The Vault Reviews: "Halfway Tree" by Damian Marley

For my absolute final trick of 2010, I thought that I’d talk about a subject which is going to be a big personal theme of mine going into the New Year - Transformation. I’m not talking about the motion pictures of a similar name with the trucks and shit or its sequel (neither of which I’ve actually seen). What I am speaking of, however, is the transforming of an artist in the midst of his/her career. In Reggae, there’re quite a few very glaring examples of a particular performer seemingly taking one path only to reverse and take another (and maybe even take another and another even after that) in the midst of their career. Of course, we look at people like Capleton and Buju Banton as reformed former Dancehall bad boys who suddenly sited up His Imperial Majesty and, in doing so (thankfully), it was immediately reflected in their music as Capleton would build up to what would ultimately become ”More Fire” and Buju would do the same, years earlier, with ”’Til Shiloh”, both of which just happen to be two of the greatest albums of all time. You could also point to similar examples on a much smaller scale to individuals such as Spragga Benz and even the legendary Garnet Silk who experienced similar career shifts after experiencing successes. Then we have people such as Ninja Man whose career has taken so many STRANGE steps throughout the years that it’s almost difficult to believe that such a person, with the road that he’s traveled, isn’t like seventy years old. And furthermore, we have even more artists such as Beenie Man and Lady Saw who have just been around so long that, probably like anyone, we’ve seen them change so much naturally that it seems as if they’ve made discernible big changes, whether they have or have not. And, on top of that, just dealing with a variety of names we see them go through very public changes in their lives and it’s definitely one of the most interesting and just BEST things about being a music fan. HOWEVER, with all of that being said, there was a most fascinating change which completed back in 2001 of which the reverberations are still being felt to this very day and may be felt for an indefinite amount of time. It was the seemingly overnight development of the King’s youngest son, Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley.

In 1996 a then eighteen years old Damian released his debut album, ”Mr. Marley”. The most interesting thing about this album was that the cover featured Bob Marley (who would die not too long afterwards) holding a then one or two year old Damian. That was the most interesting thing about the album - Say nothing of the twelve tracks - Because they were positively AWFUL. It was a really bad album and I don’t actually recall hearing much about Damian Marley as a solo musician from 1996 up until 2000 or so when he announced that he would be doing a next solo album and then the flood began. If I can recall accurately there was so much buzz around this album and despite the fact that I wasn’t the most attentive at the time when it came to releases from the Marley clan, it extended to the point that I definitely decided to have a listen when/if it was released. “It” would prove to be ”Halfway Tree” and it would also prove to be AMAZING! When did and where did Damian Marley get wicked? It would seem unlikely that he just developed sitting around his house or working with his brothers (although he does have some of the best genes in the world now doesn’t he) but for many, myself definitely included, the gap of time that is 1996-~2000 is most interesting in the career of Damian Marley who now ‘reigns’ as not only one of the most popular Reggae artists, but surely one of the most talented as well. What he would become is a very elusive type of an artist in the annals of Reggae music after his Father: One who is easily and immediately identifiable in the international and ‘mainstream’ sense and one who is so, simultaneously, while being a very . . . Easily and identifiable one in the more hardcore sense. In fact, just thinking about it now, we’re constantly searching for this artist who can take a certain type of Roots Reggae and make it as popular as the Beenie Mans, Sean Pauls and others have made Dancehall internationally - Well the closest we may have to such an individual may be Damian Marley. The first tangible step, in my opinion, to who currently is today, following ”Welcome To Jamrock” and ”Distant Relatives” occurred on ”Halfway Tree” which is bigger, in my opinion, than either of those two albums and (obviously) is his finest album to date and was probably the best Reggae album of 2001 as well (I’ve been very tempted to write it up as a ‘modern classic’, but for some reason, I remembered as being like forty-five songs long) (oh, and it‘s also probably the best album to ever win a Reggae Grammy as well). What made it so great? It was a colourful and jam packed Roots Reggae album with Dancehall overtones, Afrikan, Hip-Hop and R&B as well. It was truly “world music”. It also didn’t hurt that Damian and brother Stephen Marley, the album’s executive producer for Ghetto Youths Records and the legendary Motown label, enlisted some particularly strong collaborators to craft the album alongside Marley and did so as to attract the interests of both typically Reggae and typically non-Reggae fans alike. Still, the album’s main source of success was definitely found in the aforementioned skillset of its star. Damian Marley took the version of himself which was to be found on ”Mr. Marley” and absolutely destroyed that and what and who he displayed himself to be on ”Halfway Tree” was an artist of whom perhaps it isn’t so surprising that has become a bonafide world musical superstar in the years since.

'It Was Written'

The two areas in which Damian Marley showed the most drastic levels of improvement, clearly, were in his delivery and his lyrical capacity. He not only improved both personally, but with what he dropped on this album, he would’ve ranked quite highly amongst his peers as well. All of that is on full display on Damian Marley’s outstanding second first impression, ”Halfway Tree”, which gets up and roaring immediately with one of its signature pieces, ‘Educated Fools’ which features the sole surviving member of his Father’s legendary trio, Bunny Wailer, Bounty Killer and former Naughty By Nature front man, Treach. This song has a kind of ‘warrish’ feel about with its EPIC sound which plays the perfect backdrop for Jr. Gong to ATTACK the riddim. Bounty Killer doesn’t play nice either and as Bunny sets the tone, Treach later jumps in and, calmly (especially for this tune), wraps up nicely one of the finest and most significant pieces on the entire album. Although the vibes my turn down, the quality might just go up on the next track, ‘More Justice’, which is the album’s first solo number for Jr. Gong. I love this song and despite the fact that it hasn’t become one of the most popular sets here, I find it dazzling with its so cool backing and every once in awhile, through the years, I realize that I’d love to have a clean version of this riddim. LOVE IT. And fittingly and finally from the opening lot is THE most popular moment from ”Halfway Tree”, ‘Educated Fools’ which features Stephen Marley, Capleton and some guy named Drag-On (I used to know who he was).

“Careful how you entertain stranger
Selassie neva born inna no manger
And him neva crucify as no saviour
Elect of himself him ah di ruler
Babylon ah malfunction, well dem ah failure
So be careful of dem cellular and pager
Cuz as I see dem I see danger
Seh dem great but Selassie I greater
Yow”

Capleton BLAZES the song adding spice throughout but peaking on his verse there. The song is just spiritual brilliance and I would be rather inclined to call it my favourite tune on the album if it weren’t for the fact that it is just a bit too long (at slightly more than six minutes, it’s REALLY the album’s longest tune) (thankfully) (more on that later) because Drag-On’s ‘contribution’ is pretty useless actually.

'Educated Fools'

As I said, ”Halfway Tree” definitely features more than a few big big names and more than just in the opening selections. Fortunately the one who proves to be most popular (and active) is EXCELLENT veteran singer and friend of the Marleys, Yami Bolo. The first time we hear from the “Jamaican Stevie Wonder” (so say Jr. Gong) is also his best effort on the album, ‘Still Searchin’ (alongside Stephen again). Definitely the song is the best lover’s type vibes on the whole of the project and you could very well make the case for it being one of the best songs altogether, because it simply is. On the very next song, ‘She Needs My Love’, Bolo also gives a strong contribution, this time alongside Sabor, who is a Reggaeton artist I believe. This tune has kind of a nice Salsa mix to it but thankfully Marley finds a prime opportunity to deliver some heavy deejaying. I have to say that typically I don’t enjoy songs like such, but I found this one charming and downright dazzling at points. And finally Yami Bolo comes through on the final tune of the album (or does he?) ‘Stand A Chance’, which also sees Treach return. The song is yet another excellent tune to my ears as all three artists are in a fine form and I definitely paid attention to the ‘course’ and arrangement of Treach’s verse which is damn impressive.

Hip-Hopper Eve also makes a very nice appearance on a song I didn’t like for quite some time, but started to grow on me a few years back, ‘Where Is The Love’ and the intoxicatingly vibrant ‘Paradise Child’ features rapper Mr. Cheeks, another good friend of the Marleys and R&B/Reggae staple singer Jimmy Cozier. If you ever want to know EXACTLY how to sprinkle in Hip-Hop music to my tastes exactly, see the recipe of the latter because that is a well big tune. There’s also the SCATHING ’Give Dem Some Way’ which features the late Daddigon (who has now been gone an almost shockingly long six years). This tune is highlighted by the fact that it goes along a very nice course before Jr. Gong just . . . Loses his fucking mind and starts breathing fire all over the track in one of most impressive lyrical eruptions I may’ve EVER heard. And finally, because the final track on the album is nine and a half minutes long, it’s actually split up as two tracks, the second, ’And You Be Loved’ is kind of a ’hidden track’ and it’s a remake of Jr. Gong’s Father’s tune, ‘Could You Be Loved’. There’s a rapper on this tune as well which I always assumed was also Cheeks, but whoever it is does a nice job on this excellent remake.

Still, because Drag-On didn’t know when to quit, my own favourite moment on ”Halfway Tree” is a solo track (with Stephen, of course, but he‘s really on every tune) and an ode to Jr. Gong’s Father, ‘Catch A Fire’. Despite the somewhat slower nature of the tune, it is FIRE!

“Sons of slaves chant down sons of di slave drives
Nah spare slave rider neither
And if dem could, dem would tax yuh pon saliva
How much more must wi die fah?
The ones in the cars while we’re standing in the terminus
The government bogus, they don’t work for us
Instead dem chain and whip you with domestic fuss
And guns and AIDS and drugs”

And again, that comes from the heightened delivery and lyrical ability of Jr. Gong. At that time, it would’ve put him in company such as Vybz Kartel and Bounty Killer, just in terms of the rapid fire delivery and all of these later; he’s still got it down to a science.

'Halfway Tree'

‘Mi Blenda’ is a tune which received virtually no hype at all, but it’s been one of my own favourites from the very first time I heard it (despite that ridiculous intro for the tune) and, again, it’s all in the delivery. That being said, certainly it doesn’t hurt that it has one HEAVY riddim as well which makes for very nice hardcore Dancehall deejaying . . . Candy for my ears these days. There’s the somewhat awkward ‘Born To Be Wild’ which may be my least favourite tune on ”Halfway Tree”, but it doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily a bad track because lyrically, it’s near top notch, but the vibes are just so different there. And I could probably say the same of ‘Stuck In Between’, but I like this one a bit more and have over the years as well. FINALLY (I mean it this time) there’s the addictive title track which is co-produced by Hip-Hop stalwart and Mr. Alicia Keys, Swizz Beats. I LOVE this tune and partially because it well has a ‘sense of humour’ on a certain level as Jr. Gong brilliantly acknowledges the talk surrounding his career amongst many of his peers.

“Is like keeping a stage and waan di place fi dun
What you do?
Call my management weh walk wid 50 gun
Wah mi do?
Nah gone go pon stage until mi get mi funds
Wah mi sing?
One Jr. Gong, what a hefty sum
Youngest veteran dat intercept di run
Artist ah carry feelings and tears ah run
Seh ‘yu know seh ah just tru him a Bob Marley son, how him get a Swizz Beats an you no get mi nun’ “

“Well dem just caan believe and dem won’t accept
Jr. Gong and Swizz Beats, fassi don’t forget
Well is it just me or is it hot to death?
It’s the “Halfway Tree” CD & cassette
DJ ready to run
On your mark, get set
And watch everybody run to di record outlet
Tell mi who CD do you tink dem get
Di one closest to di Bob Marley box set”

And the vibes of the tune itself are somewhat ‘funny’ as well which made this one more of a hidden gem, because it didn’t get a great deal of reaction, but for me it was a master class and one of the album’s finest moments altogether.

Overall, I should say that, in general, ”Halfway Tree” hasn’t really ‘faded away’ and it has been pretty well regarded, even by mainstream standards, which is certainly largely due to what has become of Jr. Gong’s wonderful career. For me, however, I have to say that it’s become one of my favourite albums just in general. I’m not going to exaggerate its greatness by trying to place it on certain high levels, but it was a BEAUTIFUL piece and really just covered everything anyone could ask for in my opinion. Also, to go back to the premise of my review, it found an artist seemingly fulfilling so much NATURAL TALENT (biggup Lion D) in such an unexpected manner that it almost seemed to give Damian Marley an entirely new career and which not only ‘modernized’ his own name, but seemed to help to energize FULLY bringing the Marley family into the new era as well and, going forth, establishing himself as the second most well known of the lot. ”Halfway Tree” was seriously crucial and versatile material and its maestro has gone onto become one of the most significant artists we’ve experienced since the turn of the century . . . Maybe it’s not too shocking after all.

Rated: 5/5
Ghetto Youths Records/Motown/Universal
2010
CD + Digital
Damian Marley @ Myspace