Modern Classics Vol. 4: Confidence by Gentleman

Gentleman - Confidence (Sony Music 2004)

Back in 2004 Gentleman apparently found himself in a good but difficult position to be in. Following two stellar releases, Trodin On and the HUGE Journey To Jah, he had to find some sort of way to maintain the rather lofty status that both fine releases had risen his status to over the years. The standards were suddenly very high as, not only did he jump right out of the box at the highest of levels but had even OUTDONE himself and in doing so UTTERLY DESTROYED the 'sophomore jinx'. So what would he do in such a situation? What would arguably the most significant European Reggae artist on the scene pull out of his bag of tricks? How about the greatest album of his career far and away and one of the best I've ever heard in Confidence.

1. 'Send A Prayer' [Firehouse Crew]

Gentleman linked the world famous Firehouse Crew for this moving MASSIVE call for general world upliftment in every surface. Although it doesn’t say so obtrusively, he probably aimed it at the youths of the world and it definitely had such a nice and transferable type of vibes with a highlight being back up singer Connie Campbell (sounding like a child herself at time) pushing the opener to even higher levels.

Line of the song: “DEM TRY FI KICK ME FROM DI PLANE BUT JAH IS MY PARACHUTE”

2. 'Superior' [Pow Pow]

THE signature tune from Confidence and although it took me awhile to jump on board to the notion, Superior is the class of the album (although track #4 will have a bit of claim to that title as well) as Gentleman just ABUSES Pow Pow’s riddim of the same title. It was no surprise at all that the German imprint ended up naming the riddim itself after a tune which was downright SPARKLING tune eschewing the ills of the world in favour of the much more reliable LOVE of The Almighty. MASSIVE.

Line of the song: “I know Jah loving is superior, your devil complex: Inferior”

3. 'Caan Hold Us Down' featuring Barrington Levy & Daddy Rings [Bushhouse Music (Gentleman’s label)]

The first of no less than seven official combinations on Confidence and Gentleman couldn’t have picked a nicer pair to start the fun off with. Both the LEGEND Barrington Levy and the soon to be legend Daddy Rings add so much spice and colour to these EXCELLENT vibes on the tune about overcoming the troubles of the world and the definitive highlight is when Rings takes the mic and with it, the tune to higher places.

Line of the song: Daddy Rings - "Dem think we fool but we tell dem seh we not. Can't make no wolf come invade the flock. Nah get caught inna no boobie trap. I & I a Royal Natty Dreadlock"

4. 'Intoxication' [Don Corleone]

Seriously intoxicating. The Drop Leaf Riddim benefited GREATLY everyone so fortunate enough to voice over it as Don Corleone’s first foray into the one-drop arena proved a platinum success. Gentleman was definitely one of the best on the STACKED project. Intoxication also may have been the artist’s REAL coming out party as things all over the world opened up for him after that even more. Why? Because the song was gorgeous.

Line of the song: "No mistaken in everything you do and I will always be a part of you. Jah Jah make us and he will see us through, always and forever babygirl this love is true"

5. 'New Day' [Bushhouse Music]

I always mention ‘changeup’ tunes for albums, meaning a song or two which almost COMPLETELY goes against the regular vibes on the album. Typically, these songs aren’t very good unfortunately, however, here, that wasn’t the case. New Day was a funky sounding, fast paced effort which, although it took awhile to grow on me, was near magic as Gentleman locked a straight flow reminiscent of Junior Gong.

Line of the song: "With no limitation, I man feel fine. Living on the edge cause Jah love it is mine"

6. 'Be Yourself' featuring Cocoa Tea [Calibud]

Cocoa Tea s the next to join in Gentleman’s STAGGERING list of collaborators and he does so in a large way. Be Yourself is one of the most well written and structured tunes of either artist’s career and it just makes so much since. That’s interesting because both (especially Cocoa Tea) have been criticized for their lyrical abilities (and unfairly so in my opinion) but if this is the only tune you’ve heard from them, you would know of no such thing. Big tune.

Line of the song (AND THE ENTIRE FUCKING ALBUM!): Cocoa Tea - “. . . cause their identity’s coming from the nozzle of dem gun but I and I identity is coming from the nyahbinghi drums!”

7. 'All That You Had' [Bobby Digital]

It’s a family affair as a Bobby Digital production chases one from his son, Calibud with the BIG All That You Had. This one is just POWERFUL as it kind of ‘hides’ its true tempo by leaning back the nature of the choruses but each and every time the actual verses almost IMMEDIATELY steps things up. I also love the message which is, at its core, keeping focus and not being distracted by the more material things and just unrighteousness in general.

Line of the song: “Nuh go be no part of them controversy. I know who I am and who I’m supposed to be”

8. 'Life Takes More Than That' [Black Scorpio]

Its so interesting that, from a vocal side, Gentleman on Life Takes More Than That greatly resembles, at times, a poor man’s version of the ULTRA talented artist who joins him on track #15. And much like that artist many times, this song has been underrated, in my opinion, since the release of the album. If you REALLY take a listen to it, you could (and I would) definitely make the case that it may just be one of the best tune son the entire album.

Line of the song: “. . . shame and pride, things of humanity but the soul is INFINITY!”

9. 'Rumours' [Pow Pow]

SWEET! Another changeup of sorts and just like on the techno vibed New Day, Gentleman goes after the ska-ish Rumours and does so with very nice results. The song is just so nice and easy and still the wicked man gets an equally wicked and lightening tongued lashing from Gentleman on the LIVELY tune which must be an utter joy to see live and up close.

Line of the song: “And wha dat you confirming? You can’t twist Jah Jah neither can you turn him. You will never stop that fire what is burning and we seek Jah Jah for the higher learning”

10. 'Weary No More' featuring Tamika [Pow Pow]

This one is so simple that it almost veers into a complex vibe with the crazy concoction that is playing back up to Weary No More. I’m still not too sure who Tamika is half a decade later but she sounds wonderful and (like everyone else it seems) makes for a BIG combination alongside Gentleman. Although it takes awhile to get going the very different sounding tune more than makes up for it.

Line of the song: “Forget about Jah and a gwan like you a kingpin and nah know seh that your ship is sinkin”

11. 'After A Storm' [RMX Outanational]

Gentleman continues to keep the listeners on our feet as he ONCE AGAIN, flips of the vibes. Not so much so as before, perhaps, although definitely on a level where you have to stay focused and pay attention. After A Storm is a huge vibes throughout. The song is kind of a coded and ‘veiled’ anthem of upliftment (its not as clear as the title might suggest) and it goes in so many different directions (including a short dubbed out section later in the tune). . . Listening sure is nice though!

Line of the song: "And as long as there’s no justice man haffi go revolute. Just tell the children the truth!"

12. 'Unconditional Love' [Pow Pow]

Richie Spice’s MASSIVE tune Blood Again was but one of several very nice tunes across Pow Pow’s now immortal Blaze Riddim. Like most of their top productions, they always gave Gentleman a shot at the vibes and with it he cut through with this tune for the upliftment of the Woman, Unconditional Love. Its interesting that I find the very subject matter of this tune kind of odd for Reggae as you’ll hear literally hundreds of tunes for ‘Mama’ or THE special gal in an artists life or even more specific in terms of being anti-abortion or things like such; yet Gentleman, however, although he does specify things more on the actual verses, seems to almost blindly throw the message to all women and effectively so. Well done.

Line of the song: “My word is my warranty. Make you know seh that my love is guarantee”

13. 'Face Off' featuring Anthony B [AL.TA.FA.AN]

Gentleman once again is forced to step up his game when linking with one of his most talented Jamaican peers as Anthony B steps in on Face Off, a tune about REVEALING one’s true self for the powers that be and all people really living nasty and disgusting. Again, this pairing is very well done (and exciting) and you really shouldn’t be expecting anything less. The tune would also go on to feature on Anthony B’s BIG album from 2005, My Hope.

Line of the song: Gentleman - “Tell you fi do better and you tell me seh you nah. Like a siren you just a waah waah waah!”

14. 'Strange Things' [Al.Ta.Fa.An]

Al.Ta.Fa.An simply DOES NOT PLAY! The label is currently (and has been one of the best for the better part of a decade) one of the best Roots specific on the scene with HUGE straight forward vibes and the platform they presented to Gentleman for Strange Things, the Security Riddim, works absolutely PERFECT for the tune. Gentleman, of course for his part, doesn’t disappoint and the result is a tune which ‘never cease to amaze me’ and is CLEARLY one of the finest on the album altogether.

Line of the song: “. . .From you a see mi on di subway. Everything you see me do me do it LOVE WAY”

15. 'Blessing Of Jah' featuring Ras Shiloh [Bobby Digital]

Gentleman alongside Ras Shiloh on a track! WHAT! Bobby Digital manning the boards and arming the tune with the EPIC One For The Road riddim (Capleton’s Ton Load). Everything was set for magic and magic indeed occurred. I’m slowly but surely coming to the realization that Ras Shiloh is, in fact, one of my favourite artists going these days and nearly everything he touches turns to gold in my ears. The HUGE vibes of Blessing Of Jah was DEFINITELY no different.

Line of the song: Shiloh - “My eyes behold the blessings of Jah. I’ve told the message of Jah, to set the children free from captivity”

16. 'Church & State' [Black Scorpio]

It’ll undoubtedly take you (like it did for me) a few trips through Church & State to REALLY get its power into you. The song has a very kind of heavy (but VERY complex) riddim which my take attentions but the LYRICS here are simply wonderful throughout. I’m dying to hear an a cappella version of the tune even all this time later really but, even as exists here, the most discerning of listeners will get it. Only hardcore heads need apply.

Line of the song: “You only govern with your weapon but dem yah tings seh we no deh pon”

17. 'Lion’s Den' [Steven Stanley]

KNOCKING! The very familiar sounding Lion’s Den (couldn’t be because I’ve been listening to it for years could it???) comes in with a such a LUSH vibes that it almost sounds like two tunes playing at once at certain times. This song also ranks very highly on Confidence as its PACKED with top notch lyrics and it really is one of the most well written tunes probably that Gentleman has ever done but is largely ignored for some of the more popular and FIERY tunes. Overlook it at your own detriment my brothers and sisters.

Line of the song: “Practice what you preach oh keeper of my brother. Can’t say one thing and then you do another”

18. 'Mystic Wind' featuring Tony Rebel [Bushhouse Music]

Tony Rebel is up next to keep the ridiculous string of big combinations going (and, of course, there’s another at the end) and its VERY interesting. Besides the fact that Mystic Wind is one of the biggest tunes on the album, I also draw comparisons between the two artists as, although they sound NOTHING alike, the two really aren’t so different in terms of styles. In fact, were the Rebel to have come along just within the last decade or so and not a decade even before that or so he and Gentleman might actually sound very much alike. Not important really but interesting, what is important is Mystic Wind, large effort.

Line of the song: Tony Rebel - “. . .Gentleman, Rebel a represent another case, TO SEE HOW MUCH NEGATIVITY WE CAN NOW ERASE”

19. 'For The Children' [Bobby Digital]

Dust off the Queen Majesty (Sizzla’s Just One Of Those Days, Dennis Brown’s riddim title track) and run it for Gentleman Bobby Digital. Germany’s finest Reggae export doesn’t (EVEN COME CLOSE) quite approach those timeless levels but damn does he give a nice effort with For The Children. I can rather easily get caught up listening to that pulsing bassline on the riddim definitely but trying HARD you get a nice taste of a very nice message for the upliftment of the youth.

Line of the song: “Help fi bring dem education give dem all dat dem want. Give dem the mind to handle the matter, teach dem how fi chant. Become a musician like I and even ram a few dance. I know that they can no bodda tell dem can‘t”

20. 'No Time Like Now' featuring Jack Radics [Richie Stephens]

Completing Confidence and the prerequisite members of the camp to appear is (Gentleman, Daddy Rings &) Jack Radics on No Time Like Now. The song pushes the procrastinators out there (like me to in completing this) to just utilize the might and the LOVE of His Majesty and get going on whatever it is that you need to do and definitely on the positive side. Over the years (even before this one) Jack Radics and Gentleman (and Daddy Rings) have grown together so much and definitely as friends also and that very quality of CHEMISTRY definitely comes across so well (and isn’t that drum KNOCKING!).

Line of the song: Gentleman - “They bury us but like flowers now we grow. Planted by the waters of wisdom now you know”

Synopsis: This one isn’t difficult AT ALL! I even got tired of writing the message of the songs later on in the course of writing about them; Gentleman’s Confidence is, in terms of the actual relationship to the songs and there not being a title track, one of the best named albums I’ve ever seen (as opposed to Sizzla’s Da Real Thing, which will probably receive this type of attention from me one day) as that is EXACTLY what the album is about: Instilling confidence in one’s self. Of course, its not exactly pushed that way but definitely ‘Confidence’ sounds better than ‘Upliftment’ and less clichéd and stereotypical in terms of the type of music that Gentleman has here. Confidence, some (myself included) would argue is the first step towards mental, spiritual and definitely literal upliftment of one’s self and one’s people and culture. And that, unabashedly, was the goal of Gentleman with this album. Its very interesting to see an artist with a purpose and how they come to that conclusion and I would be VERY interested at what turn and how long into the proceedings of making/compiling Confidence did the album receive its final name. Also, I think its very interesting that in all of the cases, the artists stuck with that theme, instead of crossing over, in a domineering way, to many possible others which would lead me to believe Gentleman and company SPECIFICALLY may have groomed this project from very early into matters. Regardless of those (VERY INTERESTING) details, Gentleman’s Confidence is probably the single best European based Reggae release of the past decade, its PACKED full of excellent vibes throughout its WHOPPING twenty tracks and it is a bona fide MODERN REGGAE CLASSIC!