Greensleeves circa 2005. While there were actually only two such creations, I’m sure the hardcore Reggae heads will remember the onset of Greensleeves MASSIVE Roots Reggae response their very own, equally massive, The Biggest Ragga Dancehall Anthems series, The Biggest Reggae One-Drop Anthems. Those first two years of that beautiful series were AMAZING largely based on the fact that, for the price of one album (which rendered their other series, Ragga Ragga Ragga, fairly useless in retrospect, in the case of the Dancehall Anthems side) (yeah but I bought a lot of them anyway didn’t I), listeners could get FORTY tunes from some of the biggest names in the genre, just as was the case on the Dancehall side. And I can remember thinking just how nice such a thing would be, but of course, until relatively recently (the past four years or so), Greensleeves hardly ever paid any attention to Roots music as they were, predominately a label that dealt with hardcore Dancehall and reissues. Those were the days! But we only got two years of it and subsequently the album would diet down to just one disc and a DVD and ultimately to the form in which it exists today, just a single disc (although I wouldn’t be totally surprised to see the double disc action to come back someday in the not too distant future. Until then, however, we’ll have to find other things to take that type of shine, LIKE THE EXACT SAME THING, from another company (although the first edition was a single release) Strictly One Drop from the ‘hot and cold’ running UK based Cousins. The label itself has a reputation to maintain (they kind of remind me of a less active UK ‘edition’ of Tad’s), so although they don’t have an accompanying Dancehall mix (which is find, Greensleeves is still around), they do have a NICE Lover’s Rock equal, of course titled Strictly Lover’s Rock. The interesting thing (amongst many) about this series is despite the fact that it’s now only three years deep and I LOVE it (of course), I hardly ever expect it at all and every year it has been in existence, it is a very welcome surprise. This year was certainly no exception and the results were pretty much everything you’d expect. Checking in at a wonderfully obese and ridiculous forty tracks is the latest installment of one of my youngest favourite series, the capper of 2009 (and the last fucking compilation I’m going write on until at least April) (lie) Strictly One Drop Reggae Vol. 3 (although it says 2009 on the cover, which is ultimately a better title in my opinion).
Disc One
The major difference between what Greensleeves did and what Cousins does on their compilations is generally name value. By its functional (independent) end, GS was a very big deal and while you could definitely argue that Cousins already is (with their release history with artists like Lutan Fyah, Natural Black, Turbulence and annually, Lloyd Brown (amongst SERIOUS others), they don’t pull forty tracks from forty HUGE names and I honestly don’t know if that’s necessarily a bad thing. However, largely there’re big names still and certainly on the first disc, you won’t notice anything missing in terms of star power. So, my own biases aside, I do have to admit that Alborosie is a TRULY big name and the honour of starting out the first disc of Cousins Records’ Strictly One Drop Vol. 3 is his. His tune here is also one of his best, ’In A De Garrison’, across No Doubt’s recent Ghetto Riddim. The tune isn’t amazing actually, and again, it just doesn’t get too exciting for me when it comes to Albo, but like I said, it’s definitely one of the best I’ve heard from him to date. I can’t say the same for either of the next two artists, Queen Ifrica and Perfect, although their combination tune, ’Locks A Grow’ [aka Natty Fi Grow], is one of the best tunes on either album. The tune is actually a remix of an original song which just featured Ifrica on her own (from the Fyah Muma album). Of course Perfect hypes the vibes up a bit as only he can (and Ifrica didn’t exactly need the help here). The first of two SPECIAL tunes is up next in the form of the WICKED ’Show Love & Be Strong’ [bka ’Show Some Love’ from the I-Space album]. This tune gets better each and every time you hear it, which I suppose is ‘normal’ considering how strangely it’s vibed and more than two years later on me, I song I basically LOVED the first time I heard it, is still getting better. Both ‘Locks A Grow’ (Bangarang riddim) and ‘Show Love & Be Strong’ have old school and classic overtones for one reason or a next and such a vibes is turned WAY up on the next tune as Barrington Levy enlists Gyptian for a remake of his big hit, ‘Murderer’. You’d have a hard time screwing this song up and although I’m not the biggest fan of Gyptian’s, he certainly doesn’t pull off fucking up one of the greatest tunes ever made (although I do still prefer the original definitely). Next up is an artist who thankfully pops up quiet frequently on Strictly One Drop Vol. 3, Lutan Fyah, with a tune I don’t ever actually recall hearing before, ‘Jah Is My Deliverer’. This one took a few spins to really grow on me (there’s a saxophone playing on the riddim which I just don’t think fits in very well and it’s quite distracting actually), but it came down to paying a heavy attention to the verses of the tune which is generally the case with the Fyah’s music. Big message here and definitely check that first. The poetical Tanya Stephens brings a taste of Mafia & Fluxy’s relick of the Down In Jamaica riddim for Irie Ites from a few years back with ‘I’m Not Proud’. This tune isn’t actually one of my favourites from Stephens. The riddim, in my opinion, isn’t very direct enough for her and it ultimately misses the melody of her lyrics for my tastes. [Only 33 more fucking songs to go!]. Bushman doesn’t have ANY problems at all on his nearly huge tune World Crisis. This song EASILY strolls near the head of the class on either disc here and you really shouldn’t have expected less, none at all. Bushman definitely catches this riddim and puts into it a straight knowledge track about overcoming and POTENTIALLY overcoming this oppressive society (and he sounds amazing by the way). Ginjah also does well on his tune, striking a VERY familiar riddim (which is about to get brilliantly familiar), with his tune ‘Na Go A Jail’. Yes, the tune is wonderful, one of the best. . . Yada yada yada. But the real story here is Ginjah himself. I think he’s going to have HUGE 2010 as one of the new and interesting faces in Roots Reggae (and apparently there’s an album for VP Records already in the works, produced by Kemar McGregor no less). The last tune on first half of disc one of SODV1 revisits the Ghetto riddim, as Richie Spice brings the still pretty good ‘Who Dat’. But of course sandwiched in there Lutan Fyah’s second of three tunes on the first disc alone, the MAMMOTH ‘Genesis’ which rides the same Chris Hart produced riddim as ‘No Go A Jail’. I won’t go on too much about this, because I already have, but I will say that now on two big time compilations, the best tune is the same damn song. That definitely says something about the tune, because the ‘competition’ has been fierce in both cases. ‘Genesis’ is a PERFECT tune (and maybe we can get a riddim album from that riddim in 2010).
The second half of the first disc is also very interesting and features more than its fair share of big artists and twists and turns as well. Such a twist and a turn opens things, as UK Reggae singer Adele Harley goes all Satta Massagana on the people on her SWEETLY sang tune ‘Flying Away’. I don’t know much about Harley, but a song like this and a couple of others definitely make me want to have a closer look, because ‘Flying Away’ is DAMN strong. Queen Ifrica returns and keeps it going for the fairer sex with a tune from her I don’t recall hearing previously, ‘Stand Up’. This one isn’t one of my favourites from Ifrica (might be the first time I’ve ever typed that). It has a strange energy to it and although the message (which is basically telling people to REPRESENT) is nice, as it always is in here case, I think the song itself is kind of strange actually. It’s not “kind of strange” per se, but I don’t think Anthony B quite hits his mark with the OKAY ‘Jah Jah Blessing’ (on the same riddim as Sizzla’s ‘Show Love & Be Strong’). Lutan Fyah makes his third and final appearance on disc one with his decent lover’s cut of the relicked ‘Those Guys’ riddim (which Cousins released as a riddim album). The tune isn’t anything special really, but it certainly is far from bad to my ears and I’m sure you’ll agree (every time I hear that riddim I just start singing ’Happy Hour’ by Mikey Spice in my head). Chezidek keeps the same riddim going and arguably outdoes Fyah. His voice (strange as it certainly is) matches quite well with the very ‘light randomness’ of that beautiful composition and even though he comes off as slightly too loud, he delivers a nice and inspiring vibes on ‘What I Deserve’. And as the second disc goes down its stretch we get two different riddims used for two different tunes consecutively. The first is the aforementioned ‘Genesis’ riddim (which is what I’m going to call it until corrected) from Chris Hart, which serves as the backdrop to first Turbulence’s BIG tune ‘Do You Remember’. This one is a MIGHTY and complex type of praising tune for His Imperial Majesty, the likes of which I don’t think Turbulence has written in a very long time actually. He’s not just espousing about His Majesty, but he’s relating the STRENGTH and the virtues to a woman which definitely gets the tune going in a few different directions and I’m sure it should do a big damage and definitely help a lot of people (“where is your trust, for King Negus!”). And then the same riddim is brought again for the very welcomed Natural Black on ‘Close Friends’. This is another NICE one and I’m starting to think maybe this riddim just can’t flop really (either that or Natural Black is just wicked) (the choice is yours). And the final two tunes, Gyptian’s ‘Life Ain’t Easy’ and ‘Rasta Forever’ from Turbulence, actually go on another riddim from Hart (which I know the name of), the ‘Genesis’ ( a coincidence which I JUST realized actually and am now laughing very hard, so we‘ll call the first the ‘Genesis 2‘). The latter is definitely the stronger of the two (can I get a Turbulence album produced by Chris Hart???), although Gyptian is in even stronger form than he was on Murderer). There is one tune I saved for last because it’s the second half’s biggest tune, ‘Contemplating Mind’ from Danny Red. The tune is taken from Red’s album (for Cousins) Past & Present from last year and is a remake of an old Barrington Spence tune and it is dark and BEAUTIFUL at the same time. It literally sounds like someone singing a love song (for a living person) at a funeral, so as to appear not so happy. But it is gorgeous and if you screwed up and missed the album (then get it anyway!), then definitely check it here.
Disc Two
In contrast to the first disc, while definitely coming manned with more than its fair share of big names (although not on female at all), the second disc has a more varied roster of artists (including one who I couldn’t quite put a finger on hearing before) than the first, but they also, unsurprisingly, do quite well ultimately. Also continuing to do quite well is Lutan Fyah who checks in first on the second disc of Strictly One Drop Vol. 3 with number one of two tunes on the disc, ‘It Red’. This one, which has the same riddim (again), as Sizzla’s ‘Show Love & Be Strong’, has a strange sound to it, but that you’ll ignore and STRICTLY pay attention to the what’s being said where the power of this lyrical marvel lies. This thing is KNOWLEDGE packed and is one of the many tunes of the Fyah’s career which has gone overlooked. Big voiced Natty King makes his first and only appearance on the compilation on the very same riddim and in terms of sound, he also appears to struggle at times (apparently something as strange as what Sizzla does is the only way to go after this thing) on ‘Dem A Hunt Me Down’. The message and the overall composition are nice and I guess I should be grateful because the riddim apparently forces King to stress his vocals a bit, but . . . I don’t know. Something’s missing there. Not a damn this is missing on the next tune, ‘Rasta Imposter’ from the increasingly wicked Konshens. This is definitely the finest tune on the second disc and that’s no small feat. Checking in over Young Veterans’ ‘After Effection’ riddim, Konshens apparently makes where his allegiances lie evident and in the process takes a big, necessary and HEALTHY slap who pretend to follow the such a path in life for various frivolous reasons. The tune was a hit for the young artist and more than a year later still remains one of the most wicked in his catalogue in my opinion. BIG TUNE. Laden also takes the same riddim for a spin and does so effectively in my opinion, on ’Little Shooter’. This one (duh) is ’aimed’ at the youths who run afoul and seek the violent lifestyle. Lyrically this has to be one of Laden’s more impressive outings in my opinion (“hear me likkle shoota. Weh you go rob and loot for? Weh you go stab and shoot for? You no care about your future? Ah you your mada still ah cook for”) and just one of his best, period. Big man Luciano takes on the same topic ostensibly with his tune ‘Youth Dem Dangerous’ over the aforementioned Genesis riddim (the real one). This tune is VERY STRONG. I’m getting further away from this riddim where I realize that maybe it wasn’t as good as I initially thought, but this tune is undeniably strong, definitely. Jah Mason goes after the same riddim and it just doesn’t work. Watch this: ‘Your Love’ is a BAD SONG. That’s it. You also get a pretty mediocre lover’s number, ‘Never Changes’ from Norris Man later on across a very average riddim. And down the stretch of the first half of disc two are a few pretty nice surprises. Surprises like Leroy Mafia (from Mafia & Fluxy) who gives ‘Praises’ and does so in a very nice way. This tune is growing on me more and more and were I to write this in a month, I may very well say it I LOVE it. Yes, it’s that’s good. The man breaks it down to an almost miniscule level and urges giving praises year round. Apparently when Turbulence voiced the ‘Genesis 2’ riddim, he did so under the condition that Hart also voiced his friend Prince Jahved and Jahved didn’t disappoint with his tune ‘Heart 2 Heart’. I don’t what’s going on with the group, but Jahved was/is far and away the most talented member of Turbulence’s oft-talked about, rarely materialized (to any talented degree) group, Higher Trod. But, I haven’t honestly been paying much attention to Turbulence recently (apparently I need to start to again, however, after a few solid singles). This tune is a very nice lover’s piece and I’d love to see Prince Jahved become more active because he is well talented. And the closing out the first half is the aforementioned artist I’ve never heard of, Higher Binghi who provides the obligatory ‘Mama tune’ with ‘Glory Thanks Mama’. This is a pretty nice song and I’d love to hear more from Binghi in the New Year and I’m sure I will.
On the second half of the second disc there’s a (not really) very interesting occurrence (which saves me because I’m damn tired of this album at this point), as half of the ten tunes come over the exact same ‘Genesis 1’ Riddim. The first two of the four are definitely the strongest of the bunch, as between veteran Kulcha Knox and Lutan Fyah; they create a real master class. Star Trail and David House veteran Knox reaches with ‘Children of The Sun’, which is very interesting because it’s basically a tune preaching peace and happiness, but it definitely has a discernible EDGE to the vibes also. “Jamaicans are the roughest Afrikans the queen could ever come cross”, he says right near the beginning of the tune and goes into the chorus with, “children of the sun, see them having fun”. So you get into a situation where you might think Knox is being contradictory, but I don’t think so, I think he’s saying to REALLY know who your enemy is and who it is not. Regardless his intent however, Knox delivers one of the better more recent vibes of his much underrated career. Lutan Fyah also struggles with underration (is that a word?), but his tune on the Genesis, ‘Bun Dem Selassie’, has since become one of the riddim’s biggest hits and most respectable vibes the riddim has to offer and it’s probably THE best tune on it as well. Ginjah also takes a shot on the riddim with one of its better efforts, ‘Positive Words’. The tune is one like a few you’ll hear every once in awhile of an artist basically admonishing his peers to do proper work because of the power and influence they have, especially on the youths and to not take it for granted. You’ll hear such a tune from older artists, but rarely from an artist who is not only a contemporary, but an up and coming contemporary as well (and the man IMMEDIATELY gives respect to Lutan Fyah, which is well okay for me. Maybe we could get a combination!) (I’m just saying). Chrisinti is up next with ‘Hold Dem On The Wire’. I think the tune is largely over sung, like it’s kind of hard to follow and with a voice like his, that can certainly be an issue occasionally with Chrisinti’s music. But the tune also isn’t BAD and in fact I kind of like it (just wish he could have toned it back a bit). And the final tune reaching not only on the Genesis, but the entire Strictly One Drop Vol. 3 album is ‘Love Is Here’ which comes via Spanner Banner. This one isn’t anything very special, but with the sudden career upturn Spanner has made, it certainly becomes more and more of a big deal so, hopefully fans will appreciate it and go and pick up one of the singer’s two nice albums from 2009. Joining the solid artists on the Genesis are five more solid names (actually, as a whole, they’re probably bigger names). First is Glen Washington who delivers the WONDERFUL story of badman ‘John Brown’ and the troubles and trials he has faced in his life. This tune also appeared on a pretty nice compilation from a few years back and I’ve been enjoying for quite awhile, so will you. Anthony B goes on that same (BIG) riddim and with the way it moves it makes his tune, ‘Hafi Mek It’, even better. This is the free flowing type of Anthony B that I LOVE hearing, the one who has, oddly enough, been absent for most of the past year or so (minus that very nice album), but unfortunately the song is old, so it doesn’t portend anything soon coming, but I’m sure Bobo will right the ship anyway. Big tune. Danny Red returns with another selection from Past & Present, with the very Winston Rodney-esque ‘Jah Is Here’. And the tune actually flows over an old Keith Hudson riddim (Melody Maker) as well and it is a bonafide winner the SECOND it drops in. ‘Jah Is Here’ is BEAUTIFUL and I’m really feeling to go and dig up that album because it was really nice and a couple of years on, it may be even nicer because this tune really hits the spot. Luciano also gives a tune from his own Cousins album from 2007, the title track ’God Is Greater Than Man’. Oddly enough, this tune, which is clearly very strong, isn’t amongst my favourites from that album in retrospect (that album had a funky little old school vibes to it). Not that it is a bad song, but it is largely underwhelming, unexceptional and pretty standard fare in that regard. And LASTLY (AND FUCKING FINALLY) is the newly christened The Living Fire [bka Chuck Fenda] who goes on the same Mafia & Fluxy riddim, the Warrior Charge, as Luciano and only does slightly better to my opinion with ‘Locks A Flow’. This may actually be the first I’m hearing of this tune and listening to it now it kind of sounds better than the first three times I spun through it, so who knows, maybe I’ll grow to appreciate it even more. And that’s it!
Overall, yeah I shouldn’t have to do much with this one in terms of a recommendation. This album is so big that there almost has to be something in it which will interest even the most casual of Roots Reggae fans. No, it doesn’t have the shine and glisten of The Biggest Reggae One-Drop Anthems and it probably never will. And absolute truth be told, this is one release which ultimately is made or broken on how much attention heavy Reggae heads like you and I pay it or don’t pay it and for such a fan, I would say that if you’ve paid extra close attention to Cousins releases over the past couple of years, then there may be a bit much here that you already have or are just accustomed to hearing, but thankfully its also available on the digital side, so go ahead and pick and choose. The one thing I think needs to be worked on ultimately is the album’s cohesiveness. The way they attempt to do that here is buy letting the riddims play through multiple tracks, but sometimes the artists themselves, in terms of style, don’t match up well, despite being on the same riddim. Nevertheless, despite that and how hard I may have been on the album, Strictly One Drop Vol. 3 due to, if nothing else, it’s wonderful vastness is definitely one of the better compositions as it almost GUARANTEES something for everyone.
Rated 4.5/5
Cousins Records
2009
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