MAAD SICK!

The Maad Sick Reggaeville Riddim [Oneness Records]

1. 'Modern Man' by Morgan Heritage

2. 'Siren' by Exco Levi

3. 'Maad Sick' by Gappy Ranks

4. 'Let Jah Be Praised' by Anthony B

5. 'Ites, Green & Gold' by Kelissa

6. 'Rudeboys' by Clay

7. 'Roots With Quality' by Richie Stephens

8. 'How Mi Sound' by Runkus & Royal Blu

9. 'Champion' by Marla Brown

10. 'Raggamuffin School' by Skarra Mucci & Yaniss Odua

11. 'Jamaica' by Macka B

12. 'Reggae Village' by Perfect Giddimani

13. 'Work' by Cali P

14. 'Always Remember' by Caleb Heart

15. 'Modern Man' by Morgan Heritage [Umberto Echo Dubmix]

16. Maad Sick Reggaeville Riddim [Instrumental]

Okay so, surely you remember a sweet little riddim from a few years back by the name of the ReggaeVille Riddim [biggup Da Ville]. That absolutely sprawling project featured stellar efforts from the likes of Etana, Tarrus Riley, Mark Wonder, Sizzla Kalonji and others (in retrospect, do we now consider the biggest hit on the Reggaeville Riddim to be... 'High & Windy'??? I think so) (biggup Teacha Dee) and was easily one of the best sets, of any kind, back in 2012 (truly ridiculous that thing is four years old already!). Well, fast-forward four years on and apparentlly we have something of a sequel at hand. 

The ReggaeVille Riddim [2012]

You're also likely to recall that the orchestrator of the Reggaeville Riddim was the all kinds of reliable Oneness Records from out of Germany. Even prior to that, Oneness had made a mighty claim to being one of the most dependable imprints in the entire genre through various releases (like the General Key Riddim, which I haven't heard in a minute. That thing was so SWEET!) and the case could well be made that the Reggaeville Riddim, at the time, was their most expansive venture  to date - so why not double up. In stores now is the latest creation from the wizards at Oneness Records, the Maad Sick Reggaeville Riddim. Like its predecessor, the Maad Sick is a clearly well-crafted set, brimming with top and diverse vocal talents and while my eyes tell me that one obvious name is missing (who may've been having too much fun with her friends), just looking through this tracklist leaves me with no complaints.

The early leader may just be UK firebreather Gappy Ranks ["Mi mad, mi sick, mi Reggae ville. Neva been a cub scout, I'm a general. Nah go rise no machine, but mi bredda will. Mek attorneys at law haffi send a will. Memba mi mad, mi sick, no penicill. Mi a real Buffalo like mi bredda Bill"] who checks in with the eponymous selection for the riddim, but The Carpenter is joined by the likes of recent Grammy winners, Morgan Heritage, Anthony B, the wonderfully inescapable Macka B (whose 'Jamaica' may just be my favourite Macka B tune in recent memory), Exco Levi, the always blazing Perfect Giddimani whose contribution, 'Reggae Village', is downright utopic and will probably have you wanting to move! And more flames come courtesy of Achis Reggae and earth favourite, Cali P ('Work' is MASSIVE), sweet singing Marla Brown, as well as a pair of combinations, one of which, 'Raggamuffin School' is a most interesting pairing of UK veteran Skarra Mucci and Yaniss Odua from out of Madinina. Want more??? [GREEDY!] Caleb Hart SCORCHES on 'Always Remember' and Oneness is wise to turn the track over to the well-capable hands of Umberto Echo and dubbifies the Maad Sick Reggaeville Riddim masterfully with the Morgans. 

And I probably just mentioned every song on the riddim in one way or another, but who cares what I say?! Make up your own damn mind when you exercise the TINIEST bit of common sense and pick up what is certainly one of the finest productions Reggae has to offer in 2016, the Maad Sick Reggaeville Riddim from Oneness Records, which is in digital stores right now.

'Construction': A review of "Shining Hope' by Gappy Ranks

Rise skill. Though I, personally, tend to place an ultimate emphasis upon it above all most all things musically because I feel it is the most reliable of traits that a musician can possess, I think that actual skill and the pursuit of an even greater talent are underrated qualities in an artist, generally. Of course the music seems to revolve around making big tunes and that's fine (because no greater way exists, in my opinion, of attracting attention which is good for the genre as a whole), but unlike making a hit song, which can involve many other things besides talent, when you have someone seemingly so fixated on raising their levels and their capabilities, that is as wonderful and dependable of a foundation that a person making music can have. These days in Reggae music we are very fortunate because we have quite a few individuals who demonstrate that making music and music, in general, is such a large part of their lives by constantly showing this forward progression and resolute hunt for something bigger. I look at someone like Gentleman who recently took a very large step ahead by producing his own latest release, "New Day Dawn". Gentleman has also not only aligned himself with some of the finest producers that the genre has to offer, but he's also done the same with many of the biggest vocal talents as well. He's had songs with almost everyone and to me that is a glaring display of someone who is (VERY resourceful) well interested in growing themselves musically. I'd also put someone like Protoje in that class and definitely Perfect Giddimani, the latter of whom has been taking his fans on a remarkable tour of talent most recently culminating in the release of his own new album, "Over The Top". And going further, I'd mention people a little further outside of the biggest spotlight of the genre such as a Determine, Natural Black and definitely Queen Omega (when you listen to her first album and you listen to her now, it is crystal-clear what she's been up to). Someone else who easily finds himself within those ranks is UK standout and star, Gappy Ranks. Gappy is interesting (for so many reasons) because when it comes to him, it almost seems as if one of his primary aims as a musician is to outline his roots and not only have his fans heard all about how he came to be who he is, we've also witnessed elements of it incorporated directly into his music to the point where you get the image of someone whose life, at least in some ways, virtually revolves around making music because it is so organic to his existence. 

"Put The Stereo On" [2010] & "Thanks & Praise" [2011]

For example - if you take a look at and a listen to his first two albums, 2010's "Put The Stereo On" and "Thanks & Praise" from the next year, you get two very different musical experiences and they stand, now, as one of the most captivating pair of first and second albums in the annals of modern Reggae music. While the first time you likely recall hearing the name Gappy Ranks may've had something to do with a song which was absolutely nothing of the kind ["mi haffi stinkin rich this year"], when he was originally  on the rise the artist made no reservations at all bout his love of old school Reggae which he grew listening to, a fondness fully brought into effect on "Put The Stereo On”. "Thanks & Praise", on the other hand, was a fully modern project and one which attracted more than a little bit of attention as well. Combined they exhibit one part Bitty McLean and one part Ziggi Recado but in just one person.

So following a display like that covering just about everything there is to cover, where do we go? We continue ahead of course and we now find Gappy Ranks "Shining Hope" across the globe on his third full length album to date. The album comes via his own Hot Coffee Music imprint in association with VP Records and their (exceedingly popular) distribution arm, VPAL. I have to give an early credit here because we knew months ago that this album was on its way and was set to be released in September. If you've been around long enough (and you have), you know that it almost seems like setting a release time months in advance can kind of curse an album because they always seem to get delayed in some way and for some reason, but obviously this one arrived on schedule. Furthermore, in the two years between "Thanks & Praise" and now "Shining Hope", Gappy has increased his profile even more (and made a very wicked appearance on Lion D's massive album, "Bring Back The Vibes" from earlier this year). So while his first two were very much anticipated in their time, you now have a trio of albums which have and are going to generate a whole heap of awareness and are big projects. In terms of the actual music on this album "Shining Hope" focuses exclusively on Reggae music which is very good and, as I mentioned, if you listen to enough of his music, you know that he is very versatile and jumps fully in a few different genres, so it was somewhat of a good surprise when it seems as if the intent here was to just make a strong modern Reggae album. Mission accomplished. Such an album coming from Gappy Ranks, even on paper, should be very exciting and colourful and done in a way in which is emblematic of all of his various talents through something like a musical 'funnel' in a single style. Also I should mention that besides the broad musical determination that I spoke of from Gappy Ranks, in one specific area that he has always excelled has been as a writer and it is there where you most get that feeling that this man works tirelessly to perfect his craft. And because I'm a fan and a nerd, I was simply looking forward to hearing Gappy rhyme again. When at his best he definitely does some very thought-provoking and challenging things with the spoken word and the thought of him focusing that directly towards a completely Reggae-centric theme was downright appetizing. But with all of that, does "Shining Hope" prove to be as delicious as I think that it should be? Let's eat.

'Shining Hope'

As expected, this album is about as exciting of a Reggae album that you'll find in a very impressive 2013. It is the type of release that I would imagine finding an audience in both brand new and lifelong fans alike because of just how open it is. And speaking of openings, "Shining Hope", the new album from Gappy Ranks opens with its eponymous and most well known selection. I've had a minute and this piece has thoroughly grown on me. Carried through on the Lighthouse Riddim (incidentally, they did the Lighthouse as a digital release with Chevaughn and Million Stylez joining Gappy on the track and the cover art for it is easily amongst some of the finest I've ever seen. It's beautiful!), the song is inspiration and FEEL GOOD throughout. I always appreciate when the emotion and performance of a song matches its sentiment and this a sterling example of exactly what I mean. Everything about this one makes you smile no matter what you might be going through and I'm sure that was the intent. The second song on the album is another familiar one, previous single 'Tomorrow Loves You'. There is a bit of sagacious planning here and placing these two in succession on the album and not only because they're two of the album's most well known pieces, but also because their courses are very similar. 'Tomorrow Loves You', helmed by Special Delivery, is another inspirational vibe and although a bit more laid back than the soaring opener, is arguably just as strong and also GORGEOUS. 'Hello' takes us in a different way, this one steered by Kemar 'Flava' McGregor, but I suppose that in a way you could also take inspiration from it as well. I hesitate in calling this a 'love song', but I'm wholly sure that is how it will be regarded. Instead, I say it is the very relatable discussion of the kind of nervousness and anxiety we all go through when we fall for someone and how to approach them. It is ultimately a very delightful song and one which rises near the top of the album. And I'll also mention the tune which immediately follows 'Hello' on the album because it is also quite relatable and similar, 'First Sight' for Asha D, which is the first of a trio of combinations on "Shining Hope". This one links Gappy Ranks with the ear and eye candy that is Denyque. Again, call me a convert of sorts, but this one has also won me over. Though when you sing like Denyque does, it isn't too difficult and it wonderfully compliments the tune which it chases as it adorably kind of speaks from the other side: Not only are you nervous and anxious around them, they're also that way for you.

'Tomorrow Loves You'

Asha D also helms the second combination on the album, 'Nothing Comes Easy' which features ReddMan UK joining Gappy. The song is another which really outlines the struggles Gappy dealt with in growing up and he puts this one together in a BRILLIANT fashion. 

"I neva born with no spoon inna mi mouth

Come from a big family - just couple room inna mi house

Neva get birthdays and Christmas like those

Only needle and thread when couple hole inna mi clothes

Papa do him best and work hard

SOMETIME NO FOOD NAH RUN, NOT EVEN BONE FI DI DOG

Teacher dem seh I will neva be nothing -

Dem seh mi woulda end up inna morgue

So people - if you can relate to my story 

Give Jah di blessing and di glory

Tell HIM you love HIM inna yuh heart and yuh mind and yuh soul

He will never make you lose control

And if you can relate to my history and journey

Then you will know my ancestor dem survive through slavery 

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN AFRIKAN BABY

I want you hear me

Nothing comes easy at all" 

For his part, ReddMan, who don't have a great deal of experience in listening to, more than impresses on the tune and the duo make for a fine musical pairing. The final combination on "Shining Hope", 'Everything Gonna Be Alright', is probably the one which will grab the lion's share of the spotlight as on it Gappy taps the flaming Exco Levi and does it with kind of an ode to Bob Marley. I won't ruin that for you, but it is another big contribution and here and, in full, the three guests on the album doing an excellent job. 

"Shining Hope" also offers up a few other familiar points in its duration. One of them is 'Maybe', also produced by Kemar McGregor, which has experienced somewhat of a radical shift in terms of my tastes. I didn't passionately dislike this song the first time I heard, but I did definitely dislike and… yeah I don't dislike it anymore. I will say, however, that when you can impress my Wife, you have me almost 100% of the time and she loves that song. Great backing singing on it also. You may also recognize 'Why', which was Gappy's cut of Payday's LUSH Real Reggae Riddim. I don't think that I ever really gave this song a chance until it appeared here and I'm so happy that it was included, because it may have been lost to me and I'm sure I'm not the only one. It is an exceptional composition and one which I'd call a personal social commentary with Gappy dealing with many topics under this umbrella-ing idea of making the world a better place, but starting with YOU and not with everyone else. 'Sell Out' is carried by the Broke Life Riddim via Larger Than Life Records (same track featured Delly Ranx' hilarious 'Gimmi Di Ting' (biggup Delly Ranx) from his 2012 album, "The Next Chapter") and it is a song about not taking negative shortcuts and surrounding yourself with the wrong people in getting to where you want to be in life. Lyrically it is fantastic and that track has always been a big one for me. And also is 'Up Again' which is a giant highlight here. Don't let the delightful riddim, from Lion Face, take you too much because the stars here are the lyrics. Gappy says some amazing things on that tune and if you're too busy bobbing your head you'll miss something special (you'll probably feel good though, and there's nothing wrong with that, but listen to the words too).

'Up Again'

I was also very happy to hear some real quality on "Shining Hope" in terms of new material, or at least new-to-me-material, including my absolute favourite song on the whole of the album. One of the biggest new songs is definitely the BRILLIANT 'Back To Reality' on which Gappy gives us an inside view of a discussion which he has with himself. 

"I'm changing today for the better

Talking to the person in the mirror

Cah from fame and money start run, it seems like you nah move clever

Whappen to the big, big tunes you use to make?

And whappen to the hungry person you used to rep?

Mek mi tell yuh this: You better come back to reality else mi and you ah done and mi nah tek check

You try to remember why you love music 

And start to remember why you start do this

And always defend who's around you and who surround you

Caan bodda with the hatred

You try to remember who believe in you

You have to give thanks for the things they do

Works hard when you name gone worldwide

MUSIC'S MY BIRTHRIGHT

Have to make my dreams come true"

Though you wouldn't think it from the nature of the song, for me this is a very intense piece because it amounts to Gappy giving himself a kick and correcting himself. And you may not be able to relate to it in the musical sense, but I have conversations like this with myself every… fifteen minutes or so. I've made a mountain of mistakes in life (I am an expert, black-belt level, in being flawed) and nothing is better than when it is you who is the first to correct them. I love songs like this, even in theory and this has to be one of the best of it is kind that I've heard in some time. EXCELLENT. There is also a later pair of nice love-ish songs on the album in 'Still In Love' and 'Never Enough'. The former has a frustrating track behind it -- frustrating because I know I know it but can't quite narrow it down --and is a golden song about not loving the one you're with and instead loving the one you used to be with. Meanwhile, while the latter isn't a highlight for me, it does have a prevailing sound that you cannot help but to appreciate in some way. And then there's the BOOM!

"Carpenter, carpenter, beg you build a box

Cah di fool dem violate, but now mi catch dem inna di traps

Some from di last down to di boss haffi lay down inna dat

Dem have di people inna bondage, now di system haffi stop

I seh carpenter build Mr. babylon a box

I can't take it no more, mi nah go cool and relax

Pon poor people dem rising up tax

So I ah fire burn everything to di max

Hey yow, youth dem caan go a school because dem haffi pay di school fees

And Fadda can't get no work, all they retire him from the factories

Now di youth dem end up on di road, wid di gun dem load inna robberies

And you know seh, one a dem could go a school and become a athlete

But babylon don't want di ghetto youth dem rise up and make it

THAT'S WHY THEY GI DEM DI DRUGS AND DI GUNS AND TELL DEM FI BLAZE IT

And dem did divide di people weh Black and dem White, cause dem racist

YOU NO SI HOW DEM LOCK UP DI INNOCENT MAN AND AH FREE UP DI RAPIST

Mi no like this 

Carpenter, carpenter, beg you build a box

Cah di fool dem violate, but now mi catch dem inna di traps

Some from di last down to di boss haffi lay down inna dat

Dem have di people inna bondage, now di system haffi stop

I seh carpenter build Mr. babylon a box

I can't take it no more, mi nah go cool and relax

Pon poor people dem rising up tax

So, right now, babylon yuh system collapse

So I and I ah boom up yuh computer dem weh you use inna Wall Street

Cah you neva help di poor people dem weh have to sleep pon di concrete

You no waan hear Marcus, Malcolm, Mandela, Martin till you stop dweet

POOR PEOPLE AH SUFFER ALL AROUND DI WORLD, NO TELL MI BOUT 'LIFE SWEET'

Yuh mad?

Things change fi di better, nuttin nah go so

Babylon doh want di ghetto youths grow

Officer, why you stop mi? I don't know

Why you put di gun inna mi hand and say go ?

Dem thing deh ah gwan inna life, don't feel seh a movie

So di youth dem strap inna war wid machine and ah move unruly"

Grrrr! I heard a thirty seconds long clip of this song, 'Carpenter', and I knew it would be a special piece and it did not disappoint. The song comes via Royal Order Music and may be on its way to being a single and deservedly so in my opinion as no song on "Shining Hope" rises higher than its MAMMOTH closer. The song ranks alongside 'Peace & Joy', 'Heaven In Her Eyes' and several others as some of the best material that I've ever heard from Gappy and is also one of the best songs I've heard, from anyone, in 2013. A thunderous end.

Overall, while they've all been extremely comparable in terms of quality, I don't have a problem at all if someone wanted to call "Shining Hope" Gappy Ranks' best album to date (numerically, I think I'm about to do that) . As I said, one of its biggest assets is how exciting it is. As he goes on, we may come to know (if we haven't already and we may have) that EVERYTHING Gappy is going to touch, whether you enjoy it or not, will at the very least be stirring and interesting, but that is also a skill. I can name you a great deal of brilliant writers (one in particular) who may not be looked upon as being thrilling, but when you, inherently have both -- the word and the presentation -- you naturally make albums like this which are good for just about any audience. And hopefully those fans will appreciate not only the apparent skill, but the entire body of Gappy Ranks' work which features this constant drive to get better. It may not "get better" than "Shining Hope", but it should be so much fun listening to Gappy Ranks in the future. Judging by this album, the present isn't too bad either. Very strong! 

Rated: 4.40/5

Hot Coffee Music/VP Records

2013

CD + Digital

Reveiw #466

Coming Soon: "Shining Hope" by Gappy Ranks

"Shining Hope" by Gappy Ranks [Hot Coffee Music/VP Records]

 1. 'Shining Hope'

2. 'Tomorrow Loves You'

3. 'Hello'

4. 'First Sight'

5. 'Back to Reality'

6. 'Nothing Comes Easy'

7. 'Maybe'

8. 'Sell Out'

9. 'Up Again'

10. 'Everything  Gonna Be Alright'

11. 'Still In Love'

12. 'Never Enough'

13. 'Why?'

14. 'Carpenter'

September 2013 is already shaping up to be a very memorable month for music fans as we recently told you, Reggae star, Perfect Giddimani, is set to release his highly anticipated brand new album, "Over The Top" for The House of Riddim, but he will not be alone next month. Also set to bring forth a new project which has been long rumoured for quite a few months now is ultra gifted UK light, Gappy Ranks, with his third studio effort by my count, "Shining Hope". Like a great deal of Gappy's work, the new album comes courtesy of his own label, Hot Coffee Music, in conjunction with VP Records and should it prove to be anywhere near as good as his two previous efforts, "Shining Hope" figures to be a very BIG release for the second half of the year.

"Put The Stereo On" [2010] & "Thanks & Praise" [2011]

In 2010, Gappy would make his long awaited album debut for Greensleeves, with the old school aimed "Put The Stereo On" and the next year he would immediately return with a more modern set in the wonderful "Thanks & Praise". Both albums, full, showed a very complete and versatile artist who was capable of just about anything on a track and in the more than two years from "Thanks & Praise", Gappy's star has remained on the rise which can be seen in the considerable buzz around this album. "Shining Hope" is very interesting in that it was discussed months ago and was always mentioned to be headed for a September release. If you pay enough attention (and we do), in Reggae music things like that rarely actuate when they're supposed to, but in this case it seems as if everything has gone properly and the full album is on its way. 

Although the early official tracklist that we've seen does not show it, from my own experience with some of the songs on the new album, it appears that at least a couple of combinations are here with the flaming Exco Levi joining in on 'Everything Gonna Be Alright' while sweet singing bonafide cutie, Denyque, appears on the lover's piece, 'First Sight'. Also of interest are the fantastic title track, 'Up Again', 'Back To Reality' and the potentially WICKED 'Carpenter'.

'Shining Hope'

I have a really good feeling about this album and we'll all be able to see how good it is when the latest from Gappy Ranks, "Shining Hope", reaches stores on September 17. 

Lyrics!: Gappy Ranks

As an artist there are so many different things you can do to kind of 'distract' your listeners for better or for worse. Be it your delivery, the company you keep or literally thousands of other bits and pieces, you can always get the crowd to look in the direction that you want them to - and sometimes when you don't want them to. I don't quite know what it is about this guy, but he NEVER seems to get a real credit for being exactly what he is: One of the most lyrically talented artists in Reggae music today. Maybe it's the persona, maybe it's the deliver or is it something else? Regardless, I thought that I'd help things along just a little. Here are ten completely and totally random instances of wordy wizardry from the UK's finest - Gappy Ranks. 

Gappy Ranks

 -'Heavy Load'-

"Mount Zion I don't feel so high no more

And the rivers weh mi feel don't feel so deep

And mi carry dis - 

Heavy Load

Heavy Load

Jah Jah guide mi when mi touch di street 

So if you got a dream and you got a vision

And you living in di scheme, wid di dutty politician

There's knowledge inna book, you've gotta have some ambition

Nuff still ah look, but dem no know di definition

You've got to believe, don't give up for a second

You know what I mean

Just tell mi what I reckon

Nuff ghetto youths waan kick ball like Beckham

From New York, to Kingston, to Austin, to Peckham"

-'Why'- 

"Most High keep mi far from wrong

Mi no fear di bear, di eagle or di dragon

Mi nah jump pon babylon bandwagon

Every ghetto youth haffi reach Mount Zion

Mi name a mi name and mi nah change

Everyday it hard and di world get strange

Nah sell out mi soul and mi nah go exchange

Mi nah sell out nobody fi go drive out di range"

-'Coulda Runaway' w/Delly Ranx-

"I was born as a Ranks

Grow up as a Ranks

Lak di great Delly Ranks

So mi haffi give thanks

Mi ah shine lak a star, dem si mi from a distance

When badmind ah chat mi, mi no response" 

-'Maddest Ting'-

"Every community supposed to have an herbalist

To supply di people dem wid all strain of cannabis

You can ask di doctors and di nurses and di scientists

Herbs neva kill nobody yet, I hope you hear dis - Video

Put it pon di board an watch mi chop it up

Next thing mi put it inna rizzla an mi wrap it up

Mek di serious sellers a road dem know wi have it up

Even if a quarter, if a half or if ounce you haffa bag it up

Which herbalist have di maddest ting a road?

Mi waan fi know cah mi chalice haffi load

Which herbalist have di maddest ting ah sell?

Real high grade wid a high grade smell

As mi wake up a juss one of di first thing mi does

Go fi light up di herbs and get di morning buzz

Weed buss inna mi head and announce mi righteous

High grade mek mi feel marvelous

And mi no waan no white powder, mi no waan no needle

Weed weh seh, so a good over evil

Mi no waan no friend from no cokehead people

High grade alone mek mi fly like eagle"

-'Nah Ready Fi Die'-

"May he rest in peace to di ones dem weh gone already

Some die naturally, some no ordinary

You si yah friend?

Him ah drink an drive.

Tek out di keys from di car already

Badmind ah work a juss ah wait fi yuh give it up

One life you have, juss live it up

Nuff a dem seh crime pay

But same way, crime tek yah life away

Mi waan fi live till mi gray and old

Mi nah ready fi die right now

Mi nah ready fi die right now"

-'Stinkin Rich'-

"Cah mi si mi parents suffah, wid mi and mi sibling

Go to bed widout no suppah, not even a dumpling

Used to have whole heap a dream wid di money counting

Used to think about today and what tomorrow will bring

Searching-

Biggup all di ghetto youths weh hustlin

If you into 9-5 unuh just, keep working

Mi waan money inna bank, everyday turning

Cash card inna wallet, money stack up and a pon it

Mi haffi stinkin rich this year

Paper money or copper kind, mi no care

Haffi mek di money any time, anywhere

Mi no tek check, but mi mek check clear"

-'Life Goes On'-

Dem seh di good die young

Then if di good die young, then mi time soon come

Mi juss ah live and have fun

Mi juss ah hustle up di money till di money caan dun

It's so hard to think bout afta

Even through laughter-

And disaster"

-'I Was There'-

"I was there with the people, Japanese people

Who nah lose dem life, lose house and lose vehicle

Everybody calm, everybody equal

Nobody nuh fight, nobody nuh move evil

Dats why mi shed a tear, a million tears

Si di people weh die that day

Because I seen it and I know it

Mi ah remember till mi old and grey" 

-'Ragga Ragga'-

"Mi luv fi si when Bounty vs Beenie

Mi luv fi si when Shabba gone wid di Grammy

Mi luv fi si when Supercat clash Ninja

Mi luv music, a coulda Gaza or Gully

Mi luv fi hear Bass Odyssey and Stonelove

Mi luv fi hear Killamanjaro and Addies

Mi luv fi hear Bob Marley, Dennis Brown,  Sugar Minot, Gregory Isaacs, Alton Ellis

Biggup di Ranks dem -

Cutty! Delly and Louie!

Mi dun biggup Shabba Ranks already

Biggup Capleton weh bun dung dreddie

Biggup Mr. Wacky, him start Weddy Weddy

Who have the energy?

Somebody seh Ele

Luv fi si Sean Paul and Shaggy pon tele

Crowd start fi cheer when dem announce  Kalonji

Fans all around from all town and country

Mi luv how di Killa bring Vybz Kartel

Busy!

And Mavado start well

Step pon di stage, di whole place start shell

Alright, mek mi talk bout Gargamel

Biggup every banton -

Buju Banton, Mega Banton

Wayne Wonder, Sanchez and Lukie D fi sing di anthem

Singing Melody and Tony Curtis sing di harmony

Hail up Alborosie, Gentleman from outta Germany

My name is Gappy Ranks, I come from England, have you heard of me?"

-'Peace & Joy'-

No food fi di poor and di hungry

Shootout pon di boundary

Clothes dutty and mi caah go a laundry

If mi get a white shirt, dat a luxury

Big boss have you any work in di factory?

Cah mi caah buy flour, saltfish and ackee

Time pass till all mi hair get natty, mi no waan tun inna no John Gotti

So mi juss-

Hold up mi head high

High to di sky

Yuh caan stop a man weh a try

Mi nah stoop fi di M-O-N-E-Y

Cah mi doh want a piece of di babylon pie

Jah Jah know it's a ocean of tears I cry-

Fi di youth dem weh missin and di ones dat die

I si how dem bring drugs and boom bye bye

So mi nah stop bun dem till di day I die!

It's like dem waan mi kill mi bredrin fi loaf of bread

But I shall not live on bread alone

Mi nah sell out mi bredda dem fi loaf of bread

Dem waan mi dead, dem waan di John Crow fly ova head

Tell dem my heart still beats lak di Afrikan Drum

Just words and power from an Afrikan son

You doh have to rich to be happy

Mi si smiles pon poor people face and dem don't even have it

I'm searching for peace and joy

Food and water mi seh fi every girl and boy

I'm fighting fi equal rights, Jah Jah light shine bright

Keep mi through di darkest night

Mi waan fi mek di world feel love

Every ghetto youth haffi fly inna di sky like a dove

Cuz no one man is an island

So mi two foot ah stand pon dry land"

I bet you can't guess who this is

'His Better Half': A Review of "Thanks & Praise" by Gappy Ranks

Versatility and diversity are two very admirable traits when it comes to making music. Besides helping to make oneself stand out from the pack, having these elements can also make it easier for a particular artist, producer, band or whomever to develop a winning style which can lead quicker to forming a strong and faithful fan base and, most importantly, a lasting career and impact. Still, it should be said that versatility, in its ‘purest’ form, is a very rare quality to possess as a musician and that is true particularly in Reggae where we use the same riddim for, sometimes, dozens of vocalists. Showing a diverse skillset, in those instances, is even more taxing and those who’re able to do it and do it consistently and successfully are eventually shuffled to the top shelf of artists. As we look out over the current group of artists we do see a very large assembly of TALENT, but not much in the way of VERSATILITY of vibes. The first one to come to my mind is I-Octane. Octane is a very nice choice in this situation because he, very much like the subject in question today, has a NATURAL versatility and diversity. Unlike others who go their entire careers, successfully, doing one thing, only to stop suddenly and change things for absolutely no reason at all (not naming any names) (even though you know who I'm talking about) from the first time anyone has known Octane he's been this hybrid artist who is equally comfortable across the most rigid one-drop riddim as well as the most ridiculous of high-tech Dancehall sets. As I've said in the past, he very much represents full blown Reggae evolution in Reggae in my mind and performers of the future will also be as equally and prevailingly talent. After I-Octane, I’m going to look at someone like a Tiwony who, although he’ll probably never get credit for it, is one of the most talented and versatile artists in Reggae history (!) right now. And of course there’s Demarco and his million different ways (biggup Million Stylez). Also, to lesser degrees ("lesser" STRICTLY in terms of versatility) we observe legends Sizzla Kalonji and Buju Banton for long showing that they can pitch in a few different styles without showing the seams. And then there’s Gappy Ranks. Speaking directly, I can’t say that, in recent times at least, we've seen someone whose entire career seems to be founded on displaying such a vast array of skills. The UK standout has spent virtually his entire time in the international limelight over the past two or three years or so dazzling listeners in the midst of sounding like two completely different artists. In 2010 he formally introduced us to one side of himself [your joke here] and in 2011 he’s dealing with the other.

"Put The Stereo On" - 2010

Surely you’ll recall the album "Put The Stereo On" from last year. That album, unsurprisingly as it was produced by Peckings, was one which focused on old-school Reggae music. That album was very good and widely acclaimed for being a very solid project, however, it distinctly only made usage of the fact that Gappy, as he had already shown, was very much a musician 'suffering' from multiple personality disorder. If you think about it, what was the very first time you remember hearing Gappy Ranks’ name? Chances are pretty good that it was one of two songs, 'Stinkin Rich' (more on that in a minute) and ‘Heaven In Your Eyes’. Even before you get into talking about albums - Those two tracks alone would demonstrate a course which Gappy would eventually travel - one was on Bob Marley riddim, the other was this very very modern (almost post-modern) type of song. And this was the outside story around "Put The Stereo On". Here we have this very much anticipated DEBUT album from this big name and not only is arguably his most well known tune at that time missing, but even if it were on the album, it would have been COMPLETELY out of place. So even to make the introduction, there’ll have to be two albums.

"Rising Out of The Ghetto" - EP

So obvious was this, in fact, that clearly it caught Gappy Ranks as well which is evident when you notice that less than NINE MONTHS after that album releases, we're now dealing with its followup, "Thanks & Praise". Unlike the first album, this one bears the name of Gappy's own imprint, Hot Coffee Music, which he’s been moving further and further into position to be a force with various riddim releases (most recently, I THINK, is the Espresso Riddim). This is the same label who, four months ahead of the release of the first album, pushed a very high-tech EP, "Rising Out of The Ghetto", almost in anticipation of fans saying that the forthcoming album was missing something. Well, to continue that thought and to fill things out, here we have "Thanks & Praise". I don’t want to give the misconception that this is something out of the ordinary for Gappy. Again, one of his greatest traits is his ability to do many things well and while this album is, on the total, a different "thing" than the first project, it's not . . . A Soca album (although I wouldn’t put it past him. . . ) or a completely Hip-Hop album - Something totally out of the frame of his natural already very expansive style. In fact, one could even make the case that this one is an even more INTELLIGENT and MATURE release, being that the first, with all of those old-school riddims definitely had a musical 'cap' on it in terms of what sounds good. Not to call it restricting, but you simply aren't going to see someone go in any direction over those types of compositions, unless it's a total remix (and it wasn't). Here, things are just a little less contained and entirely more modern (and it's varied for a modern album as well), as Gappy Ranks completes his musical introduction to the world via his second album.

'Thanks & Praise'

It simply has to be a matter of me not paying as good of attention nine months ago as I do these days, but I've noticed a nice sized improvement in Gappy Ranks as a lyricist over that time. This come as a quick turn as I recently heard an interview with Gappy where he says that he doesn’t write lyrics, he comes up with them and goes from his head (biggup Markus) and while in my opinion that’s fucked up (I don't care if the man’s mind is a CLAMP, can you imagine how many BIG tunes we'll never forget because he’s simply FORGOTTEN them before he got the chance to record them), obviously it’s been working for him. The verification of that is all over the fourteen tracks (well, most of them anyway) which compile his brand new album, "Thanks & Praise", which is absolutely LOADED at its head, getting started with three consecutively undeniably HUGE tunes. First up is the title track which . . . Like I said, I guess I just wasn’t paying a great deal of attention because this tune has been floating from even before "Put The Stereo On" reached and it is BEAUTIFUL. Despite its cliché title, this Jazzwad produced set is one sterling praising tune (Gappy doesn't do clichés) and one which doesn't get bogged down in stereotypes as well. It's gorgeous and one of the album's best in my opinion. Next up we have another tune with quite a bit of 'history' behind it, previous single 'Longtime', which finds Gappy lamenting the loss of days gone by.

"Longtime wi no chill pon di block and bun a bighead
Longtime mi no run no likkle joke, cah man a live it
Longtime mi no kick a ball like a Maradonna
Longtime mi no spend di whole day pon di cornah

I can remember -
When we usedta buy drinks from di street vendor
Listen couple songs from Mr. Everton Blender
Cops pon di block, but wi still nah surrender
As a thug, di hot girls deh pon wi agenda, September
Right straight back to September"

The song, which utilizes the same Special Delivery produced riddim as Ziggi Recado's top ranking herbalist tune, 'Mary', is simply one of the best Gappy has ever done to my opinion and I think it says something big about this album when you consider the fact that this ISN'T my favourite song on it. The first lot of tunes on "Thanks & Praise" wrap up with a tune I've never heard before, but one I’m going to be spinning the hell out of, the fine lover’s track, 'Sweet Love'. Eventually I'd like to hear Gappy do a tune like this one and add on someone like Peter Spence or Peter Hunnigale, one of those big UK Lover’s Rock singers, but for now he's doing more than OKAY on his own because this song is outstanding for what it is.

'Stinkin Rich'

I suppose that one of the critiques of this album will center on there being not a great deal in the way of completely new material, but I won't have that same complaint because, for the most part, the tunes here with which I'm already familiar (such as two of the first three) are big efforts. The most non-new of these tracks is the aforementioned MASSIVE hit, 'Stinkin Rich'. I shouldn't spend too much time on this one, but all of this time on from first hearing it, I still like it (have you ever realized that this random is just FILTHY!) and its presence on this album was completely mandatory at this point. The KNOCKING 'English Money' is also here. This is a song which took a minute to grow on me - There’s just A LOT going on with this one - but ultimately I view it as kind of an add-on to 'Stinkin Rich'. The formula worked once for him, why not dust it off and try it again. Gappy didn’t get that type of lofty success with the tune, but it is damn good and highly infectious. Also quite contagious is 'Girl Next Door', the cool and clever jump which finds Gappy very infatuated with his neighbour, on the Dutty Romance Riddim. I'm not too fond of 'Tun Up' which is one of the album's two combinations, this one featuring Russian. I very much prefer Russian as a producer, rather than a DJ. He isn't horrible, of course, but his is a style which takes getting accustomed to and haven’t gone through that process just yet and the riddim on that tune isn’t my favourite either. The other combination on "Thanks & Praise" is a HUGE tune and another of the album's highlights. 'Could A Runaway' features Delly Ranx and the two, who are obviously good friends, have a wonderful musical chemistry (and have been voicing one another's riddims over the last year or so) together and it WELL comes through on the track.

Gappy -

"I was born as a Ranks
Grow up as a Ranks
Like di great Delly Ranx
So mi haffi give thanks
Mi ah shine like a star
Dem si mi from a distance
When badmind ah chat mi
Mi no response"

Delly -

"I was born as a Ranks
Raised as a Ranks
Like di great Shabba Ranks
Gappy Ranks, Cutty Ranks
Badmind keep yuh distance
Fi hypocrite people -
Delly no response"

'Could A Runway' w/Delly Ranx

And I guess I should also mention 'Fresh Kicks' here, even though I'd never heard it before this album, it’s from a couple of months or so ago and it has gotten a nice response. You can add my approval to it as well as Gappy dazzles with the flow on that tune (and Gappy - where the hell is 'Ragga Ragga'???).

NOW! With all of that being said, my personal favourite song on "Thanks & Praise" is one which I’m almost certain will go overlooked and . . . I don't care if the rest of you don’t like it, 'Peace & Joy' is MAMMOTH!

'Peace & Joy'

"No food fi di poor -
And di hungry
Shootout pon di boundary
Clothes dutty and mi cah go a laundry
If mi get a white shirt, dat a luxury
Big boss have you any work in di factory?
Cah mi caah buy flower, saltfish and ackee
Time past til all mi hair get natty
Mi no waan turn inna no John Gotti
So mi just -
Hold up mi head high
High to di sky
You caan stop a man weh ah try
Mi nah stoop fi di m-o-n-e-y
Cah mi doh want a piece of di babylon pie
Jah Jah know is a ocean of tears I cry
Fi di youths dem weh missing and di ones dat die
I see how dem bring drugs and boom bye bye
So mi nah stop bun dem til di day I die!
Is like dem waan mi kill mi bredrin fi a loaf a bread
But I shall not live on bread alone
Mi nah go sell out mi bredda dem fi loaf a bread
Dem waan mi dead
Dem waan di john crow fly ova head
Tell dem my heart still beats like an Afrikan drum
Just words and power from an Afrikan son
You don’t have to rich to be happy
Mi si smiles on poor people face and dem don’t even have it

I'm searching for peace and joy -
Food and water mi seh fi every girl and boy
I'm fighting for equal rights
Jah Jah light shine bright, get mi through the darkest nights
Mi waan fi mek di world feel love
Every ghetto youth haffi fly inna di sky like a dove
Cause no one man is an island
But mi two foot ah stand pon di dry land

Don't tell mi bout tales of Aladdin and a genie inna bokkle
Mi still ah wear mi ancestor shackle
Mi neva get no grade, but mi know fi play Scrabble
And inna certain thing mi never dilly and dabble
Mi caan believe mi eyes how some people a wobble
Dem come in lak di weasel pon di corn, pon di cobble
And how they woulda love fi si mi face pon di gravel
Dem caan wait fi start dig mi grave wid di shovel

I'm searching for peace and joy -
Food and water mi seh fi every girl and boy
I'm fighting for equal rights
Jah Jah light shine bright, get mi through the darkest nights
Mi waan fi mek di world feel love
Every ghetto youth haffi fly inna di sky like a dove
Cause no one man is an island
But mi two foot ah stand pon di dry land

Cause you have to be strong to survive in di gutter
Times hard, they can’t find dumpling and butter
Caan get stopped by police and stutter
Caan trust di pastor, deacon and usher
Some time mi feel so restricted
Mi feel like, society ah put mi inna box
Ah glorify Clarks and all diamond socks
And still di politician dem ah raise up tax
When I whisper, dem seh dem doh hear mi
And when I shout, dem seh mi have a utter
And when I’m silent dem seh I know nothing
Hard life mi live, mi neva wrap up inna cotton
Mi nah sell out mi soul lak di sweets in di shop
Dem surprise when dem si mi ah wear mi G-Shock
Forward mi seh!
And mi nah look back
Working hard fi put mi name pon di map

I'm searching for peace and joy -
Food and water mi seh fi every girl and boy
I’m fighting for equal rights
Jah Jah light shine bright, get mi through the darkest nights
Mi waan fi mek di world feel love
Every ghetto youth haffi fly inna di sky like a dove
Cause no one man is an island
But mi two foot ah stand pon di dry land

I'm searching for peace and joy -
Food and water mi seh fi every girl and boy
I'm fighting for equal rights
Jah Jah light shine bright, get mi through the darkest nights
Mi waan fi mek di world feel love
Every ghetto youth haffi fly inna di sky like a dove
Cause no one man is an island
But mi two foot ah stand pon di dry land"

I mean . . . Yeah you just . . . You just can't get much better . . . Wow.

Besides that . . . thing, I also took a great interest in some of the other tunes which were new to me. 'One Day At A Time' finds Gappy going all Bob Marley on the people on a kind of a beautifully complex Roots set - I guess, I'd call it more of an inspirational tune, but it’s so straight forward, which is out of the norm for Gappy (if he has a "norm") - and it's excellent. 'The Road' is just odd and I didn’t like it the first (second and third) time I heard it because I didn’t really know what to make of it. But, as I usually do, I started to focus more on what was being said and how it was being put together and, as he does throughout this album, Gappy succeeds on that end, even if the song is Martian-ish (and it is). Far more terrestrial and landlocked is the gorgeous 'Daylight'. I don’t know who produces this song, but this riddim is a work of art and Gappy taps it to the tune of another big love song, perhaps not on the level of the very healthy 'Sweet Love', but not very far from it as well. Finally is another somewhat peculiar tune, 'Better Must Come', but this song is IMMEDIATELY impressive. It is, essentially, a social commentary and while Gappy basically relies on this intentionally monotonous delivery in the early stages of the track and the things that he's saying aren't exactly upful, with the riddim here and just the marriage of vocals and composition, it sounds like a really UPFUL tune to my ears. I do so enjoy songs like that which can create bleak pictures and remedy them before their end. This song picks up throughout and by its end we’ve gone from very solemn and gloomy, to a song which is damn near HAPPY and the closer on "Thanks & Praise" gives the listener a very good feeling on the way out of the door.

'Longtime'

Three things I feel inclined to mention quickly (even though I just forgot one of them let's see if I can remember it . . . Nope. Okay let's try this again)

Two things I feel inclined to mention quickly - The first is just how sonically impressive this album is. I have a digital copy of it (see note at end) and Gappy's voice throughout as well as all of the riddims (even the ones which I’m not particularly fond of) just sound so LOUD and FULL and that's a quality in its own right which adds to the scope of this album in my opinion. The second point I want to stress is one which I also mentioned in regards to "Put The Stereo On". Gappy Ranks is someone who CLEARLY recognizes his position in singing this wonderful music that he loves and that's something that well comes through. It doesn’t matter that he's doing whatever he's doing with his voice (and I don't even think he's doing it as much anymore (or maybe I'm just REALLY used to hearing it at this point)) or if he's singing a DOWN type of a song, you can really tell just how much he enjoys what he's doing and, again, that’s something which makes the music come through better towards the listener.

Gappy Ranks

Overall, it's a big album and it’s one which I'm still well working through. Listening to Gappy Ranks has suddenly become a very HEALTHY thing for me as it gives my ridiculously overactive mind something to deal with - I think this album is much deeper than people are going to give it credit for because, as usual, he provides this big and flaring type of sound and here, as I said, it arguably sounds better than ever in full - but for me the real star is everything which is being said. Also, it kind of makes it difficult to direct a recommendation because if you are a newer fan, you’re unlikely to get out of this album as much as you possibly can . . . But you’re still probably going to enjoy it because it’s vibed so nicely. More initiated fans will, of course, have both and hopefully You'll be able to appreciate it on both ends (although, most unfortunately, I am beginning to notice of a bit of the 'Sean Paul backlash' amongst hardcore fans in regard to Gappy's successes for some truly ridiculous reason). For me, "Thanks & Praise" is a winner and one which I imagine will be more appreciate, even by me, in coming years. And it’s a very good thing Gappy Ranks felt compelled to give everyone the full introduction between two albums - After nine months of releases we should all have it by now - He's one of the most versatile artists around today and he's on his way to doing really significant things in Reggae music. Well done.

Rated: 4.35/5
Hot Coffee Music
2011
Digital
Gappy Ranks @ Facebook
Gappy Ranks @ Twitter

{Note: The CD, reportedly, will be released on June 28 through VP Records}
{Note 2: This review is 3600 words long}
{Note 3: MAD!}

'He Got Next': A Review of "Put The Stereo On" by Gappy Ranks

Isn’t it just always so nice when your patience is rewarded? In the wonderful world of Reggae music it seems often, with as difficult as it apparently is to release a big album, that the power of the ‘big moment’ is sometimes lost and lost forever in many cases. When you have a new artist, rising to power, or perhaps even a more established one, (such as in the example that I’m about to give you) who is on a very strong streak and has either scored the necessary hit or hits to propel himself/herself into big shows, a big tour and bit notoriety, it is so beautiful and CONVENIENT when that album can come in at least somewhat of a proper time frame. Definitely, there have been so many lost moments in Reggae throughout the years, with most glaring being that of the ill-fated Leonard Bartley [bka Merciless], who back around the turn of the century seemed poised to launch himself into the stratosphere of big time Dancehall artists internationally, only to (in one of the most unfortunate situations in recent Dancehall memory) flub it all by seemingly resting on his laurels and just bad decision making. Instead of placing himself in the company of artists like Beenie Man, Bounty Killer (and arguably offering a rebirth to the Killer in the process) and Buju Banton, Merciless would ultimately spend a few years faded into an obscurity probably greater than any he’d known in his career and he still hasn’t re-reached those heights, nearly a decade on. There’re also situations such as what happened with Sasha - after catching extreme hype with Sean Paul, rekindling it a couple of years on with Turbulence (like three different times) - has taken very well to the touring stage, but she never REALLY finished things off by delivering that big album everyone knew (and probably still knows) that she was capable of. But, in my opinion with the times being as they are, bad economy and particularly bad musical economy, we’ve now, just this year, seen two very big and fairly well timed pieces from both Gyptian with ”Hold You” and Romain Virgo’s self-titled debut, both of which were in HIGH demand at the time of their releases and seemed to come up and come off without a hitch. Unsurprisingly, both of those albums came via VP Records and it’s also to no surprise that we revisit the best Caribbean music label in the world for yet another VERY well timed release from the scalding hot UK export, Gappy Ranks, who takes full advantage of his shot with his full length debut, ”Put The Stereo On”.

The UK being one thing - Gappy Ranks’ hype over the past eighteen months or so has been easily the biggest of any UK artist (the only artist even being close is Mr. Williamz and because I’m such a fan of his, I’m probably biased in calling it “close”) - But you could also take that even further and approximate it to a degree which includes VERY few artists (one of which is certainly Gyptian and another would be someone like Mavado) in the whole of Reggae music and say that over that same timeframe, Gappy has been one of the biggest Reggae artists in the entire world. Fans worldwide initially took notice of the very unusually talented Gappy via two large hits (more on both of them later) (one in absentia) and they’ve subsequently propelled him and (other young UK talents) into becoming this very nice long awaited shift in UK Reggae. For the most part, we’ve been looking at the likes of Chukki Starr, Tippa Irie, Lloyd Brown and the likes as the faces of Reggae in England for a VERY longtime, while awaiting the next class to come forth and Gappy Ranks’ gapped tooth grin has largely been the international face of quite a few very strong younger talents, stepping forth to refresh things. He’s also managed to create a very very unusual style in the process. The closest name I could come up with, in terms of a comparison, would be Demarco (and if you know ANYTHING about Demarco, you know that comparisons to him are very loose, to say the least) because, despite the fact that he’s not, it almost sounds like Gappy is using autotune ALL the time with this kind of ‘built-in’ echo in his voice. It’s grown on me over the time and obviously I’m not the only one. All of that has gone to make his debut album, ”Put The Stereo On” for Greensleeves Records (under VP) one of the most anticipated projects of 2010, in the hardcore and international Reggae sense and I’m imagining that he’s also going to get a bit of attention from mainstream circles as well. Now, hardcore heads may call the album overdue and not actually capitalizing on his greatest hype, but I disagree. For what Gappy is (first and foremost, he’s ‘off radar’ because he’s a UK artist and that means it takes him longer to not only develop an international following, which is essential for a big label, but also to develop some consistency as an artist, which is even more essential, perhaps) I think the album comes at a very nice time and should he stick around for awhile (and he will), he also has the opportunity to return the Greensleeves brand to prominence in my opinion - Signing up the top talent from the UK - and you may also recall the rumour that spread earlier in 2010 that he had actually left the label, but thankfully that proved to be untrue (but were fueled negatively when Ranks dropped an EP, ”Rising Out of The Ghetto“ on Hot Coffee Music). The album comes with a very nice surprise, although one less shocking after having become more and more acquainted with Gappy’s vibes - The production is handled by the well respected UK based label, Peckings. If you know anything at all about the label, surely you’re very familiar with the fact that it is their specialty to rebirth (very) old school riddims, particularly Studio One pieces, and offer them to the talent of today and while, at least seemingly, that wouldn’t meld too well with Gappy’s inborn electricity based style, things are not always as they seem to be. Gappy Ranks CLEARLY had a great time making this album and enjoyed the experience and that is the clearest of the many qualities present on ”Put The Stereo On”, to my opinion.

What is also pretty clear, to me at least, in listening to the album is just how much of a FAN of Reggae music Gappy Ranks obviously is. Reportedly, the offspring of a parentage which is half-Jamaican and half-Dominican, the UK grown Gappy OBVIOUSLY caught the Reggae bug from a very young age and it has guided him so wonderfully far in music. It’s even managed to get Gappy Ranks as high as the ‘Mountain Top’ which is where he begins his debut full length album, ”Put The Stereo On”. This intoxicating tune was a pretty sizable previous hit for Ranks and it’s pretty easy to see why. For me, the most fascinating set about the tune is the very interesting way it is written. On one hand, the ‘mountain top’ is exactly what you might expect it to be - Rising to the top of something, in this case music - But on the other hand, Gappy also seems to use it as a place to get away from get away from things and just take it easy. So, I’m sure there’s some beautiful connector in there and I’m also just as sure that your brain won’t be nearly as overactive as mine is and you’ll just enjoy this sweet opener. I am much less beautifully confounded by the next tune in, ‘Heaven In Your Eyes’, which was one of Gappy’s aforementioned pair of big hits. I’m go ahead (SHAMELESSLY) to admit to being pretty familiar with this tune before it struck in my brain that the tune came over a cut of Marley’s timeless Soul Rebel Riddim and this is even more curious because I absolutely LOVE this song. It has a quality to it that I’m going to call ‘LOUD’ and it becomes this kind of atypical love song which literally throws itself at the listener. It’s the best tune you’ll find on the whole of ”Put The Stereo On” and unless the man has been hiding some really strong shit, it’s the best tune of Gappy’s career to date. BIG BIG SONG. And next through the door is the title track, which took a minute to grow on me (had to REALLY get into those lyrics), but now that it has, I’m calling it another big effort from the UK artist. The tune is built upon Peckings’ cut of the old Hot Milk Riddim and this one goes directly back to what I meant when I said that it’s obvious that Gappy is a really big FAN of the music and you can get into this record and see just how far things go back for him.

“Daddy, please I beg you put the stereo on
Take out the 45 and play di Studio One”

The tune finds him clearly just recounting some of his very musical childhood and probably captures exactly when and how he first caught the vibes which will subsequently aid Gappy in growing up and offering up this BIG start to his debut album.

To build up on tunes like the title track on - As far as how COOL it is that Gappy Ranks so much seems to be a fan of this music, just as much as a performer of it - There’re three other tunes on ”Put The Stereo On” which also convey this quality (and I’m DEFINITELY calling it a quality) and do so wonderfully. Going sequentially, Gappy first channels the late, great Clive Bright [bka Tenor Saw] on the very impressive ‘Pumpkin Belly’, speaking do all the NASTY and GREEDY living people of the world, who fight against righteous and decent living people. The tune proves to be one of the most impressive lyrical presentations on the whole of the album to my ears and it certainly doesn’t stop there. Later on, we come across a tune in ‘Rude Bwoy’, which is borderline genius. The song is a very thinly veiled ode to Bob Marley, but if you listen to how Gappy goes about ‘veiling’ the basis for the tune, it’s just a very strong idea and one, I would imagine, that he had probably somewhere in the back of his head for quite some time before getting a chance to record (and for his album, no less).

“Mi Daddy dun murder di sheriff
All mi life mi ah look fi di deputy
Mi par wid di Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta
Dat mean seh no fool can step to me
Here comes di Natural Mystic with its Small Axe
Mi run ova stumbling blocks
Di journey long, but mi ready fi di Exodus!
No, Woman Don’t Cry, come flex wid us”

And if you haven’t figured it out (then you’re slow), Gappy links together various tunes and situations from Marley’s life to end up making a very very strong tune, one of the album’s finest, indeed. And lastly on this note is the final tune on the album, ‘Soul Rebel’, which not only once again finds Gappy utilizing the Soul Rebel Riddim, but it also finds him finding a link with the most impressive Nereus Joseph! If you read my work to any degree then you’re well aware that I have been a big fan of the St. Lucian born Joseph’s from since he dropped his EPIC album last year, ”Real Rebels Can’t Die” and he does nothing on this tune to make me feel to pull back from celebrating his vibes, because this tune is EXCELLENT. Putting these two together (and on a ‘rebel tune’ no less) was an excellent idea and, whenever Joseph is back again with a new project (hopefully next year), maybe Gappy will return the musical favour (and it must be said that later in the tune, Gappy absolutely breaths FIRE on his verses).

As for the other half of ”Put The Stereo On”, while less eye-catching, on paper, is just as strong, if not stronger in some respects (two in particular). Check ‘Happiest Day Of My Life’, a kind of ‘funky’ love song which has grown on me considerably from the first time I heard it. It’s just a really cool track - Kind of a fluffier version of ‘Heaven In Your Eyes’ and a very nice tune on its own merits to my opinion. The Stingray produced ‘Little Understanding’ may just be my least favourite tune on the album, but . . . Well I still kind of like it. By no means is the VERY straight forward tune a bad song and, like I said, it’s pretty good, but I see it having great difficulty trying to standout on this album. But maybe it’s such a song best left to the most observant and keenest of ears. You’ll take the head-straight ways of that tune and lead directly into the subtly DAZZLING ‘Thy Shall Love’, which will DEFINITELY should have no problem finding an audience and standing out on the album at all. The vocals on this one (maybe it’s just me) seem to, intentionally, be a bit different than the rest of the tunes on the album - It literally sounds like Gappy is standing right next to you singing the song - And what he’s singing is a bit biblical, a bit social commentary and bit of a BIG tune as well. And there’s also the strong ‘So Lost’ which is, essentially, a social commentary at its core, but the way Gappy goes about building such a tune, in this case, is very interesting and what I would say is to almost approach this one as an A cappella tune (although the riddim is HEAVY) because the lyrics are most crucial in this case and you wouldn’t want to miss a thing.

And finally are the two last HUGE tunes on ”Put The Stereo On”, ‘Musical Girl’ and ‘Heavy Load’. ‘Musical Girl’ is DIVINE! I hadn’t heard that tune prior to this album and I think I got about just halfway through the second spin of it before I realized that I was REALLY dealing with something special here. Of course, I’m more familiar with ‘Heavy Load’ although I didn’t recognize it as a Maximum Sound production until quite recently (should’ve been on ”Bobo Revolution 2”). I shouldn’t have to say much for this well-rinsed (and justly so) tune at this point - It’s HUGE! It’s a big big track and at this still very early stage of Gappy Ranks’ career it stands not only as a signature song from him, but one which he may’ve applied to his own life in terms of the message.

I’d be screwing up if I didn’t at least attempt to address the absence of ‘Stinkin’ Rich’, arguably Gappy Ranks’ biggest hit to date, from the album. You could say that it isn’t good planning (or good business sense) to leave such a tune off the album in this case, but given the vibes being largely old school on the album, that post-modern type of tune certainly wouldn’t have fit and I think they did well not to include and sacrifice common sense for the sake of just having another big tune on the album when it didn’t work. Not only that, but in the most recent glory days for Greensleeves Records, right after the turn of the century or so, they had no problem releasing annual albums for the likes of Sizzla and Elephant Man, so although times have clearly changed, if ”Put The Stereo On” does prove to be commercially successful, I’d think it a pretty good idea if they dropped another, more Dancehall friendly, album from the very versatile artist.

Overall, while it does remain to be seen if it will actually sell (I think it will), Gappy Ranks’ debut album, critically speaking, is a real winner. When you look at it, it’s so unusual and so REFRESHING that the album goes in the way that it does. This almost comes in like a ‘concept’ album, with so much of it being on a similar, old school, type of vibes. It seems like something someone might do after being a few albums deep into a career, not with their very first shot, especially not when they have as much range as Gappy does. Obviously the man (and his label) is just that comfortable with his abilities so as to not feel the need to give the very typical wide reaching type of debut album as you normally hear from debuting artists. And also, I feel inclined to mention again what I said before - You can REALLY tell how much FUN Gappy has singing his music and prior to this album, at least for me, that isn’t a quality which stood out as much as it does here and that, alone, can give his music a certain bit of individuality, apart from many of his more rigid and mechanical peers. ”Put The Stereo On” proves to be one of the most intriguing debut albums from an artist in Gappy Ranks whose time to shine has most certainly arrived.

Rated: 4.35/5
Greensleeves Records
2010
CD & Digital

Gappy Ranks @ Myspace