The Best Reggae Albums of 2009 [20 - 11]

After what was an outstanding year for Reggae albums in terms of quality, the business at hand is to now decipher the best from the BEST. With many TOP NOTCH projects popping up from all across the board, it was incredibly difficult to keep an eye on who was doing what and just how good their “what” was. You also had big releases from some of the more usual channels and even in those there were surprises of sorts also. So, if you REALLY kept up in 2009, you had a REALLY great time listening to the greatest music in the world. Thus, I submit for your approval, the second half of The Best Contemporary Reggae Albums of 2009.

{note: Only albums released December 31, 2008 and before January 1, 2010 qualify, if you see an album which doesn’t meet those standards, do let me know please, I have half a billion albums in mind which can go in its place}

{note 2: No compilations or reissues}

{note 3: Dancehall yes. Soca no (list for that coming later) (hopefully)}

{note 4: #’s 10-2 will be posted tomorrow and #1 will be posted Friday and will receive ‘Modern Classic’ like attention}

#20. Tell It Like It Is by Stevie Face [Boot Camp Records/Zojak Worldwide]

Da Man. Lover’s Rock has never been my favourite subgenre of Reggae (I leave that to Selector Ras Fury, so big him up), but there’re definitely certain artists, like Beres Hammond, Glen Washington and Fiona who can make music so SWEET and do so consistently that you take it out of the realm of being a fan of that particular type of music and make it more of a case being MUSIC FAN, period. Well you can now add Stevie Face’s name to that rather short list, because my appreciation of his wonderful Tell It Like It Is hasn’t diminished at all and it’s probably grown on a few levels and I cannot wait for the next one (I WORRY OVER YOUUUUUUUUU!).

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#19. Rise Up by Anthony B [Greensleeves Records]

Maximum Respect. Here’s another release (like Congo’s) that’s likely to fall through the cracks and be forgotten on ‘best of’ lists like such, but that’s really a damn shame. ANYTIME Anthony B can link up with Frenchie (of Maximum Sound), the results are potentially HUGE and even they aren’t quite, the pair still give more than OKAY vibes and definitely Rise Up was more than just okay. The album will also, in my opinion, stand as the artist’s highlight of the year as 2009 certainly wasn’t one of his finest in terms of quality. HOWEVER, one need only go back to the beginning of the year and grab up this album, lest they think Anthony B’s time has passed. It hasn’t.

#18. Modern Revolution by Sojah [Irie Vibrations]

The Future. I really wanted to make sure that I got this one SOMEWHERE on the list. Although I most likely did overrate it to a degree, Sojah’s Modern Revolution is still a very strong project and it’s one which would seem to have quite a bit of longevity. It won’t be everlasting like quite a few albums on this list (actually most of them, in retrospect), but it will travel with ‘Sojah’ - Delus & Konshens and their futures are HUGE. It says a lot about young Dancehall (for the most part) artists who can pull off something like this and who knows what else they have in store for the future. If they top this release (EVER), we’ll know we’re dealing with something special.

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#17. Ghetto Skyline by Daweh Congo [Goldheart Music]

Forgotten Man. Released way back in January, if I recall correctly (with respect to King Hopeton), the inimitable Daweh Congo’s BIG Ghetto Skyline was the first significant album of 2009 and at the time it was very well regarded, however, in retrospect, like much of Congo’s work, unfortunately, the album has faded away to some degree. That’s terrible in my opinion as it shows that even when the man SHINES (and he shined ALL OVER this album), that it’s a tough go to make an impression on the people. Well I cannot possibly speak for “the people” and I wouldn’t want to, but Ghetto Skyline for me personally was a SERIOUS release which still retains quite a bit of its initial strength.

#16. For Your Consideration by Lloyd Brown [Riddimworks/Cousins Records]

Mr. Lloyd Brown. In the pretty short amount of time which has passed since I first got a hold of Lloyd Brown’s For Your Consideration, I think I have an even greater appreciation of it. When I first reviewed it, I was definitely a fan (I was already a fan at that point, certainly), but I don’t know that I was REALLY digging into it as I find myself doing these days (which is shocking with the way I write, I know). The album is actually quite complex and double and triple tiered to my ears and not as straight forward as I originally may have thought, of course you might not know that unless you have a bit of time to dig in, but what you’ll be digging into is one of the best Reggae albums of 2009.

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#15. The Universal Cure by Jah Cure [SoBe Entertainment/Danger Zone]

Sticky. Jah Cure’s The Universal Cure has certainly fallen out of favour with my tastes in the months since its release. I actually went as far to envision this list going twenty deep without it and . . . Well that would just be incorrect wouldn’t it? It is to the Cure’s credit, however (and to the credit of whoever taught him to sing like that), that he makes it this high. The album was certainly not bad by any means, but following his release from an extended stay in prison, the Cure’s music had gotten so much attention that much of The Universal Cure was very familiar by its release and such a situation, with very few exceptions, doesn’t portend longevity when it comes to appreciation. However, even skimming through or the sake of this brief recap, I am ultimately reminded of what is the prime truth when it comes to Jah Cure: I could listen to this man sing all day.

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#14. 2 Sides of My Heart Vol. 1 by Gramps Morgan [Dada Son Entertainment]

Surprise, Surprise. At the beginning of 2009, I honestly was experiencing a growth in my appreciation of the venerable Morgan Heritage camp and it was kind of weird. As a long time ‘hater’ of the group (in the most benign sense of the word) of the group’s music, certain things were just starting to click with me. Well, such clicking reach critical mass when, in August, Gramps Morgan released his solo debut, the stirring 2 Sides of My Heart. When the Morgans reunite as a unit to release their supposed MAMMOTH opus, I may or may not actually be a fan of the release, but you can go ahead and colour me a HEAVY fan of Gramps’ as this mature set proved, you simply have to pay attention to his output as a solo artist and I will, ‘always and forever’ (LOVE THAT SONG!)

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#13. Rasta Got Soul by Buju Banton [Gargamel]

The incredible and amazing. This one is very VERY interesting in its standing on this list mainly because when you detach yourself from it, you’re able to see its flaws better (which is strange, normally I’m able to do that when I’m listening to it) (duh), but when you listen to it, Buju Banton’s Rasta Got Soul can be downright overwhelming. Perhaps not quite as COMPLETE as I initially suspected, STILL the album is mighty powerful and in that respect - sheer STRENGTH - The only album on this list which would clearly rank alongside it is in the top three.

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#12. Coming Back For You by Pressure Busspipe [Rymshot Productions/Zojak Worldwide]

The Silk Ones. This release, above probably ALL others you’ll find on this half of the list is a SHINING example of just how strong of a year 2009 has been. When I initially began to craft for this list, Pressure’s BEAUTIFUL Coming Back For You was a top ten album (with the one album which ranks ahead of it on this half, still ranking ahead of it, although between these two exists probably the slimmest of margins you’ll find on this list outside of the top three) and it is certainly that strong. Coming off two previous albums, one of which was DIVINE and the other of which was a big, high profile release, everything seemed to be putting SUPREME pressure on Pressure to succeed on his third long player. He did more than succeed, Coming Back For You was magic.

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#11. French Connection by Perfect [Tiger Records]

Wildfire. I’m still working on this one. Perfect’s at times brilliant idiosyncrasies and peculiarities were on full display on French Connection from Tiger Records and the results were the imaginably unimaginable. Going in every direction you can think of (and probably even a few others that you can’t), the album reinforced Perfect’s as a top notch artist following a stretch of less than stellar outings. French Connection was indeed stellar and definitely expect its quality level to continue growing.

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