honest, it has a back and forth style and the two don’t necessary compliment each other so well like that (Norris Man CLEARLY outshines Frisco on the tune as he is just simply able to do more), but its not BAD and a seemingly otherwise unavailable combination between Frisco and Norris Man is materialized, so I’m not complaining. Strong opening.
As I said the noticeable difference between World Crisis and most of Norris Man’s other albums is the Dancehall edge to it. Dancehall heads will clearly recognize a few of the backing tracks here. Check the combination with veteran Dancehall singer Pinchers, the Excess Supply, which is a solid gal tune which you’ll IMMEDIATELY recognize riding Scatta’s famed and MIGHTY Double Jeopardy riddim. Similarly, Royal Queen, which features the highest profile guest artist on the whole of World Crisis, Anthony B, comes across the Latino riddim (aka the J-LO riddim) and those two actually make a very fine duo, as expected, on an even stronger gal tune with a decidedly conscious twist. And, even though it isn’t amongst my favourite tunes on the album, Wha Dem Ago Say comes through on the BIG BAD Famine riddim, one of the best from Scatta’s catalogue. Even some of the other, far less recognizable tunes have harder vibed productions as well. The PRIME example of this is definitely Selassie I Hail, which really kicks into high gear following a serene opening. That tune IS amongst my favourites on World Crisis as Norris Man basically ATTACKS the Sly & Robbie piece with a piece for His Imperial Majesty which was distinctly aimed at the Dancehall. It didn’t do much work there, but it works for me and it’ll do the same for you, I’m sure. And I don’t know what that thing is behind My Type (yet another gal tune) (this one is pretty good), but the Jazzwad piece sounds NICE. It has a very old school type of vibes which kind of (as odd as it may seem) almost perfectly backs a louder version of what is Norris’ typical (for him) wailing chant. This tune is another of my favourites and you’ll have to work with it quite a bit before it gets that way with you, I’m sure, but definitely give it that time and work with it a bit, because that vibes is CRAZY. I’ll also mention the KNOCKING tune Traffic which has no ‘delay effect’ at all as I’ve well liked the tune since the very first time that I heard it on the album. This one is interesting because it has an obvious harder edge but is a social commentary dealing with not only the traffic problem in Jamaica but the hardships of life in general. BIG tune. When things get softer on World Crisis they also stay nice as is the case on Far From The Light, another highlight of the album. At it’s core, the tune (done by Sly & Robbie) is a WONDERFULLY old school Dancehall vibed tune, but again, Norris Man fits himself and his style to it, to make it a conscious delight. Another conscious delight (and Sly & Robbie production) is the LARGE Jah Be For Me alongside Chrisinti. This one is probably the second biggest PURE conscious Roots tune after Congo Shanti and if you wanted to make an argument that it was even bigger, I probably wouldn’t put up too much on the other side, Chrisinti sounds phenomenal and I love the vibes on that one over the old Throw Me Corn riddim. And lyrically speaking, also check out Jah Works which is VERY NICE across Junjo Lawes’ old I’m Getting Married riddim. As World Crisis winds down, the vibes slow down considerably (in terms of tempo) and we also get another surprise in the title track which is actually an unaccredited combination alongside the aforementioned producer Iley Dread himself (oddly enough its actually produced by the highly regarded Barry O’Hare). I have to say that I don’t know why they named the album after it because, honestly speaking, its pretty average if you ask me. Not average and, in fact, one of the album’s finest is Lu Bi Lu which is a LOVELY lover’s tune definitely not to be missed. Oh Jah is one of my favourites as well as I remember a particularly DISTRESSING moment in my life where that song simply kept me company for a few hours. The vibes on the chorus of the song are MASSIVE, while the balance of the song isn’t on that level, it’s still a very nice piece of work. And closing things out is a very familiar riddim (it backed the KoK produced Sizzla tune Trod On) which supports Norris Man on the very nice tune Fire Ball. It’s actually worked by Iley Dread’s late mentor Bevin Jackson and he left us with some very nice vibes, one of which is Fire Ball which closes out World Crisis on a high note.
Overall, World Crisis has kind of faded back into the mist of Norris Man’s catalogue but if you ask me, its stronger than the Better Your Soul album, its FAR better than the mess which was Heat Is On or Hey Woman and I’d even call it better than Norris Man’s most recent effort Know The Road. Its probably a LITTLE behind Captura and the only two pieces Norris Man has done which have CLEARLY eclipsed World Crisis are Home & Away and the aforementioned Persistence albums. With the type of nomadic career Norris Man has had its interesting that even as of 2003 Iley Dread and Kings Of Kings are so able to bring out some of his best CONSISTENT material. And as he is now, in my opinion, experiencing pretty much a two year long streak of HORRIBLE to just MEDIOCRE vibes, it would be nice if he went back to where it all began. If World Crisis and Persistence are any indication (and they are), going back to the camp which have him his name and his reputation might be the best thing Norris Man ever did for his career. For the second time.
Rated 3.5/5 stars
Kings Of Kings/Jet Star
2003
No comments:
Post a Comment