One time when I was in college, a female in my class, after that day’s session had ended noticed that the bag that I carried was one with a picture of Bob Marley and His Imperial Majesty, Haile Selassie I emblazoned on both sides (which I still have and is BY FAR the coolest non-living thing that I own). First she said, “Hey you! Nice bag, I love that bag”, then she said, “Do you smoke?” Of course I did, but that’s beside the point. The point is that the marketing and commercialization of Reggae and specifically Rastafarian culture has definitely watered down the worldwide perception of both. It has done so, seemingly, to the point of having certain types of imagery (like pictures on a bag) resonate within some people as signifying of some other type of assumption or assumed activity (whether true or not). It’s also full on INFILTRATED the music and the culture themselves. Musically speaking, imagine how many times you’ve heard a song which wasn’t Reggae, from an artist who seemingly had no associations with the genre, who would WITHOUT WARNING flip into a Caribbean accent in the course of the tune? I’m not even saying such a thing is ‘bad’ (whatever that means), but it’s surely well prevalent. Furthermore, actually within the scope of Reggae, think about how many times you’ve heard a Rastafarian artist sing a song which everyone thought and pronounced to be unbefitting of a Rastafarian artist. Now, here you enter the RIDICULOUS paradox of considering whether or not the ‘wrong’ is on the part of the actual artist, OR is it those declaring what is ‘proper’ for Rasta. All of these things are almost inherently infinite in terms of seeking an answer and just as infinite in birthing possible questions. However, even at the risk of BATHING within that aforementioned “ridiculous paradox”, I’d make the argument that there are certain individuals with whom, although there are questions (all MEN are flawed and thus questionable on something), they are very limited, to the point of being almost not even worth posing. And, it’s interesting that I say that, because two of the individuals from the modern era (my specialty) who I would think to add to this list, Luciano and Lutan Fyah, have both been involved in controversies within the last few years (and Luciano, reportedly, is currently even sans Visa because of his own ‘questions‘). Still, I’d maintain that the likes of QUEEN IFRICA (despite what Kartel may tell you), ETANA, Ras Shiloh, Ras Batch and a select handful of others, definitely exemplify that virtually unquestionable figure and follower of His Imperial Majesty and show it within the way they carry themselves and furthermore, within their music. And while he will be associated with a bygone era, Fred Locks EASILY falls into that class of artist. If someone were to question his commitment, they’re basically opening themselves up for the same questions.
Now I could have mentioned the likes of Burning Spear also (but I’m not about to review a Burning Spear album, am I), but for me, although I don’t necessarily consider myself to be such a GRAND fan of Fred Locks’, he belongs to a very interesting class and category of musician where it’s almost as if they helped to usher in my beloved current era of Reggae music. Others in that same group include people like PETER BROGGS, BRIGADIER JERRY and even someone like Freddie McGregor (whom I hesitate to put in this class because his of his immense worldwide popularity), to a degree. ALL of these artists (McGregor excluded, of course) don’t and will probably never really receive the level of attention and musical respect that their talents and, more importantly, their CONTRIBUTIONS would suggest they should. Also, it just so happens that they’re all TRUE followers and examples of His Imperial Majesty on the earth. In Locks’ case, in particular, I think it’s very apropos that, much like Burning Spear, the very first thing most people who know his name will mention when it comes up is something which derives itself from The Most Honourable Prophet Marcus Mosiah Garvey, the LEGENDARY tune, ‘Black Star Liner’ (go ahead and Google it and see just how quickly it comes up before you finish typing). Unlike in the case of the Spear, however, that one tune (now more than THIRTY years old) seems to have (and still) dominated the attention to Locks’ music, meanwhile the man has been making some of the MOST BEAUTIFUL anthems in praise of His Majesty over the years. His last album, Glorify The Lord (Cousins Records, 2007), was a very well done spiritual piece which I don’t think attracted much attention, but for anyone who heard it, definitely made a very large impact, myself included. Fred Locks now returns with a brand new release for the brothers Hines’ (Delroy & Carlton) ARTISTIC Productions (digitally brought to you by the otherworldly wicked Zojak Worldwide), Keep On Trying. This album, like most of Fred Locks’ music it seems, came quite unexpectedly. I hadn’t heard A THING about it’s release, but it’s almost fittingly for his career as, at least not sense I’ve been paying attention to the details like such, his music almost NEVER seems to have any type of ‘hype’ surrounding it until it’s already upon you (and it’s certainly not just a matter of different eras, I’ll bet you, Reggae fan, will be FULLY aware, at least a couple of months ahead of the occasion, the next time Burning Spear is going to release an album). I wouldn’t even be surprised if he actually preferred it like that. Another thing that has always been the case with Fred Locks’ music is that even before it strolls into the door, the QUALITY of Keep On Trying is GUARANTEED. The Hines Brothers provide Locks with a very nice selection of classic compositions (and classically vibed compositions) over which he does his usual thing, which is miles ahead of what most are doing. Keep On Trying is yet another, in a career full of all too rare glimpses, into the mind of an artist whose commitment to not only Rastafari, but GOOD Reggae music in general, is just about beyond reproach at this point.
I could literally spend DAYS working through the content of this album. Like the majority of Fred Locks’ music, it comes unfortunately quite STRANGELY as, to put it simply, EVERY SONG ON THE ALBUM HAS A POINT. I know that doesn’t seem like much (or doesn’t seem like it should be much), but when you listen to as much music as I do and Tanya Stephens and Lutan Fyah seem to be the only ones capable of doing such a thing, it’s a quality you come to REALLY appreciate. I also appreciate ’Chase The Devil’, which is the tune first tune on Fred Locks’ new album, Keep On Trying from ARTISTIC (yes, it’s capitalized every time) Productions. Chase The Devil has nothing to do with Max Romeo’s (another artist whose contributions are unquestionable) similarly titled classic, but instead, is a song which is SO SIMPLE, that it’s complex! I LOVE this song on every level, besides being very easy on the ears, it also creates, of course, such a deep vibes and heavy message lyrically as Locks sends “a warning to all evil man”, that they better lace up their track shoes and do their Usain Bolt impressions because the man is on his way! Big tune and one of the album’s finest! Things slow down for the next tune, ‘Crazy Mixed Up World’, but they become even more interesting to say the least. I GUESS you can call this tune a social commentary, but it is a very PERSONAL one for Fred Locks and you may actually disagree with some of the things he says (and you’ll CERTAINLY agree with the some of the others) (incidentally, if you agree with NOTHING he says on the tune, please stop reading my blog or wherever else you may have read this), especially if you have funny coloured hair or questionable fashion tastes. However, I rate the tune simply because it is the man’s belief CLEARLY and throughout the album, he never waivers from that, which, again, is an unfortunately rare quality he has. Lastly from the opening lot is actually my favourite tune on the Keep On Trying, the VAST ‘Devils In Disguise’. I could write an entire article on Devils In Disguise, because to me (and my overactive brain) Fred Locks is potentially talking about some other ‘musicians’ and certainly the obvious purveyors of negativity in the world. This one just LOCKED me down! If you’re the keenest and most sagacious of listeners, then it’ll have the same affect on you, I’m sure. MAMMOTH tune.
As I said, there is some very thoughtful material to be found throughout Keep On Trying and, really it’s the type of an album which should almost come with a MATURE label, but for far different purposes than you’ll normally seem them present. DEFINITELY one of the most thought provoking and BEST on the album is ‘Final Mission’. Every repatriation tune Fred Locks does is inevitably held up, by comparison, to Black Star Liners and Final Mission stands up quite well. The tune finds Locks (and all of his friends and family, if they want to join along) headed out to his final destination and IMMEDIATELY: “I’ll never wait up for no evening train”, as he puts it. By extension on that vibes, I would think to mention ‘True Rastaman’ here. True Rastaman is ANOTHER tune on which I could rather happily spend several days spilling analysis, but I’ll spare you apart from saying to well check that one out (particularly after you’ve hear Final Mission) as Locks enters the same paradox as I did earlier and without the slightest bit of trepidation. Keeping it going on that spiritual vibes set, check ‘Give Thanks & Praise’. This tune isn’t nearly as tired and clichéd as the title might suggest, if you, again, dig into it quite a bit. The power of this tune lies almost STRICTLY in its directness and pay close attention to WHOM is being spoken to (he’s saying ‘thank you’ rather than ‘you should say thank you’). Also the very familiarly vibed title track could fall in here somewhere might strike some as being very usual in terms of subject matter, but it’s the way that Fred Locks approaches such a tune and you’ll hear it, but even deeper into the vibes as the natural cadence of the tune is very laid back. ‘Love & Harmony’ is one SWEET sounding tune which really raises the simple attentions (in terms of how much you might appreciate the tune sonically speaking) FAR before you get the message. I’ll leave you with this though as a further example of Fred Locks’ uniqueness: Part of the punch line of Love & Harmony is, “Love can open the door to liberty”. Nine times of ten, you’ll hear that lyric and the “open the door” and the “liberty” part are synonymous, but certainly not to Fred Locks which is just, again, so VAST. There’s ‘More Love’, which fits into that same cast of deceptively deep material on Keep On Trying (I almost want to write reviews like this for about half of the album; the lovely vibed ‘Never Never’, which kind of strikes one such as back at Crazy Mixed Up Rule. I PERSONALLY would disagree with Fred Locks when he says, “never you run after a girl all over town” (I used to do it all of the time and if my wife gave me the opportunity (WITH HER) I wouldn’t mind doing it again to be perfectly honest), but the ultimate point of the record, in my opinion, is to attempt to put away some of the downright SILLY behaviour exhibited by some guys in the balance of a relationship and he well rights the ship later when he says, “see Princesses all over this earth. So don’t settle for no flirt, they don’t know what life is worth.” There’s the very interestingly titled ‘See But Don’t Know Me’, which is, essentially, a tune saying for people to not judge a book (or a person) by its cover (and he even addresses, somewhat, the foundation thought of this review, which is so nice and, in my scattered brain, actually further justifies my line of thought). Fred Locks’ Keep On Trying ends with the second of two distinct love songs (the first is called ‘Exceptional Woman’ and it’s very good) and while I’ll WELL question its placement on the album (the final tune here, in my opinion, should have been the changeup, which is ‘Singer’s Dream’), I can’t question its quality which Is the real subject here. It’s pretty top notch and one of my favourite tunes on the album altogether actually.
Overall, like I tried to say throughout this review, you’re REALLY going to have a hard time with Keep On Trying if you aren’t already a fairly experienced listener of Roots Reggae and being a fan of Fred Locks’ specifically might not hurt either. Following the near spiritual MASTERY that was Glorify The Lord, Keep On Trying is a bit more vibrant and bouncing and it compliments the older album quite well actually to my opinion. Locks isn’t and has never been one of the more active artists in the game, unfortunately, so almost any time you can catch him committing to a vibes like what ARTISTIC presented him with and doing so long enough to make an entire album, it instantly becomes a big deal. Certainly enough of a big deal to add to any healthy collection of Reggae music, including mine and especially yours: Without Question.
Rated 4.25/5
ARTISTIC Productions/Zojak Worldwide
2009
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