Say it. At least for me, when it comes to my appreciation for my absolute favourite artists, for the most part, it is something about their style which seems to set them apart from just about everyone else, including one another. And while it may've been a big tune or even a few big tunes in some cases which initially got my attention, it is ultimately the demonstration of some form of significant skill and talent which has kept and grown me as a fan for them in particular. In some instances it is completely glaring. Someone like a Jah Cure or a Skinny Fabulous attracts attention each and every time they do something -- in the case of the former because his voice is… audio gold, while the latter has seemingly taken a kind of shiny, but grimy madness to previously unseen levels -- while at other times it is less apparent, but no less attractive. Today we look at someone, in a much earlier state of their career, whose praises I've sung for years now because of one most conspicuous of traits, but one which didn't seem to get him a substantial amount of notice until a great deal after this material was recorded. Of course, I'm talking about the lyrical prowess of the often brilliant Lutan Fyah. For me, in the modern era, he ranks as one of the greatest writers that Reggae music has produced along with the likes of Sizzla Kalonji, Vaughn Benjamin, Capleton, Tanya Stephens and others. However, in those cases it was an almost immediate level of appreciation for those artists, Lutan Fyah took just a little longer to grow on people and, actually, it didn't seem that most people gave him credit for his writing at all until his general popularity had gone significantly on the rise. That is not to say that it wasn't there from the beginning because you can listen to a great deal of his earliest work and hear that sharp pen, quick wit and just a generally different quality in what he was doing, even when you rank him along some of his peers in terms of the timeframe during which they arrived. Lutan Fyah's most dominant ability was his lyrics and these days I can listen to rhyme endlessly and continue to be impressed. I wasn't the only one championing the Spanish Town chanter's gifts and he caught on with quite a few labels before becoming a big name. There was Minor 7 Flat 5, from out of Spain, who would actually deliver the Fyah's debut album, "Dem No Know Demself", back in 2004. There was also the US based Lustre Kings set who would voice him frequently before leading into his sophomore album, the MAMMOTH "Time and Place". Both of those imprints had manifested albums (DUH!), but up until very recently, there was another which had done a great amount of work with an earlier version of Lutan Fyah who hadn't.
Things change though. Jah Warrior Records from out of the UK was another global label which was very high on the output of Lutan Fyah in his earlier days and they made it very obvious by recording a great deal with the up and comer in the latter stages of the early 2000's. Though not very active these days, to my knowledge, Jah Warrior, headed by the one Steve Mosco once had a very strong operation and they would go on to achieve successes in doing albums for the likes of the incomparable Peter Broggs , Rod Taylor, Prince Alla and others. They also did, perhaps most memorably, an excellent album from Jah Mason in 2004, "Most Royal". If I recall correctly, it was around that very same time when the label had been mentioning a forthcoming project from Lutan Fyah as well, but it would not arrive on any type of time scale and I had really forgotten about it, even though I was once very much looking forward to it. And it had been from quite awhile, the last time I had even heard of Jah Warrior really doing anything. Maybe it was three or four years ago now that they had began to empty the vault on the digital medium and you saw a variety of compilations and Dub albums that they had done - but that was it.
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| "Most Royal" by Jah Mason [2004] |
Well, I guess that 2013 is as good of a year as any to not only proclaim yourself still active, but to also deliver an album seemingly in the 'coming soon' stages for nearly a decade and that is exactly what Jah Warrior does with the latest album from Lutan Fyah, "Never Surrender My Faith". The album becomes the Fyah's very first release from last year's nearly golden (and woefully promoted) "Truly" and is set to be the first of a pair of albums this year as I am currently expecting to hear a release date/see a cover from his record for I Grade Records and the Zion I Kings. Reportedly all of the material which makes up "Never Surrender My Faith" was recorded between a decade or so and up to seven years ago and it certainly does feature quite a few moments which're familiar to my ears. More importantly and interestingly, it also highlights his near nascent sound. The further you go back into the catalog of Lutan Fyah, the more you hear him as this entirely gifted lyricist, but someone who wasn't at all in full command of melodies. It wasn't the strongest aspect of his skills (and it still isn't and it never will be), but these days I fully enjoy hearing that sound which is extremely direct and to the point and kind of streamlined as well. Because of that, you can already draw comparisons to albums such as “Justice", the aforementioned "Dem No Know Demself" and "Healthy Lifestyle". It also helps that Jah Warrior's own style is based on a similar 'no-nonsense' type of approach and they're output is known for this kind of HEAVY and old school structuring. So, while "Never Surrender My Faith" may not be one for the newer fans, even going into it, I was very excited. On top of all that, like I said, Lutan Fyah is a favourite of mine and has been for quite some time, so a new album from him (especially one just ahead of another one) is a very big deal for me.
Despite coming in with a very healthy and a playing time just shy of an hour, this album kind of seems to come and go very quickly. Although Lutan Fyah does hit quite a few topics and hits them hard, as you might imagine, the album isn't at all labourious. Oh… and it just may be one of his finest lyrical efforts which, as we've already outlined, is a very big deal in his particular case. The first exhibition of this comes through on the opener for "Never Surrender My Faith" from Lutan Fyah and Jah Warrior Records, its title track (an act which seems to become more and more prevalent these days) and probably its more recognizable selection as well.
"I tell yuh seh a longtime mi deh ya and ah watch it
Send off false preachers and teachers and prophets
Babylon ah spread out dem dutty epidemic
BUT DEM MENTAL DISEASE - RASTA CAAN CATCH IT!
Emmanuel seh go Black people and replenish
It's a blessing yow!
Empress Menen ahgo send it
Remember seh di action ahgo tek and it ahgo drastic
Rome, dem waan fi burn out yuh mind like a plastic!"
The tune, which sits itself down in the same riddim as the Mason's HUGE 'Rainbow Circle Throne', is a definite highlight on the album named after it and has already enjoyed quite a run of popularity. Lutan Fyah, however, immediately manages to top it with the very next song on the album, the fantastically surging 'What You Gonna Do'. I don't think that I had ever heard this song before it appeared on this album and that makes this release all the more crucial as a song lost this may've been all but forgotten had it not - which would have been a damn shame! I most certainly do recall the next song on “Never Surrender My Faith" on the other hand. The album's obligatory ganja song, 'Smoke The High Grade', is a very fascinating one and one which definitely displays the Fyah's incredible lyrical aptitude. He says things there and says them with different moods, but each and every one unite to build a mighty message.
Throughout its duration, "Never Surrender My Faith" continues to serve up mighty fine moments which I think are most likely to be appreciated by more experienced fans of Lutan Fyah… fortunately I'm one of those types, so it has more than a few moments which are expectedly brilliant for someone like me. To my opinion, none are more sagacious than the MAGICAL social commentary 'Ridiculous'.
"Through dem waan fi destroy di earth and then dem run go live a space -
That's ridiculous, that's ridiculous
Reproductive cloning among di human race
That's ridiculous, that's ridiculous
You won't get a better society if di youths no educate
That's ridiculous, that's ridiculous
You can't fly up inna Selassie I face
Oh that's ridiculous!
That's ridiculous, that's ridiculous!
That's ridiculous, that's ridiculous!
Well, simple action will make many foe
So watch di friends you keep and di places you go
Say yes to life and none to get low
Every woman is yuh sister, every young man is yuh bro
Caan kill a man if him step pon yuh toe
Ghetto youth go till di soil, do some farming
Food haffi grow
Children live what they learn
That you betta know
Set a better example even though -
Through dem waan fi destroy di earth and then dem run go live a space -
That's ridiculous, that's ridiculous
Reproductive cloning among di human race
That's ridiculous, that's ridiculous
You won't get a better society if di youths no educate
That's ridiculous, that's ridiculous
You can't fly up inna Selassie I face
Oh that's ridiculous!
I've seen dem corruption often times
Instill di youths inna di violence and crime
DEM NEVA EDIFY, DEM ONLY DECEIVE DI MIND
That's why ghetto youth come fi burn dem design
Hey a so you love, and you neva really check fi that
THAT'S WHY YUH BLOODY SYSTEM GET WRECK FI THAT
You gamble wid yuh life, yow you go beg fi that
That's why yuh really gone dung inna death fi that"
This song has a vibes about it which is full-on intoxicating for me and right along with that ANGRY piece of riddim is a presentation and a written track which is not to be missed and reaches the heights of this album. BOOM! The very clever 'Things Better Now' is also a big winner here. This song is another observation on the state of the times, but it is one which finds the Fyah going through the fact that there definitely have been improvements in the world, but because "it's a long road", we still have much further to go. This song is one which gradually grew on me after a few spins through to the point where now it ranks very highly. The tune which follows it, 'It's Your Society', conversely, had no such growing pains, especially when I got to the very familiar chorus.
"It's your society!
Who ah ensnare di youths inna di gun violence and crime
It's your society!
Keep robbing di poor and di pastor come and alla swear blind
It's your society!
I si young girls growing up to be concubines
It's your society!
Your society!
Ah suit di youths pon di train line
So mi ah rebuke dem
REBUKE DEM!
In di name of The Most High!
Name of The Most High!
REBUKE DEM!
REBUKE DEM!
In di name of The Most High!
Name of The Most High!
REBUKE DEM!
REBUKE DEM!
In di name of The Most High!
Name of The Most High!
REBUKE DEM!
REBUKE DEM!"
I knew this tune from before the album but I can't say that I've heard it anytime recently and having it back now (and a proper name for it, because you know I thought it was called 'REBUKE DEM'), is another big point here. I also love the infectious old school Dancehall track behind it and Lutan's BITE as well - adding a brilliant piece of edge to the album. 'Rebellious' is a HUGE piece of track which speaks to the powerful disobedient soul of people when faced with extreme prejudice and oppression of the powers that be. Here, to most vividly make his point, Lutan Fyah calls upon names such as Malcolm and Martin and Marcus and the results, I imagine, are precisely what he envisioned because 'Rebellious' is about as heavy handed effort as you'll find on this album or most others. And then "Never Surrender Your Faith" has the audacity to come to its end with a quartet of scintillating tunes, 'Good and Pleasant', 'Let Righteousness Be Your Guide', 'Stay Focus' and 'Reason Without Conflict'. The first of them is a very nice selection which is about honouring the positive forces in your life and celebrating the things and the people that you do have. Although the tune is about all things agreeable and pleasing, it eschews going in an overly-rosy or downright sappy direction because Lutan Fyah fully takes aim at those who do not give thanks when it is due. 'Let Righteousness Be Your Guide', has a similar focal point, but as a pure praising track (a very smart one, but a pure one still) it definitely does revolve about paying respects to His Imperial Majesty first and second, but in a most tangible fashion.
"ALL DI OBSTACLES AND TRAPS DEH WEH DEM SET UP
A RASTAFARI STILL PROTECT US
Wi went wrong and di powers come correct
Oh well, well
You caan mek history come repeat itself
Low dem corruption fi delete itself
Mystery babylon haffi go bow dung and beseech itself
Whoa well then -
Let righteousness be your guide
Even when they try to push us aside -
Rastafari ahgo tek dem by surprise
Oh let righteousness be your guide
Pass dem remarks and dem no stop criticize"
'Stay Focus' is also excellent with this infectious BOUNCE that it comes with and a sterling sentiment of pushing mass self-awareness. The delivery is also one of the better present here as well - making for a very entertainment piece also. And I was damn interested in hearing 'Reason Without Conflict' and it did not disappoint. The thought here is that you can solve or at least live with disagreements and bad situations without hostilities and violence and, by extension, begin to solve some of the biggest problems in the world in the same manner ["lets reason without conflict, establish good relationships"]. The Fyah tells all, essentially, to keep a more level head in times of intense actions and the results will be better.
What remains on "Never Surrender My Faith" is a trio of songs which don't rank amongst my personal favourites, but are certainly not BAD and are pretty good actually. 'She Brings Me Joy' is the first of them and is as basic and straight-forward as you'll find - even from Lutan Fyah - and I mean that in a good way. 'Always Be Loving' is a song which almost surely rate higher for me with time (and I mean a very little amount of time - it might even change by the time I finish this review). It is kind of an extension of the emotion of 'Reason Without Conflict' in many ways - with the basic concept being to live better and continue to show love to those in your life as best as you can possibly can. And, again, it doesn't paint a picture which is unnecessarily and inaccurately beautiful - this one is well rough around its edges. And lastly is the very familiar love song, 'Love Is For You'. The riddim on this tune sounds faintly like the title track from Jah Mason's aforementioned "Most Royal" album and it stuck in my head the entire time I was listening to it. That same riddim is probably one of the finer on this album and it backs a song which though not a personal highlight for me, is still quite good.
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| Lutan Fyah |
Overall, I do want to stress again that "Never Surrender My Faith" is definitely the type of release which is more appreciable by and noticeable to a kind of an older fan of Lutan Fyah's - and you can say a analogous thing about Jah Warrior's music, in general. At their best they made a brand of Roots Reggae which was for more indoctrinated fans. So if you are newer and are looking for somewhere to start, I probably wouldn't recommend this one (actually, "Time and Place" wouldn't be bad for you). For those more grizzled type of listeners though, you'll like and love A LOT of this album! I really do enjoy going back and hearing an artist like Lutan Fyah still in the process of developing his skills and on his way to becoming the powerhouse that he is these days (where this man now, routinely, goes entire active years without dropping so much as a single bad verse!), but already possessing some of the most astute writing that the genre was experiencing, even back then. "Never Surrender My Faith" isn't his best work to date and it wasn't supposed to be a decade later, but what it is a fine foundational representation of one of the most talented lyricists that we have in Reggae music today in Lutan Fyah and what it may lack in the form of immediate entertainment value - it more than makes up for with one brilliant artist and a very skilled label as well. Excellent.
Rated: 4.45/5
Jah Warrior Records
2013
Digital
Review #449
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