Historical. I've done a few of these review things over the years, this isn't my first one. In doing so and in becoming, indirectly and informally, a member of the 'media', I suppose, I am aware that "we" are rather fond of using superlatives and extremes. Anything that is above average is potentially "legendary", while something which dips ever so slightly below par can rather easily be discarded as an "all-time low", a "nadir" or "dark period". Yes, it is entirely ridiculous, but it is.... it's just what we do! Should you throw around statements like that enough, however, eventually you're bound to stumble upon a situation where your shouting at the stars that something is an all time classic can't miss etc. actually does apply and applies not in the personal sense alone (because that can HONESTLY be anything depending on the individual), but in a further-reaching scope as well. In the history of this blog, we've been fortunate enough to cover quite a few truly GREAT projects and, once upon a time, I had the relatively decent idea to (I get lucky sometimes) take some of the biggest and my personal favourites and begin a running series called "Modern Classics". These were albums which, for one reason or another, had set themselves apart from even other "great" projects for me. The vast majority of these releases, by design, are not universally regarded as classics. They're largely albums which have resonated with me and writing about them is a challenging opportunity to explain why in some cases and an effort to bring attention to some overlooked gems in others. That is simply the way that it is. As much as it hurts me to admit it, not everyone is crazy about albums like "Phantom War" and "Ghetto Life" -- the first and second "Modern Classics" -- but you know they should be. Still, with that in mind, the genre of Reggae music has been able to produce a few releases in its modern era which have gone on to receive a universal level of acclaim by fans, media and even other members of the musical fraternity alike. During our series we have managed to cover one or two of these such as Gentleman's "Confidence" (which has a shout as being THE greatest European Reggae album ever, in my opinion) and both "Reign Of Fire" and "Still Blazin" from Capleton, the second and third entries from his hallowed trinity of albums for VP Records around the turn of the century which began with 2000's destructive "More Fire". So, while you'll find tons and tons of deliciously brilliant obscurity on in the ranks (such as Yahadanai's downright mysterious "One Atonement"), we've also managed to include something more for EVERYONE.
 |
| 2002 |
That will extend to, arguably, the single most popular album we've ever featured, #15, "Da Real Thing". The 2002 release would gain a massive amount of attention and universal traction as, as its title would indicate, it would mark a return of one Sizzla Kalonji to a devastating form which he was thought to have not reached in half a decade (although I may argue against that) (actually, I would DEFINITELY argue against that and am about to do it shortly). The Bobby Digital produced project for VP Records may even still to this day, now two decades old, be his single most high profile release to date given the promotion it was afforded in its day and, without a doubt, is considered a bona fide, undeniable CLASSIC these days and for good reason... it is one of the greatest Reggae albums of all time, without question. Like I said, however, it wasn't a first time for him and instead was a RETURN.
....a return to what exactly??? Back in 1997 a then twenty-one year old Sizzla, born Miguel Collins would do something which, in retrospect, should probably be considered the JEWEL of the 'overactive album' era in Reggae music around the turn of the century when, in the course of five weeks, he would release two of the greatest albums anyone had (and still HAVE to this day) ever heard. One of these was the direct ancestor of the aforementioned "Da Real Thing" as it was also guided by Digital, "Black Woman & Child", released in September of that year, while the other came via a much more familiar source as Sizzla's homebase label at the time, and the one playing the largest part in bringing him to prominence, Xterminator Productions, would release "Praise Ye Jah". For good reason other than their timing (and I'd forgotten that they were THAT close together until just now), the two albums have seemingly been eternally linked with one another, marking such a powerful period not only for Sizzla, himself, but for that entire era of modern Roots Reggae music around the turn of the century. Personally, for me, it was the same time I was becoming an adult and was VERY open to the material comprising those records and I will tell you that Sizzla is my absolute favourite artist of all time and to that I pay a very large credit to both "Black Woman & Child" (the single greatest album I have ever heard) and "Praise Ye Jah". A true child of his generation, Kalonji would ultimately demonstrate himself capable of at least holding his own in many different facets of the music, including Dancehll (favourite Sizzla Dancehall tune?..... maybe 'Karate') and some of the more harsh vibes it often included, but when he was at the early pinnacle of his powers, he had a PRESENTATION of his messages unlike anyone else and the same is STILL the case to this day. His lyrics often bordered on perfection (and routinely crossed into that territory) and he had such a wonderfully dynamic command of MELODY. I can name you many artists who have one and not the other (Vaughn Benjamin: An amazing writer who often could not care LESS about melody) and I can name you others who have both (like Pressure Busspipe), but I do not know that I could name you anyone who has enjoyed stretches of being, literally, PERFECT at both. Sizzla at his best makes a brand of Roots music which is as informative and challenging to the listener as it is PLEASING. In retrospect, I think that's what made much of his early work so appealing to so many people. Both young and older fans had something to which they could gravitate and the result has been, rather easily, one of THE most influential (and controversial) artists the genre has ever produced. The year 2022 would mark the twentieth anniversary of the release of "Da Real Thing" (a fact which still seems shocking) and the silver anniversary for both "BW&C" and "Praise Ye Jah". Though there has been nothing (that I've seen) in the cases of the first two, XTM.Nation, the direct descendant of Xterminator (literally. Xterminator was, of course, helmed by the legendary Philip 'Fatis' Burrell. His son, Kareem Burrell, takes care of XTM.Nation), has released a remastered 25th Anniversary Edition of "Praise Ye Jah", to mark the occasion. Of course, this isn't the first re-release of the album as, if you've paid attention to it throughout the years (and why would you??), it's had several releases from region to region, with different tracks (more on that later) and even digitally as well. When you are dealing with material this strong, you can't really do much to take away from it (well, I guess you COULD, but fortunately no one has come along with a... Hip-Hop remixed out version of it) and each and every time you have heard "Praise Ye Jah" it has been as excellent as its very first day and its 25th Anniversary Edition is not an exception.
 |
| 1998 |
(Because it's just what I do) I do want to spend a couple of seconds on the Sizzla albums which came between 1997 and 2002 because some of them were VERY strong and because none of them would stick in the way that "Da Real Thing" did, it kind of goes to show just how well received that album was. Yes, there was "Ghetto Revolution" which, at last check, was absolutely miserable (may be time to go have another listen to that one, because it's been awhile and I may do it before I wrap this review and come back and change or reinforce that statement later) (yep. It's still pretty bad. The title track is decent though), but there was also "Freedom Cry" which was excellent, "Royal Son Of Ethiopia" -- probably one of the..... top thirty or so albums I've ever played -- and is extremely well-respected from most fans, "Bobo Ashanti", a top ten Kalonji album in my opinion, "Taking Over" was also top notch and I may someday make the point that it was a Modern Classic in its own right and a personal classic of mine, "Rastafari Teach I Everything". I could also throw "Black History" and "Hosanna" in there. Neither of those games are anywhere near GREAT, in retrospect, but were very fun as was the considerably better "Words Of Truth", which was best known for being a double release as it featured a live performance disc. There you go! Oh! And I even missed the offspring of "Black Woman & Child", the somewhat underappreciated Bobby Digital produced "Good Ways". So, as you can see it wasn't a matter of his quality dipping in those five years, it was more of a matter of truly MASSIVE projects bookending that half-decade.
On half of the "cover" end of that book (did you catch that??) was "Praise Ye Jah". I've come to characterize "Black Woman & Child" as having this BIG and often chorus-like vibe to it at times, but "PYJ" was a bit different. It was more streamlined for the most part. It featured no combinations either and, though it's direct predecessor was also very good -- Sizzla's debut, the also Xterminator produced "Burning Up" ["Search fi a, search fi a bit of hardcore. Just burn di herbs and mi want some more. Notify di weed man, tell dem have that in store. Just burn di herbs and mi want some more"] (BOOM!) -- "Praise Ye Jah" showed that the two years in between had been downright MONSTROUS in terms of his maturation as an artist and, all of these years later, it's still hard to believe that what you heard here came from the mind of a twenty-one person (and he was probably just TWENTY (if not even younger) when he actually wrote much of it). Beginning one of the greatest albums made by absolutely anyone EVER was the song for which it was named and the single best remembered of all of its selections. Though I did say that it was "BW&C" which featured the more BIG sounding pieces, 'Praise Ye Jah', the song was one of those moments. Furthermore, if you've ever seen Sizzla perform this one live, you can definitely speak on how well its 'size' transfers to that medium as well. It comes off as a much FASTER and INTENSE track that it may seem in just listening to it... although that experience is also an amazing one. From that iconic beginning ["I did behold!"] develops this EPIC praise which, although one of literally THOUSANDS of its kind at this point, is RATHER EASILY one of the greatest songs ever honouring His Imperial Majesty. Next was a tune which, from a lyrical point of view, was almost overkill. If Sizzla were in school and turned in 'Dem A Wonder' as some type of a paper or an essay, you'd mark him down because... it was just too damn much. 'Dem A Wonder' featured stretches which were lyrical PERFECTION. There is no other way to describe it. He flashed PERFECTION.
"Dem ah wonder how we do this
Dem grow wid hate and anger fi Jah prophet
But as wi locks get longer, heathen heart it ah twist
Nuh spread no propaganda cause yuh caan stop this
Now dem ah ponda how di ghetto youths so slic
Dem grow wid hate and anger fi di prophets
But as wi locks get longer, heathen heart it ah knit
Mi nah beg unuh fi no sponsa, so unuh caan stop this
Jah seh, no abomination so wi no business a who
Dis a fi every nation, dis you hafta do
No man no badda than Jah and a wi ah run Jah crew
Unuh coming inna thousand and two
They stand against you and hating me
DEM JUST CAAN GO THROUGH, DEM HEART NO CLEAN NOR FREE
I REMIND THEM SO MUCH OF WHO THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
I'M OF ROYALTY
THEM LOST THEM IDENTITY"
'Dem A Wonder' was a song about the pure strength of positivity and positive actions. It says what happens when righteous works are carried out: Negative works are jealous. They feel threatened and uncomfortable ["I remind them so much of who they are supposed to be: I'm of royalty, dem lost dem identity"] and they try to draw those that are upstanding down with them ["Now I see you want us to be like the rug, that's where we can be saturated with all the mud"]. Like I said: PERFECTION. The perspective on this one was SO FAR ahead of someone who, just two years prior (at the most), was a teenager. It was STUNNING [!] and the single most powerful moment on the whole of "PYJ" in my opinion. Mighty and highly centered social commentary, 'Homeless', takes up the mantle and the full honour of following 'Dem A Wonder' and it does so masterfully. What I've always taken for this one is the idea of the LACK of responsibility taken by those in charge to protect the people and ensure that they have the proper things in life ["Homeless. Who is to be blamed? Question mark is their surname"]. There's a VACANCY on that end as well and one which Sizzla does an extremely vivid job of bringing to light. 'Blackness' has always been an interesting piece for me and not only because it was almost surely a 'vibe'. It does have this kind of spur of the moment feel to it, but it also isn't entirely without point and purpose. I also feel like it shows Sizzla's youth at the time and I don't mean that in a bad way. It sounds like he's just giving what he feels at the time and, in the course of 'Blackness' he's a warrior, he's a scholar, he's a motivator, a leader, several things and the results, for what it was, were outstanding. The interest in 'Inna Dem Face' is of a far less curious and fascinating type... this thing is just genius.
"Dis yah African face
Smug - mi nah hug nor embrace
Zion is a bountiful place
I chant and di wicked heart chase
Dis a inna dem face
Wi no come yahso fi sip up dem paste
Hey, dis yah greater than great
I CHANT AND DI WICKED HEART QUAKE
Tell dem seh, arise and many surprise and bringing dem to dem sights
GHETTO YOUTH DEM MAXIMIZE AND RASTA OPEN DEM EYES
Round Emperor Selassie I, children stand at the side
Lightning dropping around, they go against The Most High
Wanting of the evil what they want, they began wondering why
Given the Nyahbinghi chant, now they can't satisfy
Now, have the seeds ah plant and now the youths won't cry
When I all ah chant I know enough ahgo fry
THE RIVERS AHGO STOP AND ALL DEM FLESH GONE DRY
All now dem ah look fi si come from sky
AND BELLOW PON DEM NAH GET NO REPLY
CAN YOU DO WITHOUT THIS EARTH?"
Grrrrr! The tune not only provides some very welcomed BITE to the first half of "PYJ", but it SOARS to the class of material that you will find anywhere here. I don't think that 'Inna Dem Face' has gone onto receive the level of acclaim that I would have expected and it may just be THE most underrate offering here, but for all who TRULY take it in, it was and remains an absolutely DEVASTATING display of and equally disrupting talent.
Speaking of "the class" of an album like this is interesting because pretty much everything that doesn't fall into those ranks, would on virtually every other release (even on other classic projects). So, for example, if I were to take tunes such as 'Give Thanks' and 'How Dem Flex'.... they are ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. They are without the flaw. The former may be a precursor of sorts to 'Thank U Mamma', as 'Give Thanks', specifically pays attention to the powerful Mothers of the world ["Mi come fulfill di whole a you petition and you wish. The morning has been blessed with a wonderful bliss. I've got to find my mom, I've gotta give her couple kiss. Ghetto youths, try take notice of this"] and how they INHERENTLY exist as these figures of RELIEF and motivation (if you're having a bad day or you're full on in pain - who do you want to speak to???). You see a song called 'Give Thanks' and you immediately come away thinking it a certain type of piece of praise and that is precisely what this one was although the target of that praise isn't The One you expect, although this one is given a full reverence. For its part, again, you're going to have a very difficult time find error with 'How Dem Flex'... you know what... you're just NOT going to find anything wrong with it. You might just be living life kind of dirty and, if you are, Sizzla wants nothing to do with you. 'How Dem Flex' has always had this sort of.... 'rough around the edges' quality to it for me. It comes off as this BRILLIANT pouring of thought and one which hasn't been overthought or calculated and the results are magical. A teeny, tiny step ahead of that epic pairing would be the scathing 'Babylon Cowboy' [Grrr!].
"DEM BUSS IT SO PREVALENT, SO NUFF A DEM KICK DI BUCKET
SELASSIE RUN DI RESIDENT, SO GUNMAN WATCH IT
Rastaman come strong wid love inna di district
You a must American, wid yuh gun pon yuh hip
Di corporal, him still ah hide cause Bobby shot di sheriff
Commissioner ah run because wi honour wi commit
Unuh nah know no Jah counsel - yow cowboy go down
Then now yuh bow, you shot yuh brother wid yuh gun
For rights, nah justice, you nah bust it fi none
WELL SINCE A SLAUGHTER, SELASSIE I COME
EMPEROR SIT DOWN ROUND DI BIGGEST MACHINE GUNE
MUSSOLINI TEST AND GET DEM SKULL TURN DOWN!"
'Babylon Cowboy' was as HARSH as it is genius and, on an album which has become this mountain of a project, for what it was, it's probably gone slightly underappreciated (there's a tune on "BW&C" called 'Dem A Gaze' (might be my favourite song on that album), which is downright prophetic and 'Babylon Cowboy' has always reminded me of, lyrically). Perhaps the same could be said for 'Greedy Joe'. A quarter of a century later and after, literally, A GRENERATION OF SONGS, and it is my opinion that 'Greedy Joe' is probably in the top twenty or so that Sizzla has ever written. When you really dig into the finer details of what goes on here, you have that broad idea of Kalonji simply speaking on people who are on receiving but not so much on giving and he takes this to an almost unnecessarily beautiful level. You just DO NOT get much better than this if at all.
"Si all weh mi have and you been wanting
Then you run come ah grab
I have been asking - why is the youths dem livity you have been stealing?
Bigga man, memba a concrete make yuh ceiling
What's the meaning of life without living?
I LIVE SO - I HAVE TO CONTINUE GIVING
SI YOU MAKING UP GAPS, WELL THEN I COME BRIDGING
Gimme no more mishaps, ghetto youth - no more killing
I'm still gonna say, give it up greedy joe
The day makes possible everything
So take yuh share and live loving
To the way you been handling di youths - you know wi got to sing
Judgment keeps on coming
You fence will be burning
Beat di levels, you get nothing
I BRING DI SWORD, I BRING DI SLING
Look at the crowd: Love they bring
Shout aloud: A Selassie I King
Watch you dutty living
Fire will be burning
Give that up greedy joe"
.....twenty-one years old... like at the most.... probably younger.... and it still goes higher! Even more formidable would be the MAMMOTH praising shot that was 'Haile Selassie'. If ever you fall into the trap of thinking that such pieces are, at all, rigid or formulaic, you dig up this GEM and take in hills and VALLEYS of diverse sounds, experiences and ideas. 'Haile Selassie' is barley four minutes long but it can be an EXHAUSTING experience (and I mean that in a great way). You come away feeling as if you've just watched three-hour long action film - perhaps largely courtesy of what just may be THE finest chorus on the entire album. My absolute favourite tune on "Praise Ye Jah" follows 'Haile Selassie' and blossoms on its direction as 'No Other Like Jah' is downright MAJESTIC and it always has been. This song is a one of a handful, for me, EVER, that I rank as signature moments of Kalonji's entire career. It is impossible, for me, for his story to be told WITHOUT mentioning 'No Other Like Jah'. On a smaller scale, it's also brimming full of unforgettable words which have become bassline punchlines for his work.
"Full time babylon realize:
Sizzla - is the element of surprise"
This, along with a vibes which can be called unusual or even 'quirky' to a degree (across Xterminator's cut of the Mr. Brown Riddim) (seriously, the chorus and the entire first verse are DAMAGING material!), made 'No Other Like Jah' not only the greatest moment on an all time great of an album but one of the greatest songs that I have ever heard.... like period.
There're two (technically four) things I want to mention in relation to this release and the first two are very simple. Chances are pretty high that if you do own a physical copy of "Praise Ye Jah", it contains a pair of selections --'Did You Ever' & 'Government' -- which are not present on this remastered copy ('Did You Ever' is perfect. It just is). I was actually a bit surprised by this but, if you're curious, they are readily available and, fortunately, if you do still collect physical media, 'PYJ" was very popular and is not difficult to find either on vinyl or on disc in various editions. The other thing that comes here is WONDERFUL. In honour of this remastered edition, Boomshots TV has also produced a documentary on "PYJ". This thing is all kinds of fascinating for someone like me (and probably you and you'll probably posted in this review, right beneath this paragraph) with the various individuals to whom -- such as the younger Burrell (who, delightfully, refers to Sizzla as 'Uncle Miguel', Dean Fraser, Tarrus Riley and, of course, Sizzla himself -- really just dealing with the CULTURE of Xterminator and the reverence for both the elder Burrell as well as Kalonji. One of the most striking moments for me is when Sizzla mentions how he would be working on his school homework on one page of his notebook while, on another, writing lyrics for "Praise Ye Jah". Furthermore, along with the documentary, XTM Nation has also done an official "PYJ" anniversary mixtape which features, along with Sizzla, the likes of Riley, Spragga Benz, Pressure Busspipe, Jah 9, Kabaka Pyramid and others. They REALLY did it up for the moment befitting such a ROYAL release.
Overall, what do we say about this. "Praise Ye Jah" is one of the greatest albums of all time. If you wanted to call it THE greatest, I may not agree, but I do not think it's such a far-fetched conclusion to arrive at and you would hope that such a respect would be paid for it by at least what remains of its creators. Time and nature have taken from us the opportunity to hear what Fatis, himself, may've had to say for the occasion, but what they have managed to do here is exceptional. Along with the documentary and the mixtape and the EXPERIENCE, there's also the opportunity to once again celebrate this wonderful sound, which is what is most important. A quarter of a century later nothing has changed at all. The album is as BEAUTIFUL as it has ever been and perhaps a release like this one may go on to open up this masterpiece to a new generation of fans of who were not on the planet the first time around and have yet to go back and hear it for themselves. "Praise Ye Jah" sits as the single greatest piece of work from Xterminator's entire legendary catalogue in my opinion and it is amongst a very small group of crowning jewels of the entire genre from an artist in Sizzla Kalonji who is one of the greatest to ever do it. Flawless.
Rated: 6/5
XTM.Nation/Xterminator Productions
2022 org. 1997
CD + Vinyl + Digital
No comments:
Post a Comment