It's. The Most. Wonderful Time. Of The Year!

In case you haven't noticed (you poor, poor soul), it is late in the year and that MAGICAL time where Soca music begins to bubble and blossom as some of the genre's biggest stars begin unloading their arsenals for the forthcoming Carnival season. What happens, in good years is, despite the fact that most artists will wait a few weeks or so to release their absolute biggest tracks, we still get some very good early shots and this year, things are looking bright! I thought I'd take a minute and tell you about a few of my personal early favourites from Carnival 2024 which, if what we've heard thus far is any indication, is looking GOLDEN. Let's go.

'Anxiety' by Patrice Roberts

First up is a tune that I've told you about previously but, in a MOST UNFORTUNATE way, it's taken on an entire new life and also it does remain the single most beautiful piece of work that I've heard thus far. 'Anxiety' is the latest gem from Soca supernova, Patrice Roberts. WONDERFULLY it deals with subjects such as mental health and the overall strength of Soca music and what it does for the masses. If you do not recall or have not heard, last week we lost Ricardo Drue, who transitioned unexpectedly. Drue and Roberts were engaged and, because of that, and just due to the fact that it is absolutely fantastic, 'Anxiety' has become even more powerful and such a noteworthy song not only for Roberts and Drue, but for the entire genre going into 2024. Obviously you don't want to have such circumstances 'fueling' any release of any kind, but even prior to this, 'Anxiety' had the wheels to carry such a heavy weight. It is absolutely fantastic. 

'Devotion' by Destra

I'll name you others (including almost everyone in this same post), but make no mistake about it: My favourite Soca artist is and has always been the divine Destra and she has come out for Carnival 2024 blazing on the power of the typically brilliantly chaotic 'Devotion'. This tune is downright exhausting! IT WILL WEAR YO ASS OUT! This action movie of a song easily ranks amongst Destra's finest from any season in recent memory and I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for the season (check another nice set she had not too long ago by the name of 'Rosie'. Very nice song). 

'Big Stage' by Skinny Fabulous & Olatunji

No post such as this one could be incomplete without the inclusion of Vincy blowtorch, Skinny Fabulous who has three or four new tunes about already and the best of them, to my opinion is 'Big Stage' which finds 'Godzilla' linking with Olatunji in a big way. This one actually took a bit of time to grow on me. There's sort of a unique progression to 'Big Stage', if you allow yourself to get into it. They're talking about being kids and experiencing the vibes and being bitten by that bug and how, as not only adults but adults who actually make the music, that experience has changed. The tangible result of that in terms of sound is a BEAUTIFULLY moody selection which ramps up and down in intensity throughout making for, perhaps subtly, one of the most distinctive tracks I've heard in a minute. 

'TGIM' by Lil Natty & Thunda

Speaking of distinctive tracks, take a listen to 'TGIM' by surging Grenadian duo Lil Natty & Thunda. The pair have given me a number of personal favourites in recent times such as 'Top Striker', 'Get In Your Section' and 'The Ambush' just last year (or this year, technically) and they're adding to the lot in 2024 with this offering. You've heard of people celebrating Friday as it ushers in the weekend where, presumably, you might not have to work and can go out and enjoy yourself. Natty & Thunda, on the other hand, are lifting it up for Monday, because who cares! 

"THANK GOD IT'S MONDAY!

AND IT'S CARNIVAL SOMEWHERE!" 

Remember everyone: Be thankful for every moment you have because IT IS CARNIVAL SOMEWHERE!

'Richter Scale' by Fay-Ann Lyons

You knew she was coming. Aza Sefu's early efforts have been outstanding as you would expect (because they always are) and my favourite by the slimmest of margins (with respect to 'Miss Bitch') is PROBABLY 'Richter Scale'. Despite its ridiculous energy, 'Richter Scale' is fairly straight forward in its... absolute madness and it also has a more visual quality to it. You get a picture of Lyons performing 'Richter Scale' in your head and the lack of common sense it will inspire. 

"When wi pull up - well everything start break"

Everything will break and it will be fun!

'Miss Bitch' by Fay-Ann Lyons

Okay, so I kept listening to it and.... maybe 'Richter Scale' isn't better of the two. So, in order to offer you your own opportunity to make a decision, here's FAL's other great tune from the season thus far, 'Miss Bitch'. Unlike 'Richter Scale', this drop is a bit more spiraling and it goes in several different directions. What stand out, however, is the overall sound and lyrics. Backed by the golden Do You Riddim courtesy of DJ Avalanche, Lyons is sure to remind all to THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK to her. 

"I doh care how you feel about

I doh care what you think about

Just doh let it come out yuh mouth"

'Carnival Day' by Voice & Patrice Roberts

I wasn't going to mention this one but, to be fair, by all registerable levels and qualities that I use to measure how good a song is, 'Carnival Day' has it to spare. EASILY one of the finest tracks that I've heard thus far, Voice and the aforementioned Roberts come together to produce what HAS to be considered an early favourite for Road March.

'Carnival Contract' by Bunji Garlin

And then there's the boom.

"MI AND CARNIVAL HAVE A CONTRACT: EVERY YEAR WI GO HARD LIKE NAIL

I ON DE ROAD WID TRUCK BIGGER THAN HUMPBACK WHALE"

I do want to say that while I do expect something madder from reigning TnT Road March king, Bunji Garlin (and you could well say that THE tune that will receive the biggest push might be 'Forward', but I think he goes even further than that), I am just as confident in saying that whatever it turns out to be will lack the overall RIDICULOUSLY EFFORTLESS LYRICAL ASSAULT that comes in the form of 'Carnival Contract'. 

"I tell my wife, I love your vibe and you should come along

She send invites to all wi likes, now wi bout forty strong"

Also, produced by one (two, actually) Banx & Ranx, there is something about the beginning bounce of 'Carnival Contract' which every so faintly reminds me of a tune called 'Get On' by Garlin's wife, the aforementioned Sefu; literally one of the greatest songs of all time. In a class like that, it has to be top notch as Bunji Garlin, once again, SCORCHES.

Completely Random Thoughts..... I mean COMPLETELY!

 

Okay so, congratulations to SOJA, who took home their very first Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for "Beauty In The Silence". It was their third nomination and as I said in my entirely inaccurate Grammy Preview, I wasn't TOTALLY shocked that they came away with the award, in theory. I've seen some who were FAR less than thrilled that SOJA that won but, in my humble opinion, Reggae music is a music for everyone. It belongs to everyone and no one at all. So biggup SOJA and, again, congratulations (and congratulations to Koffee for her win in 2023 as well). 

For some reason, I've suddenly become re-addicted to this six season old Patrice Roberts tune.

"NOT AN OUNCE OF SHAAAAAAAAAAAME!"

And for nearly a decade and a half I've  been working through my dependency on Fay-Ann Lyons' 'Get On'.... simply one of the greatest Soca songs of all time.

And speaking of Soca: I don't know what the album of the year (Koffee is the current leader of the pack, nine months left to go) or artist of the year or anything of the year for 2022 will be when all is said and done... but I'm fairly confident that I know what the album cover of the year will be. Look at this thing! 

If you're wondering (and you should be), the music on the Timeless Riddim from Advokit Productions (through Fox Fuse), is very nice as well with Destra taking top honours in my opinion with 'Farewell'.

And maybe Lila Iké is taking care of Video Of The Year with her latest, 'True Love'. DAMN!

While We Were Sleeping: SOCA!

Okay so, Last Time we told you about some of the more interesting Reggae and Reggae-ish projects that were released during our long time away and, as I said then, we'll probably get around to telling you about a few more that we missed at some point in the future as well. Today, however, we're going to take a look and a listen to some of my favourite and more interesting Soca songs that jumped and waved during that same time, while we were taking a nap. So, here're about fifteen songs which have , for one reason or another, impressed the hell out of me over the past five years or so. 

{Note: Songs appear in no particular order and were not written in the order they appear}

{Note 2: Will  probably do this again at some point also}

{Note 3: Post #1500 on this blog}

'Run Wid It' by Mr. Killa [2019]

Step 1: Grab something

Step 2: Pick it up

Step 3: Run with it

Mr. Killa did not care what it was that you picked up, nor was it at all important to him where you ran to after you picked it up. You could pick up an empty can. You and your friends could get together and pick up a car. While on your way to pick up that car with your friends, you could stop and pick up one of them. You could go to one of his shows and, as I've seen before, you could get on the stage..... and pick HIM up. It was not important. Just pick up something [anything] and run with it. Do it now. Thank you

{Note: This song was fucking dangerous!}

'Judgement Stage' by Patrice Roberts [2019]

From ever since her days spent as sidekick to Machel Montano, featuring alongside the superstar on such tunes as 'Band Of De Year', 'Tempa Wine', and the MASSIVE 'Rollin', what I have most wanted to hear from Patrice Roberts has been that single moment where she LOSES HER ENTIRE MIND! She's come close a few times, most notably with 2018's 'Sweet Fuh Days', but back in 2019, Patsy got in right with 'Judgement Stage'. I love her music. I love her more aggressive songs and her beautiful Groovy ones alike, but 'Judgement Stage' may've become the best one that I've heard from Roberts altogether. It was melodic. It was kind of angry. It was rough around the edges and it was gorgeous from beginning to end. I have literally spent hours at a time listening to NOTHING but this one. One of my favourite Soca songs ever. 

'Mad City' by MX Prime [2021]

I had forgotten all about this one and had to go back to the list and alter it (bumping out Iwer George and Kes in the process), because for the vast majority of last year, MX Prime's 'Mad City' was running right over me! The artist previously known as Maximus Dan linked with The Ultimate Rejects and produced this angry ass unforgettable moment which, though it may have lost some steam for me these days, once was a song I spent virtually every waking hour singing in my head in one way or another.

'Famalay' by Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin & Skinny Fabulous [2019]

I feel contractually obligated to mention 'Famalay' because, at least on paper, it may be THE single biggest song in the entire genre over the past decade or so. It's definitely in that discussion. The tune brought together Soca supernovas, Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin and Skinny Fabulous on the same damn tune. Previously Montano had worked with both artists and Skinny and Garlin would go onto do the maddening 'Reckless' afterwards, but 'Famalay', as its title would suggest, brought together three of the biggest names in the genre and they did not put a foot wrong. I've always thought that it was Garlin's star who shined the brightest here ["Well let me tell you one time: Family is family and that's different from bloodline"] amongst the three, but he alone did make it a winner as all three would show up properly in delivering the biggest tune of that year and almost any other year as well. 

'Not A Drill' by Muddy [2017]

In terms of people who weren't really on my radar at the start of our hiatus, Grenada's Muddy may actually be the best 'newcomer' over the last few years for me. He's had several really big songs that I've enjoyed over the last half-decade or so such as 'D.S.A.', Raging Bull', 'Madada' [MAD] and others, but my choice for his inclusion on this list (because he had to be here) was this TRULY ridiculous piece from five years ago, 'Not A Drill'.

"If you find I ignorant then you hit the nail on the head!"

If you and I meet and you come way thinking that I am a damn fool - RIGHT ON! You are correct sir/ma'am! I completely agree with you! We reward thoughts like that around here and, each and every year, I'm certain to keep an eye and an ear on what Muddy is up to.

'Brain Tun Off' by Lavaman [2017]

Leave it to the wholly one of a kind Lavaman to turn his brain completely off and find a way to be rewarded for it. Lavaman is one of those types who we may overlook in terms of his actual level of TALENT because his hype can be so overwhelming, but his 2017 cut of Wetty Beatz' Punch Bag Riddim, 'Brain Tun Off', demonstrated precisely what the Grenadian is capable of in the midst of some of the most infectious chaos consistently churned out in the genre (I'd also recommend 'I En Done' from 2017 as well). 

'Soca Saved My Life' by Destra [2019]

You know I had to include Destra in here somewhere. If you asked me my favourite Soca artist at this moment, I would probably say Skinny Fabulous (and that has probably been the case for.... maybe five or six years now really), but if you asked my favourite of all time - that distinction belongs to the diminutive fireball from out of Laventille, Trinidad, whose melodically masterful choas enhancers helped me in initially becoming a fan of a genre that has given me and my family SO much joy throughout the years (I grew up listening to Soca, but didn't really gain a taste for it until right when I entered adulthood basically). She's made a three or four songs that I have liked more than 'Soca Saved My Life' in recent times, but I choose to mention it over those (like 'Stage Party') (and 'NOW' with Nadia Batson) for its impact. While it didn't quite "save" my life, I would not want to imagine being without what is, by far, my favourite musical drug of choice... damn living, breathing adrenaline rush. 

'Geh Meh Mad' by Fay-Ann Lyons [2018]

Because she simply had to be here, for Fay-Ann Lyons' representative, I chose this MOODY, pulsing track from 2018, 'Geh Meh Mad', which was produced by veteran Keskeys. I don't know if would go as far as to call it one of the best songs she's ever done (that is saying a TON if you know what this woman has been up to for the last couple of decades or so), but what I will say is that from the very first time I heard it in late 2017 roughly, 'Geh Meh Mad' put me in a damn trance or something. It has this amazing hypnotic quality to it. Sit there and listen to it two or three times and you will find yourself kind of robotically singing along on the chorus

"..... geh meh mad

..... geh meh mad

..... geh meh mad

..... geh meh mad" 

Maybe that was the intention or just what happened with it, but 'Geh Meh Mad' was fucking dangerous! Do not listen to while operating machinery or holding a small child. 

'Lunacy' by Gabrielle [2018]

I didn't know much about Gabrielle Palandy when she dropped the seriously underrated 'Lunacy', a few years back... and I still don't know too much about Gabrielle, having heard very little from her (maybe just one song since this one, actually, and that was from just last year. 'Congo Gal', nice song). 'Lunacy' was just SO DAMN COOL with Gabrielle fully embracing and CELEBRATING the ridiculous side that is, at least hopefully, alive and thriving in us all. It definitely brought her to my attention and chances are you probably didn't hear it - now is a good time to become acquainted. 

'John Wick' by Skinny Fabulous [2021]

GRRR! 

A big credit definitely goes in the direction of Kay Frass Production and the larger than life Lavaman (who should be in here, somewhere, with a tune of his own), who is responsible for the blazing Legends Riddim which carried the latest in the line of equally GIANT, powerful tunes from my current favourite Soca star today, St. Vincent flamer, Skinny Fabulous, 'John Wick', which follows such unforgettably energized pieces as 'Head Bad', 'Duracell', 'Cave', 'Monster', 'Beast Leh Go', 'Di General', 'Mash Up International', 'Fyah Anthem', 'Godzilla', 'Scary' (which is my favourite), 'Ignorant', and others (DAMN!). If you love power Soca, Skinny Fabulous has probably done more for you than anyone besides.... well, I was about  to say Montano, but I think he's topped even the monk in recent times. 'John Wick' in particular was MADNESS! It was a beautiful piece of carnage just like the movies it was named after (they keep making the same movie over and over again, basically, but I thoroughly enjoy them).

"IF YOU DON'T WANT TO MOVE THEN YOU WILL GET TRAMPLED!

DO NOT FOLLOW US CAUSE WI IS BAD EXAMPLE!"

'Pieces' by Skinny Fabulous [2021]

If you've suffering from some type of cabin fever or pandemic blues over the past few years, you were most certainly not alone and Soca music, in full, was there for you - making several big tunes in observation of the moment. The biggest? It was probably Skinny Fabulous who swore to every one who could hear him that after "so long we've been waiting":

"THE FIRST PARTY WE TOUCH, IT AHGO MASH UP INNA PIECES!"

Not the most aggressive track on this list, but with Hunta Flow's fittingly middle of the road vibed Say When Riddim, 'Pieces' was as forecastingly DESTRUCTIVE as one could have hoped and I'm sure the man kept his word. 

'Into You' by Patrice Roberts [2020]

After Skinny Fabulous Patrice Roberts may just be my second favourite Soca artist going today (Fay-Ann would also have something to say about that as well) and she has come to that point largely based on a wonderful consistent ability to churn out SWEET Groovy masterpieces. While we were away she continued right along, business as usual, serving up DIAMONDS such as this wonderful track from 2019, 'Into You'. Precision Productions lent their delicious part old school Dancehall, part Soca riddim, the 10x Over to  the songstress and, in turn, she gave them a BEAUTIFUL song which, at least in my opinion, is one of her finest ever! That's saying a lot when you consider her catalogue, but 'Into You' was THAT good.

'The Struggle' by Bunji Garlin [2020]

Lest you ever forget just how lyrical Soca music can be and how it isn't just about jumping, waving and misbehaving, there will always be Bunji Garlin and he will always have performances like the Jus Now helmed 'The Struggle' from just a couple of years back (well, maybe not exactly like it. This one was special). 'The Struggle' was a mammoth chunk of GENIUS! It was so damn smart and, ultimately, has gone on to become one of my favourite Garlin songs from the last decade or so and maybe even ever. The tune was not only very lyrical, featuring downright immaculate wordplay, but it was pure, authentic Soca music. It wasn't Dancehall-ish or -esque or any of that shit. It featured Garlin with his incomparable wordy arsenal in full display in a way we have rarely, if ever, heard on a song before (I'm sure we have, the man has had some GEMS). 

'Savannah Grass' by Kes [2019]

While it was definitely difficult not to get lost in the buzz created by the mammoth 'Famalay' in 2019, one of the tunes which not only faired very well for itself but THRIVED during the time was this, in my opinion even stronger, effort from Kes, the downright STUNNING 'Savannah Grass'. The tune has topped the still mighty 'Wotless' from a few seasons back to become Kes' biggest hit to date (at least as far as I can tell) and with great reason: It was absolutely phenomenal. I know people (two in particular) who think 'Savannah Grass' is the greatest piece of Soca ever created -- by anyone, ever -- and while I couldn't quite go that far, such compliments are not totally outlandish for this instant classic.

'Hookin Meh' by Farmer Nappy [2019]

Woman. You are looking entirely too damn good and this food you just cooked tastes entirely too damn good for me us to break up. I'm sorry. I will do my best to improve as a man and make some changes... but, nope. We are not breaking up right now.

That is the sentiment behind this WONDERFUL track from underrated Trini star and one of Soca' most consistent acts, Farmer Nappy, 'Hookin Meh'. Riding the infectious Purple Heart Riddim courtesy of De Red Boyz and Country Life Music, 'Hookin Meh' became a definite winner from the Farmer in a career that, whether you realize it or not, is absolutely BRIMMING with hits of varying degrees. This was one for the vaults and a mighty task you'll undertake in trying to forget it (trust me, I just failed at forgetting it). 

'The One Who Wears The Crown': A review of "The Queen Of Bacchanal" by Destra

Statements. When it comes to your favourites, within any particular field, how they remain in that state can be just as interesting as how they entered it. Where certain things can be frozen, such as a food you enjoy, or a movie, or an athlete you liked watching who is now retired - others take courses which require something extra in the way of 'management'. I'd like to think that is the way it is for me when it comes to music and actual musicians (as opposed to songs which are also frozen) - making great music for almost any period of time will surely get you on the list, but it definitely helps if you can continue to make it, though it definitely does differ by the individual. Also, inevitably, you'll reach a point where, like that athlete an artist has either passed their respective prime or just retired from making music entirely, so though they may cease to be an active, current favourite of yours, you do begin to gain more of a historical view of what they've done and, again, they can become somewhat frozen. But some never really stop evolving and reinventing or reinforcing what they've done throughout the years. This year has been a really good one in terms of individuals who I hold in the absolute highest of esteem these days. Of course there has been the exceedingly active Sizzla Kalonji who, as of about a week and a half from now will have dropped his third album of the first half of the year (with at least one more forthcoming, reportedly). There's also been a giant contribution from Pressure Busspipe with others such as Ziggi Recado and Lutan Fyah loaded and ready to go - and that's just with albums. And another of my personal towers who now joins that lot with a BOOM is walking divinity Destra Garcia! After all of these years and after all of these stretches of pure genius from the likes of Skinny Fabulous, Fay-Ann Lyons (… who would also have a place on my list), Machel Montano, Mr. Killa ["EVERYWHERE I GO IS MASH UP!"], Alison Hinds and of course Bunji Garlin, my favourite Soca act remains Destra. And over the years, despite being much more active at certain times than at others, she has managed to stay within this ultra refreshing and invigourating sound within a genre whose foundations virtually require it to be done in such a way at its best. She also has been 'observant' of the art of the dramatic and what she's managed to do throughout her full career has been absolutely thrilling!  

"Welcome Back" [2011] & "MyDestra" [2012]

And Destra has also been very good at pushing her brilliant hysteria within the frame of albums. By my surely incorrect and inaccurate count she now has eight releases (and it may be eight and a half because I think that one of her albums, "Laventille", was released twice) to her credit following her first, "Red, White, Black" (most noteworthy because it had 'Savage' ["I JUST WANT TO LOSE ALL MY CONTROL!"] on it and she was also naked in the liners) and the two (now three) most recent, "Welcome Back" and the futuristic "MyDestra"  have seemed to feature the singer in the latest, very COOL, phase of her career. Similarly, her music, while not of a grand deviation, has also seemed to be more streamlined and just downright SMOOTH and in 2014 she keeps things going and finally gets around to doing something that I and many of her fans actually did years [!] ago.

She's pronounced herself Queen. The most fittingly titled "The Queen Of Bacchanal" becomes Destra's eighth studio album and, as I said, continues a really fine stretch of records that she's enjoyed in recent years (and you may want to put "Hott" in that category as well) which have more of a sleek feel to them. In this instance, the set follows a season which wasn't exactly a very good one. As a whole and somewhat in retrospect, Soca in 2014 has definitely been disappointing, but there have been exceptions and, fortunately, Destra has been one of them. There has also been a dearth of albums from big names to my knowledge as, apart from now Destra and previously Farmer Nappy who threw a "Big People Party" at Fox Fuse's house, we haven't seen much. With presumed albums from Montano and Garlin (and maybe even Fay-Ann Lyons) still to come, the year has progressed relatively slowly in that arena, but Destra DEFINITELY does her part with "The Queen Of Bacchanal". The album is constructed and compiled with Destra's tunes from the last couple of seasons and it even comes in a deluxe edition as well on the digital side, which features SEVEN additional tracks more than the original version (more on that later). So, like its predecessors, it definitely appears as if a great attention to detail was paid in this case and deservedly so. Destra is one of the most high profile Soca stars in the world and I don't really think that it is too outlandish to call her somewhat of a legend at this point (though, as I've outlined here, I am GREATLY partial in her favour) despite being somewhere in her mid thirties. So many times people like me throw around that term far too liberally but, in the case of Destra, there can be not a shred of doubt that history will treat her accordingly - VERY WELL. But we don't have to wait for history to get started, we can do that right now and on her new album, Destra is giving us a whole heap of reasons to be nice to her. And she's also being very nice to us. "Achis, how nice?" Let's find out!

Just a few years ago, Destra told everyone who would listen that "they call me bacchanal" and now she's risen through the ranks and is QUEEN. It certainly was a very fast ascendance, though if someone were qualified to claim complete sovereignty over madness, it would definitely be she! Getting things started on "The Queen Of Bacchanal" by Destra is the very cool 'Aye You'. This tune is cleverly faster and more intense than it seems initially and I think that part of enjoying it is realizing just how subtle so many of the sounds here are, but it is such a nice and romantic type of piece and an excellent way to open the album. Things go big and really flourish on the second selection on "QOB" (I LOVE album titles which're easy to abbreviate). 'First Time'. Here Destra talks about her first experience… jumping. 

"The first time could be so wonderful

It just makes me feel so natural

I remember the first time jumping up -

In a big band, Tuesday, behind the truck

When we crossed the stage

I was so amazed

I remember my first Calypso tent

When the people sing bout parliament

And the picong start -

How it made me laugh

As long as my heart is working!

While I'll always be searching!

Like a Carnival virgin!"

TEARS! The song is very shrewdly written because you always get the feeling that she's not talking about the past and, instead, is talking about really never losing the feeling of that first time and, instead, reliving it each and every year or at least attempting to. 'Road Call' is a song I never really paid enough attention to and finding it on this album was something good for me because I've now listened to it and it is BIG! This is another very intense song (this one far more so than the opener, however), which is still cool and level-headed to some degree. But what happens on this tune is that things continuously build throughout it and culminate with one SWEET high-tech offering. Right after 'Road Call', one of the heaviest hitters from this album rolls right in and completely dazzles! 'State Of Mind' took awhile to grab me fully (like I've always said, mine isn't the brightest mind in the world and there is no excuse here, this song is downright magical) but, these days, I'd probably go as far as to say that the Madmen produced tune is one of my favourite Destra songs from the past few years. THE highlight of the recently released Titans Riddim (biggup Fox Fuse), 'State Of Mind' is also no less than the second best tune on "QOB" as Destra proclaims that she is NEVER too far away from the madness. It's like she can't help it and with songs like this - neither can I! BOOM!

"Road Call"

From beginning to end, there are essentially no soft spots on "QOB". It is an album that manages to impress at every stop. A song like 'Give It To Me' may not be the best song on the album (it isn't), but I can't tell you that it isn't a good song (it is). Another very sleek offering, this song is candy for your ears! The riddim here is masterful with its kind of chasing vibes and Destra well makes the most of the moment with a most infectious effort. Similarly vibed is 'Just a Little Bit' which, again, isn't the best song here but it is so good that having a song on an album of this quality kind of being one of the middle pieces (literally and in terms of quality) shows you exactly how strong of an album we're dealing with. 'Trailer Load', on the other hand, is near the head of the class. Carried on what was left of Precision Productions' Wildness Riddim after Rupee laid it to ruins with the MAMMOTH 'Nothing Sweeter', 'Trailer Load' is well amongst the very best this album has to offer and it is the kind of song which draws you in deeper and deeper on each listen. And I hadn't heard it in a little while but it definitely caught a second wind appearing here. There's also 'We Own D Road' from the Madmen's Bubble Riddim - like the album's best song, this song has a very discernible edge to it -- it's kind of ANGRY -- and has that aggressive emotion surging throughout it and it's always nice to hear Destra get a little pissed off. 'Jump High' is the album's obligatory pan song (she typically always has Gospel on her albums as well, but I think this one just may be the first exception) and, as they always are from Destra, it is a fully special and spectacular set and the latest in a long line of similarly qualified tunes of its type. That song precedes the penultimate track from "QOB" which is also, basically, its eponymous title and, definitely, its pinnacle, the BRUTAL 'Mash Up'. I call it "brutal" because over the last few months the tune which comes across Precision's Emergency Riddim, has been one the major songs that I workout to (Destra has lost me a ton of weight over the years and another recent favourite of mine to sweat to has been an older favourite, 'Last Lap' ["DOWN DE ROAD, DOWN DE ROAD, DOWN DE ROAD, DOWN DE ROAD!"]). The song is beautifully chaotic and an sterling example of what happens when the Queen pushes her level as high as she can. And the final note on this album of a similar passion, the wonderful 'Dutty D Road'. The song has a bit more of a 'presentation' than the one preceding it here, but it's also a little edgy and sounding at a maximum force. I'm curious about the way that the album is situated in placing the heaviest material at the end, but it doesn't take away from things here at all (and it may actually add to them) and I have another song to load up on the exercise playlist.

"Mash Up"

As I alluded to, there is a Deluxe Edition of "The Queen Of Bacchanal" which features seven more songs atop the eleven of the original version. Destra didn't have an album in 2012 and though I don't know if that was by design or not, if she did have one, you could be sure it would have included some (and probably ALL) of the songs featured on the deluxe edition. Included are 'Real Good Love', 'Express Yourself', 'Call My Name', 'Million Smiles', 'Wassyness', 'Handle The Ride' and 'Carry On'. The standouts from the lot in my opinion are, of course, the closer which once again ends the album in a fantastically frantic way (FRANTASTICALLY???) [WHAT!], 'Real Good Love', which was a sublime R&B-ish piece… okay and maybe I like it because it immediately brings to mind a video in which Destra looked SO GOOD on the beach (which Bredz surely found and put in here somewhere) (biggup Bredz) and there's also 'Express Yourself' alongside Super Jigga TC.

"Real Good Love"

That song is the only combination on this album which is interesting because Destra has been doing quite a few of them over the past year, even from the Reggae spectrum alongside the likes of I-Octane, Peetah Morgan and even appearing on Saïk's 2013 set, "Second Soufflé". But all of these songs are some kind of good as well, with 'Million Styles' on the B, 'Call My Name' also being nearly exceptional. And I do appreciate the changeup with the deluxe edition which shows that someone really cared about the presentation of this project and made a very nice gift to the fans.  

Destra Garcia

Overall, while I am not prepared to crown "QOB" Destra's best album to date, it definitely stands amongst her best and she's had some EXCELLENT ones throughout the years. Putting a reviewer's ear to the album gave me a greater appreciation of it and her 2014 season - she's made some very strong music for this year and, in the same consistency exhibited throughout her career, it has turned out to make a big project. Given the presence of more laidback type of material here, I'd give a big recommendation of this album to newer fans who may be new to Destra's music or maybe even to the entire genre of Soca music. But I also feel that there is enough substance here for more familiar heads as well. Looking back, though Destra has had one of the most extraordinary careers that Soca music has ever given birth to, given what she shows on "The Queen Of Bacchanal", her present is shining and who knows just how long she can continue to thrill. LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!

Rated: 4.35/5

Krazi Music Records

2014

CD + Digital

Review #503

'It Belong To She': A Review of "Welcome Back" by Destra

The mythical and perhaps somewhat ridiculous title of “The Queen of Soca” is one which, at least in my opinion, has no ‘rightful’ owner. There are so many different ways to examine such a claim and all of them have a certain level of merit and reality to them and you’re going to find a multiple number of potential claimants on each level that it’s pretty absurd to even think about proclaiming someone “The Queen of Soca Music” . . . But I’m going to do it anyway. Can we really have an argument about someone other than Ms. Alysha being the LYRICAL Queen of Soca? Is Alison Hinds not the Queen of Bajan Soca? And were it a matter of lifetime achievement, would she not take the crown there as well? In terms of overall skill and craft I think that I’d go with Nadia Batson and in terms of simply making the best music these days and presenting it the greatest, over the last few years the ultra-decorated Fay-Ann Lyons has not only distanced herself from most of her peers, but has also probably distanced herself from most of history and most of the foreseeable future as well. Currently no other female in Soca music, anywhere, is making better music than Lyons. HOWEVER, in terms of the world where I’m a fan and because of that, I’m a bit of a selfish, I’m not always adhering to the rules of good, old fashion common sense and because I like what I like - In terms of the all prevailing Queen of Soca Music, it is, has always been and probably always will be the incomparably divine Ms. Destra Garcia. In the past I’ve well detailed my initial infatuation with Destra - Mainly being the first Soca artist that I really began to pay a great deal of attention to and ultimately opening up such a powerful form of music to me - but there are also a couple of relatively fresh ideas that I’ve noticed about Destra’s music, in particular, which were very present in 2011. The first being that she, somewhat like Nadia Batson, seems to infuse a bit of CLASS in the midst of the madness. This is as opposed to Lyons who, although very classy, seems to excel with this unmatched sense of musical freedom and ‘expansion’ when at her finest, Destra quite often is this classically trained fireball of Soca energy with a mind slightly focused on maintaining specific old school values and traits in her music. And, most importantly, it is my opinion that the proverbial ‘ceiling’ of Destra’s vibes is higher than that of anyone else’s in Soca music - At her best, the music is at its best and in 2011, she was damn near there.

'Cool It Down' @ Soca Monarch

A certain other Soca superstar wasn’t the only one making a ”Return” in 2011 to Trinidad Carnival as Destra had also taken a great deal of 2010 off, but not to let others take more of the limelight for themselves, instead, most honourably, she took it off to have a baby. And while that specific and most wonderful ‘angle’ to her 2011 wasn’t greatly explored, and definitely not as much as it was in 2010, what was explored was the fact that this year would bring the first FULL season from Destra since she smashed through 2009 on the strength of the MAMMOTH shot that was ‘Bacchanal’ . So one year removed - what would she do for an encore? Well, she’d start by throwing her versatile hat in the Soca Monarch ring for the first time in 320 years and while her results would be mixed (although by her own admission, she didn’t do very well, but I’d disagree - Her Groovy performance was pretty good and it netted her a third place finish in the competition and her Power . . . I mean . . . Her in that bed and . . . Yep) her season, in full, has to be considered one of her finest in recent years and I’d even place it over the 2009 cache of tunes. So, what’s left to do? Surprisingly, Destra has decided to join a quietly NICE group of Trini Soca artists who have not only released albums, but have taken advantage of the digital swing of music these days for their projects which includes Kes The Band and Nadia Batson and, reportedly, the previously alluded to “Soca superstar, whose name I promised myself that I wouldn’t mention in this review, is also soon to take that route as well. Soca is woefully behind the times in that medium and the fact that you can roll over to iTunes or Amazon and pick up her latest album is just fucking nice (and it also means that hell has officially frozen over)! Said new album, ”Welcome Back” is Destra’s first from 2009 and her sixth (and a half) altogether and, unsurprisingly, I think it’s the best Soca album I’ve heard in 2011. I had no idea this album was on its way and when I first heard that it had been released, I remember the first thing that went through my mind was just how SMART such a move was and when I noticed the channels through which the album was coming, I got even more excited. ”Welcome Back” also carries the COTT tag which is the Copyright Music Organisation of Trinidad and, hopefully, that means that the group will begin to flood the digital market with even more releases from its roster of artists and they have in the past, but this is, distinctly, the very first time I can recall seeing the company directly lending its name to a digital release. Surely, I can’t be the only one who thinks that this is a HUGE deal for Soca music to FINALLY begin to take advantage of this most immediate of vehicles for future releases and DEFINITELY for gems for the past as well. And what a better way to begin things that with Destra in 2011.

This year, for me at least, was vintage Destra in terms of the quality of her vibes. 2009, for the most part and with the exception of Bacchanal was very sleek and fashionable and while that’s something which is pretty much inherently present in her style, for me, when Destra is at her best there’s a certain level of ’harsh looseness’ which accompanies her music. It is this type of defiant self-assurance which she is able to basically wrap and hand deliver to her audiences which comes BOWLING through in her vibes. Also, it should be said that in terms of lyrics, I don’t know that she’s been much better than she was this year and all of that is on full display on the single best Soca album of 2011, ”Welcome Back”.

'Welcome Back'

With two seasons full of music to choose from, the material on this album is largely from 2011, but there are pieces from 2010 as well as, and this is always expected, Destra’s offerings for the 2010 Crop Over Season and there is something missing here, which I’ll tell you about a little later. To my clearly bias opinion, Destra dropped four tunes in 2011 which were undeniably SPECIAL tracks and two of the quartet of EXCELLENT songs appear in the first three tracks on her brand new album for 2011, ”Welcome Back”. One of them and her biggest tune (in terms of sound) and the record they named the album after gets us started. ‘Welcome Back’ was HUGE! For me, this tune is one which best exemplifies what I mean by Destra’s “harsh looseness”. There is a set form and pattern, but the songs strayyyyyys so much from it that, by its end, you almost don’t know what the hell is going on and I love it! From the intro of the tune (somewhat reminiscent of Fay-Ann’s equally large ‘Get On’ from 2008) and the opening lines to punchline of the tune, this I world class madness at its finest and it’s one of the finest songs, from anyone, in 2011 - Although most surprisingly, it’s not my favourite Destra song this year (more on that later). Next we have another very special tune, but one which was done for Crop Over 2010, the infectious ‘On Somebody’. First of all, that squeaky riddim, the Brass Fest 2 from Dwaingerous, is getting a second life in my eyes, being able to go back and really dig into material like this and what I told you about on Tuesday. This song is just a nice and clever wining tune, but it really comes through as something really significant going on. Meanwhile the only thing of substantiality to any degree is that Destra demands you have a good time when vibing this tune and unless you are a corpse, you shouldn’t have much problem doing what she tells you to. Things then get a bit dark and a bit wild as Destra draws for her first guest on a combination track for the ages, ‘Madd Party’ along St. Vincy Soca ace and Achis Reggae favourite, Skinny Fabulous. Even before I get to the song, itself, let’s just look at the dynamics of this ridiculous pairing. It’s Destra Garcia - A guaranteed winner there - And it’s Skinny Fabulous who’s been on as great of a roll in Soca music as anyone over the past few years. Their styles aren’t too similar, but if you can find some type of common ground where the vibes meet and mix well, then you’re dealing with a potentially great song and . . . Well that’s exactly what they did because ‘Madd Party’ is outstanding.

“Everybody jump around
Get mad inna dis fete and mek wi party
JUMP - JUMP UP!
Party!
JUMP - JUMP UP!
Show me all yah colours
Represent all where yuh from
And mek wi party
JUMP - JUMP UP!
Party!

Now everybody wave!
Your rag in the AIRRRRR
And wave
Your flag in the AIRRRRR
We getting on bad this year
Cause it’s a mad party affair!”

The song captures the best of both Skinny and his HEAVY moments of brilliance and Destra’s mastery of melody and it is everything I hoped such a link would be and then some! The song begins in a way that wasn’t familiar to my ears and I started to think that I had stumbled into some kind of remix, but that, THANKFULLY, wasn’t the case and when things get going, it’s the same explosion of a song that I knew. MASSIVE!

As I said, this year Destra served up four really really special songs and the remaining two are also featured on ”Welcome Back”. The first, sequentially, is also the next tune on the album and one of the coolest Groovy songs of the year, ‘Cool It Down’. I defer, grudgingly to ‘Wotless’ from Kes as the best Groovy song that I’ve heard this year, but with my bias well intact - It’s not even close. ‘Cool It Down’ was superb and it was effortless and seamless and melodically, just a gorgeous construction as well and a real highlight of Trinidad Carnival 2011 for me.

'We Own It'

And finally there’s the biggest damn surprise on this album or any other in a really long time. Here, I would’ve fully expected to declare the title track the album’s best and, looking back, I can remember thinking it was a mistake for her to draw on a next tune besides it for her performance at Soca Monarch but, Ummmm, yeah maybe I was wrong. That ‘next tune’, ‘We Own It’, has grown on me immensely over the past couple of weeks, even before we got this album, and I now have to concede that the old school vibed song was her best song this year! It’s BEAUTIFUL and if you know my tastes, I’m modern on top of modern - Electric, super-high-powered sounding Soca is my favourite thing in the music - But this tune, which certainly isn’t weak by any standards in its sound has crawled ALL OVER ME and I can even feel it in my hair when I spin it.

“It belong to we
It belong to we
We not coming off
It’s we property!

We go have a time
I giving them vintage wine
Bring police wid horse
If you want to get we off

It belong to we
It belong to we
We not coming off
It’s we property!

Lawd, I feel to play Mas
I feel to shake up meh as-
The great Lord Kitchener say
‘We on the road on Carnival day’
We starting it from Jouvert
It’s time to play Mas again
Whether sun or pouring rain
They goh have to jam we off
Like it’s the first time we cross -
The Savannah Stage
The Savannah Stage
The Savannah Stage
The Savannah Stage!”

Lyrically the song is top notch (which I, apparently, just didn’t notice before) and it does go a long way with me that the song contains a moment, when she does the countdown and says “start jumping, start jumping, start jumping, jumping, jumping . . .”, which sends my daughter into a frenzy and I’m generally not very far behind.

(already 2200 words + and still have eight songs to mention)

Buried in the middle of ”Welcome Back” is a sterling trio of Pan/Calypso pieces which usually aren’t my favourites, but I find myself (as I get old as hell - I’ll be 30 now in about four months and a week) enjoying them more and more these days and being that they’re from Destra definitely helps. The first of the three is also my personal favourite, ‘Rewind’, from last year. I didn’t give this one a proper bit of attention in 2010, but with a year past it, it sounds EXCELLENT and just a tune which flourishes lovely after its beginning. ‘Surrender’, another track for 2010 is also very strong and one which is just now starting to grow on me and finally is the tune for 2011, ‘Calling Meh’, which is also a big tune and one which presses the gas just a bit more than the previous two with the huge horns (and I should mention that the first two tracks featured on Faluma’s Calypso compilation, ”Something Special” last year as the latter does on ”It’s Showtime”, both of which are available now).

Just before that trio is the completion of another of another strong threesome of tracks as ‘Cool It Down’ is chased by two more sweet Groovy sets, ‘Feel To Wine’ and ‘Feel Like Wukking’. The former, which features Super Jigga TC (a good artist with an absolutely horrible name, but one to watch out for because he has some very nice songs) is the better of the two, but ‘Feel Like Wukking’ is not to be missed either, although if you can make it through listening to that riddim and NOT singing ‘Neighbour’ in your head then it’s probably because you don’t know what the hell I am talking about. There’s also the very fun ‘Proppa’ which is from Crop Over and it is another outstanding selection. I will say that this one may need a bit of time, so don’t just spin through it once and declare it ‘too much’ for you because it sounds considerably less and less complicatedly agitated a few listens down the road and I really really like this song. I don’t like it, however, as much as I do like ‘Middle Ah De Road’ which features Destra alongside Adidj . . . Swappi. It’s another fun one and one with a bit of a different quality about it which helps the album in itself. FINALLY, the penultimate track on ”Welcome Back” (the aforementioned ‘We Own It’ closes things up) is Destra’s big tune from last year, the overlooked ‘Fireworks’. I liked this song when I first heard it and I think I enjoy it more having not heard it in quite some time. It’s a beautiful song and leading into the genius which follows it, it’s part of a wonderful ending to the album.

'Feel To Wine' featuring Super Jigga TC

The “something missing” I mentioned several days worth of reading ago is the fact that, as far as I can tell, this album is Destra’s first which doesn’t feature a kind of ’Gospel excursion’. She almost always includes at least one such song on her albums (the Gospel song is to Destra, as the Country song is to Lady Saw), but that isn’t the case here. What does that mean? Probably not a damn thing, but I’m a nerd and I notice these things.

Overall, you shouldn’t have had to wait all the way to this point to figure that I love this album and not only because it’s Destra - “Welcome Back” is very good. Like I said, she strung together such a solid streak of music not only for this season but going back through last year as well and you see the results. Here we have a Soca album which doesn’t contain any remixes or road mixes or anything like that and it still manages to check in at a healthy thirteen tracks and she certainly could’ve managed to stretch that to sixteen or so if she wanted and perhaps even twenty if she did include the mixes. It’s simply a matter of Destra putting her best foot forward. I’m not going to go back and compare it to the other albums, but I will say that it stands very decently compared to even my favourites, a group which it now joins. So while it may be ridiculous to proclaim someone the ’Queen of Soca’ - I’m a fan and I don’t mind being ridiculous and for whatever it's worth, I'm giving the title to Ms. Destra Garcia - For me, The greatest to ever do it.

Rated: 4.5/5
Krazi Music Records/COTT
2011
CD + Digital
Destra

I'm Just Not Ready For This!

TEARS!

Still listening tunes from 2k9 (and LOVING THEM) and Destra wants to do this. The tune isn't like BOOM BOOM amazing (it's really close though), but already the blood is getting going and I'm ridiculously excited. Now if you'll excuse me. . . .

Choose Wisely: A Review of Soca Or Die by Destra

My Grandmother’s oldest child, my uncle, is a sixty-five year old year old man who acts as if he
is sixty-five going on around twelve or so. Each and every Carnival season for Trinidad (and he gets to Grenada quite a bit also) this very short old man, who is my Father’s oldest brother, will absolutely lose whatever scruples he has hiding in his downright cavernous cranium and wild out for the entire time. I bring up my favourite uncle Vince because I speak a lot nowadays concerning how I’m getting older and my tastes are changing in respect to my aging (at least I hope that’s what it is and I’m not just becoming a codgy old bastard), but Vince is definitely an example of the fact that maybe we don’t ever have to really grow up at all. I’ll look through my collections and find album after album and tune after tune which just appeals to me in a way in which it didn’t previously (even going from BAD at one time, to GOOD not too long after, in some cases), but (THANKFULLY) there are exceptions. Like Vince’s the exception to my ‘growth’ has been and hopefully will always be Soca music which, when done at its best, at least should bring out the little kid in all who have ears for it. Now I could bring up names like Faye-Ann and Machel and Bunji and even Tizzy, Patrice or Skinny these days, but I’m thinking of going a little higher for this one, I’d like to take it to the source. The biggest source of my being a big grown ass man who feels absolutely no shame in acting like a misbehaving child (besides my daughter who I cannot in ANY WAY say ‘no’ to) is, of course, Destra Garcia. You’ll find people, like Machel, Lil’ Rick or Bunji at their best, who can go MADDER than Destra and you’ll find people like Alison Hinds who exude more CLASS in their music or even artists like Tizzy and, of course, the vocally LETHAL Claudette Peters who have more of a refined (traditionally speaking, but Peters’ voice is DEVASTATING) vocal style, but as far being the TOTAL and COMPLETE package, to my opinion, it’s Destra and then everyone else (although Hinds certainly isn’t very far away). I am, admittedly and shamelessly, partial because Destra was the first Soca artist to really catch my attentions and all these years later with so many new heads emerging, I still find that her music and especially her performances remain top notch and I’m not the only one who thinks so, as she place second in this year’s Road March race in Trinidad (and for my opinion, she’s the favourite going into next year). Despite not having the current ROLL of Faye-Ann or the years (at least it seems like such) of Alison Hinds, for me, Destra is the Queen of Soca and should she still be performing when she’s my uncle Vince’s age, she’ll still be.

However, right now I’m sure she has no complaints as just shy of her thirty-fourth birthday (which RIDICULOUSLY occurs only three days after the 10th installment of a very popular and familiar party in Toronto this year) and coming off what was probably her most successful season in recent years (and that’s saying A LOT), she may just be the single most popular female name in PURE Soca music these days. Destra’s 2009 season, highlighted by the aforementioned run for the Road March crown with what was probably the single biggest tune I heard in Soca 2009 altogether, ‘Bacchanal’. The year would also see a very nice album release for Hott and just what I thought was a GENERAL profile raising for the girl from Laventille. As usual, she was featured on the biggest stages, even taking the Monarch stage with a performance at half time which, were it entered in the main competition, would have earned her no less than second place in my opinion. Her season was GORGEOUS and you know what? It had to be. Why? Well Destra’s 2008 season wasn’t very bad either. As a matter of fact, her 2007 season was pretty good also now that I think of it. As a mark of her time in the business and seemingly refusing to take a step into the next phase of her career where she is quietly thought of as being a ‘has been’ (even though when that happens, people seem reticent to say such about an artist, so much so that I have the PERFECT example of such a person and I’m not going to mention his/her name (or their sex either apparently) AT ALL), Destra’s combined stretch of 2007-08 has to be considered one of the finest of her career (2008-0 wasn’t bad either). What a wonderful, wonderful coincidence it was that it was that Destra didn’t have an album for the 2007 season, so those tunes, in a sense, ‘carried over’ to the following year’s release, which means that WHATEVER it was that came out in 2008 with Destra’s name on it must have been a very good album, to say the very least. That album would have been her first since 2006’s Independent Lady and, again, MADNESS. The album was called Soca Or Die, which was very interesting because it shares a name with a VERY popular show in Toronto which I THINK was the first place I actually saw her perform in the early 2000’s and became HOOKED and where she is generally amongst the most anticipated attractions. The album had such an encompassing vibes and it really, in my opinion, went largely overlooked by the mainstream (which is a problem neither its predecessor, Independent Lady, nor Hott had), but it was arguably a DISTINCTLY better album than either of them. It also featured Destra alongside some very heavy hitters (in and out of Soca) and really just seemingly ‘toying’ with the music with which she has earned her name. The result was, in my opinion, probably her greatest album to date, although, again, very underappreciated. The album is definitely FUN and, although it lacks the SLEEK feel of Hott or the just all around insane feel of Independent Lady, is one which captures so many different sides of the artist who, for me, brought Soca from “that crazy music”, to one of the most JOYOUS and COLOURFUL vibes available on earth.

If you’ve been paying attention (and I have) the first thing you’ll probably notice about the album is the number of tracks. At seventeen in total it’s, FITTINGLY (because she missed a year), her most dense album to date and almost, again fittingly, like two album’s worth of vibes. Destra captures my thoughts EXACTLY with the opener of her 2008 album Soca Or Die, ‘Hooked’. It wasn’t until scrutinizing this song for the sake of this review that I realized something about: I LIKE IT! I hadn’t paid too much attention to the tune in the past, especially in the face of far more popular material on the album, but it’s very well done actually and with its pseudo old school style of approach, it manages to pull a VERY strong vibes for the kickoff. No such revelations were in order for the next tune, ‘We Luv Carnival’. This song, from 2007, was downright SPECTACULAR and had so many different colours and vibes going into it that it was really hard to call it anything in particular, besides amazing. You could call it a groovy tune or even a power tune, or an old school tune and there’s a pan somewhere lost in the madness also. It was just EVERYTHING you would need and it really showed Destra’s versatile range as simply NO ONE else in Soca (or any other genre) could have done We Luv Carnival justice as Ms. Garcia did here. BEAUTIFUL! Things go up an even higher notch with the DOMINATING vibes of what was probably Destra’s most popular offering from 2007 altogether and, it goes without saying, one of the best tunes on Soca Or Die (as is We Luv Carnival), ’I Dare You’. This one was far less indescribable than its predecessor on the album, but even more MASSIVE as it captured fans across the board and has arguably become one of Destra’s biggest tunes to date all around. From any type impartial side, I should probably call it the best tune on the album (but I’m not, because I’m not impartial). Yes. It was that good and it completed what was a more than “that good” start.

Joining Destra, amongst others, on Soca Or Die, is modern Dancehall royalty in the form of former sparring partners Mr. Vegas and the poster boy, Sean Paul. Vegas hops in on the very SMOOTH ‘On The Floor’ which is probably closer to a straight Dancehall tune actually. Of course, that’s Vegas’ world, but the star of the show more than holds her own. Sean Paul, for his part, helps on ‘Free It Up’. The tune was a definitive hit and it even spurred on some wonderful combination performances between the two. Oh. And it was ABSOLUTE MADNESS! As weird as it most certainly sounds, it’s probably the best tune I’ve heard Sean Paul on since the Trinity album! SOD also includes the road mix of Free It Up as well and it’s. . . everything you expect from a road mix. That being said, however, it’s the two Soca combinations on SOD which REALLY capture the light in my opinion. The first, ‘Last Lap’, is simply the biggest tune I hear on the album and it features Naya George from the big band Invazion. MADNESS! Madness on every street corner! Last Lap has definitely become one of my favourite Destra tunes of all time and I don’t think it received the attention it deserved, in retrospect, but I don’t really care either. This one didn’t even come close, I don’t believe, but it had ‘Road March’ written all over it. DAMN! On the other big Soca combination, Barry Chandler from Jabae joins Destra on a remix to his tune, ‘Flames’. I liked the original tune (which you can find on Jabae’s album (along with the remix) and on D’Soca Zone: The 7th Flag Up) for Flames, but the remix rendered it COMPLETELY useless to me at this point as Destra takes the already spectacular tune to even higher and more unbelievable levels for one of Soca Or Die’s most magic moments. Destra, back on her own, makes very good usage of Mr. Destra’s (Brian Morris) almost painfully addictive Banjo riddim, with the very popular tune ‘Saddle’, which I think is the only tune I can stand to listen to on that riddim. Another hit which follows Saddle, is the far more pedestrian and manageable ‘Wine It’. This song was BEAUTIFUL! A nice, kind of strangely paced, groovy tune was Wine It and it proved to be a VERY popular piece for the Soca Queen (and if you play this tune within earshot of a small child, be prepared to be BOMBARDED with “wine it, wine it, wine it” OVER AND OVER AGAIN for several hours, trust me, I know). The tune ‘High’ is a very interesting one, in terms of its delivery. The song features what might be sort of, kind of construed as a straight deejaying style from Destra and that’s A-OK with me (she does a good job) and it comes with a far less questionable and quite obvious edge to it as well, as it appears to be a kind of slap to the (DERANGED) critics she has. If that were the case then: Destra - 1/Critics - 0. ‘Signs’ is another tune which I feel didn’t get its just attention. It’s a bit more varied and definitely isn’t a straight forward tune by any stretch, but it‘s (whatever it is) MAGIC! This song comes through in a very sing-a-long type of ‘anthem’ style and it’s become one that depending on when I listen to it can generate a vibe as strong as any other on Soca Or Die for me. HUGE tune. Then there’s the title track for the album which is just BEAUTIFUL. The album has stronger tunes from almost every type and stronger tunes EXACTLY like the title track, but none are as FULLY encompassing as the vibes on the album and it’s absolutely no wonder why it was chosen as the title of the album. Soca Or Die comes to its conclusion in typical Destra fashion. She ALWAYS includes a couple of slow, ballad-like or gospel like pieces. This time around it’s a cover of Jody Watley’s ‘It All Begins With You’ and ‘His Eye Is On The Sparrow’. These type of tunes have never been my favourite, but you just come to expect them, like you come to expect Lady Saw and Bushman to do Country from time to time. It’s just her ‘thing‘, you’ll never hear me say a bad word about it and, as always, it goes to show her underrated ACTUAL vocal prowess to end the wonderful album.

Overall, what can I say? Soca Or Die is, in my opinion, Destra’s best work in a full album form to date. You could make the argument that albums like Hott and especially Independent Lady are more TOP HEAVY and they very well may be (Independent Lady was ridiculous with Outta Time, Colours Again, Aur Chale, Max It Up AND Jumpin’), but from beginning to end, I simply don’t think you’ll find a more solid Destra album. Soca Or Die. This one shows off EVERY facet of her style and shows it to either its absolute best, or very near it. It really also goes to show what I mean that she has some of the best values of so many different artists and what she is and what she has been is simply one of the most colourful and vibesy artists in Caribbean musical history. With accolades like that and calling this her finest release to date, you KNOW you should pick up Destra’s Soca Or Die. Of course, that’s just my opinion. Don’t believe me? Well, next time in you’re in Trinidad you can always track down my old ass uncle Vince and ask him what he thinks. Well done.

Rated 4.5/5

Krazi Music Records

2008

{note: BIG RESPECT AND CONGRADS TO DESTRA AND BRIAN MORRIS ON THEIR FORTH COMING CHILD}