"Innocent Pleasures 2009": A Review of Roots Rocking Reggae Vol. 1 by Various Artists

I’ve definitely made it a point in quite a few reviews in 2009 to point out the fact of just how many Reggae ‘oddities’ have been popping up with artists from literally ‘out of nowhere’ making extreme contributions of various forms. And as right now, in my opinion we’re well into experiencing a change of the guard on nearly every level of the game, it’s definitely a trend I see continuing into AT LEAST 2010. And although I do love what I love and love listening to who I love listening to, I do have to admit that I’m VERY happy as seemingly the question of - who’s next - has been answered in full. Still, it sure is kind of soothing to see that some things have remained the same and also figure to continue to do so, at least in the foreseeable future and after spending a three day period or so between reviews for releases for the same label, now, even more than then (probably) I’m DEFINITELY appreciating my favourite labels more and more. That label, Lustre Kings Productions, is definitely one of the more obscure in terms of its origins for me personally. And if you look at some of the other non-Caribbean based labels like Irie Ites, Pow Pow, Special Delivery and most recently Philadub who have dragged my attention across the globe to reach them, they’ve also arrived in interesting circumstances. STILL I always welcome a nice label from VERY familiar terrain above all others because being at the heart of the matter, they have the greatest opportunity, ostensibly, to ‘up’ the levels of Reggae and do so readily. So, of course there’s No Doubt Records, helmed by an individual whose name I’m simply tired of typing these days. That label there (and that individual there) makes the best Roots Reggae in the world. Period, it is true with no qualifications. But thankfully, he’s not the only one. This year alone I’m ‘taking’ with me a couple of labels which I feel will go on to become a couple of my favourites beyond 2009 after a fantastic year. The first is actually kind of ‘older’, but I’m just now making the connections (which is often a problem when dealing with labels, especially in the digital era now, because I don’t always have liner notes), Computer Paul’s Boot Camp Records which made you take a note of its actions largely due to the MASSIVE Tell It Like It Is from the rebirthed Stevie Face. And riding that wave and beginning another or two figures to keep BCR in the limelight into the next year and having a veteran like Paul certainly doesn’t hurt things. Also, there’s been the ultra-active Spanish Town based House Of Hits which has had quite a few strong riddim releases this year which have been impressive and next year, what I’d like to see is one (or all) of their official artists, Lady Stream, Marley Campbell or Emmanuel Stain, make their own official debuts. I’d also like to mention a certain Rymshot Productions, home of the venerable Dean Pond, one of the most crucial producers from out of the VI. DEFINITELY big things coming from them in 2010, following their breakout project Coming Back For You from Pressure. I’m taking them all with me into the New Year and adding them to the pack!

Said “pack” is PACKED by names like No Doubt, like Don Corleon, like Daseca and like Al.Ta.Fa.An. The final of those names (the reason why we’re here) can also lay a very nice claim to being (outside of No Doubt, although to my knowledge they’ve been around longer) the most CONSISTENT of that bunch as I have simply yet to here an ATFA (which is what I’m going to be calling them for the most part) riddim which I didn’t AT LEAST like. Not only that, but they’ve also managed to do things like releasing strong albums, which is always nice. To their credit goes releases like Mash Dem Down from Chezidek and Taffari’s Addicted To Music (and both of the slightly elongated subsequent re-releases those titles became). Also, the label was largely responsible for some of the releases which ran through the once nice and active Minor 7 Flat 5 label, so to their credit we also owe, at least in part, albums like Different Thing from Turbulence, Lutan Fyah’s Dem No Know Demself and the crowning jewel of them all, potential (likely) future modern classic for 2010, My Hope from Anthony B. You wouldn’t know it (unless you scour the digital releases) (and I do), but the label also has to their name quite a few STRONG riddim albums and has also been responsible for providing big vibes to big artists across the globe for a few years, like German superstar Gentleman (more on him in a minute). This year was another strong one as ATFA pushed the very strong combination style album from Mark Wonder, The True Stories of Mark Wonder & Friends, but again if you haven’t been paying GOOD attention then you may have missed that. You also may have missed the fact that they’ve started streaming their releases through Digital Link International, who in turn has streamed them through the BEAUTIFUL people at Zojak Worldwide and the absolute GEM of that team thus far has been this release, the WONDERFUL Roots Rocking Reggae Vol. 1. This release has been playing around my house (and wherever I’ve been on the road), so nicely for the better part of the past few months and quietly (if you read around here a bit, you know for sure) I’ve been recommending it to Reggae heads for the same time because not only is it one of the strongest compilation pieces available this year, it’s also, in my opinion, the FINEST and most glaring representation of ATFA’s skill as a production unit (outside of the aforementioned My Hope, of course, but this one, given all the various names, is far more accessible and ‘sexy’). The album features some of the label’s bigger releases from some of the biggest artists that they’ve worked with over the years (which means some of the biggest artists in the business altogether) and on a personal note, it also features more than one of my absolute favourite songs that they’ve done. This one had ’can’t miss’ written all over it and that’s exactly what it proved to be.

The album also contains more than one tune which is pretty difficult to find on any album and was/were pretty sizable hits in their time which is always a plus. On top of that (were it not enough) (and it was) you get a HEALTHY dosage of some of the various top notch riddims Al.Ta.Fa.An has, at least in part, made their name on over the years and which has attracted my attention (and now yours apparently if you’re reading this big ass review) (and you are). Incidentally, such a tune - hard to find on an album and one over a BIG riddim (the Balaclava) just happens to get things going on Roots Rocking Reggae Vol. 1 from Al.Ta.Fa.An, the SUBLIME ‘Too Late’ from Junior Kelly and Queen Ifrica. This combination, the first of at least six on the album, is absolute magic. It comes in the same style of a number of tunes you’ve undoubtedly heard before where the relationship has spoiled because of one its members going bad and the two artists (who are very similarly vibed) make a BIG vibes in there and the tune was a nice hit for both. BIG opening with one of the album’s finest. The next tune in is one which is far more prevalent and is actually available on quite a few releases to my knowledge, the HUGE ‘Better Way’ from European stars Ziggi and the aforementioned Gentleman. I’ve spoken quite extensively on the wonders of this tune, so I won’t go to those ends here, however, I will say that in a few years this one will DEFINITELY be regarded as a classic and pretty significant for the overall landscape of European Reggae and Reggae artists as well as it features not only two of the most popular, but two of the most SKILLFUL as well. And lastly of the opening lot is the third straight combination, this one also more familiar and locatable (you’ll find it on Africa which you most certainly already own), ‘No Matter The Crisis’, from Lutan Fyah and Midnite [Vaughn Benjamin]. This tune, which was pretty nice when I first heard it, has grown on me even more over the while listening to it. Both artists are at their typical best and REALLY you may have to play with it a bit (which is rare for this album), but there is absolute LYRICAL PERFECTION in the middle of this tune, guaranteed (and from both artists)! Very strong opening altogether for the album.

‘No Matter The Crisis’ actually begins a stretch of four tunes on the same lovely Kiana Riddim which, for me, includes the best tune on the whole of RRRV1. Said best tune, ’Create Our History’ is up first after the Fyah and Midnite and not surprisingly, it’s another combination, this one featuring equal legends from different eras, Luciano and Bob Andy. This song, from a lyrical approach, JUST MAKES SENSE! “Freedom should never be a right to do the wrong. And if we really were as free, there wouldn’t be this song”, says Luciano on one of the best lyrics of the tune and the entire album and seriously, I’ve spent such a long time with this tune and I LOVE IT! So will you. I’ve spent just as much time with Junior Kelly’s second (of five) appearances on RRRV1, the OUTSTANDING ‘Creator’. This one is took me for a nice lyrical ride because it doesn’t go after the subjectry head on, but instead, Kelly manifests ‘The Creator’ rightfully so as equaling JOY. That concept is very unique in the way he does it because it isn’t so straight up and woefully glaring and just generally he takes it in a very nice and jovial vibes which is magic (on the album’s first solo tune). Kelly passes the Kiana to a trio of big artists, Mark Wonder, Gentleman and Kalonji on ‘Don’t Worry’. The three definitely keep the joviality going at the highest levels and just like the album in full, you really basically KNOW that this tune can’t help but be STRONG and that’s exactly what it is. After the very nice ‘Payaca’ from the Mighty Diamonds, the next riddim to showoff on RRRV1 is the DEEP Security Riddim which takes two tracks, ‘Strange Things’ from Gentleman and Sizzla’s ‘Much More’. The former is the stronger of the two as Sizzla seems kind of scatter brained on ‘Much More’ (the man says, “The fyah is burning all you muthafuckas . . . No offense”), but it ultimately isn’t bad either. Junior Kelly (of course) and Jah Mason take hold of the next riddim, the Addicted To Music, with two tunes ‘Rock Rock Rock’ and ‘Hail The King’, respectively. Both of these tunes are HUGE! I was kind of leaning toward the former at first, but having recently spun Jah Mason’s effort for about a half an hour straight, I’m no longer so sure. I am sure I love them both and the riddim certainly isn’t bad either and is one of ATFA’s greatest creations to date, in my opinion. Speaking of being addicted to music, Taffari himself is one of two artists, alongside Pinchers, to take the next riddim, the Stepping Stone, for a spin. Taffari’s ‘Shouldn’t Diss The Giver’ is the highlight here, but Pincher’s ‘one of a kind’ vocals are definitely not to be overlooked on ‘Heart Of Stone’ either. Lastly, coming down the stretch we get two different tunes which don’t share a riddim, but do share the ever present Junior Kelly. First up is Kelley’s third solo effort on RRRV1, ‘Bun Babylon’ (which also happens to be the longest tune on the album, longer than the second longest, ‘Create Our History’ by thirty-five seconds). This tune is weird. It features Junior Kelly going Sizzla Kalonji on the people with that crazy falsetto type of chanting thing he does, which Kelly uses on the album’s chorus . . . And I kind of like it. The tune certainly isn’t one of my favourites here, but maybe it might someday be. It also finds the veteran with a (BIG) discernible edge lyrically as he casts a QUIET but SCATHING fire on babylon (“bun babylon and go through, if dem cross river Jordan, mi tun dem inna ghost). And finally, after the biggest Dutchie artist Ziggi checks in, potentially the next big thing from out of The Netherlands follows suit with the tune which initially brought the Aruban to prominence, the EXCELLENT ‘Dem A Wonder’ (alongside Kelly, of course). This tune basically just marked the arrival of Smiley on the scene and definitely showed the power (already at the time) of the links he had made to push such a big vibes and if you’ve stayed on board with watching the artist develop, certainly you’ve been impressed (and hopefully both he and Junior Kelly will impress with albums in 2010), just as you’ve been impressed with RRRV1 altogether.

Overall, YES! I definitely have to stress how wonderful this project was to me. It isn’t revolutionary or anything like that and I have heard a better compilation this year (ONLY ONE, and you should know what that is by now), but Roots Rocking Reggae Vol. 1 (bad name and all) absolutely works for me and it should do the same for you. Also, I feel inclined to mention that, as you may have suspected by that “Vol. 1” bit on the title, there is a RRRV2 which is also very solid and features efforts from the likes of Tanya Stephens, Turbulence, Fantan Mojah and Natural Black (of course, Junior Kelly is there also with two tunes) and I doubt it’ll happen, but I’d like to see such a running series for Al.Ta.Fa.An in the future because I feel it’s a very good opportunity to showoff the label and hell, if any of ATFA’s peers would like to follow suit, I won’t be complaining. I’m also not complaining about what we have here in top notch Reggae from one of the genre’s top notch labels. Truly one of the biggest vibes of the year.

Rated 4.8/5

Al.Ta.Fa.An/Digital Link International/Zojak Worldwide

2009