Check It #39

"Children Of Jah" by Midnite [Rastar Records]

'Children of Jah'

It's been an awfully long time from last we heard from Vaughn Benjamin and Midnite! There last album, the much overlooked "In Awe" arrived wayyyyyyyyyy back in January! That's a full five months with no new album! Well, the extended hiatus from recording is now over as Benjamin delivers the suddenly highly anticipated new album, "Children Of Jah". The project finds the link recurring with Midnite's most active collaborant (that is not a word, but it should be!) these days, Rastar Records (too lazy to count now, but I'd say this album would mark the sixth or seventh output of that union) (a quick check does reveal it to probably be the seventh). I haven't gotten all the way into this one just yet, but it seems to be quite strong to my ears and it may also have a chance at being the actual best Midnite/Rastar Records album to date. Of course this record is pretty popular these days, because it's Midnite, but just like their first album of the year, I'm expecting a great deal of substance to go along with it.

CD + Digital

{Going on break pretty soon, but may slap a review on this one before we leave}

The Most Royal Riddim [Maximum Sound]

Riddim Mix

Big UK label, Maximum Sound, is back at work with their latest creation, the gorgeous Most Royal Riddim which, in its brevity, makes a very large impact via five big tunes from five big names. The riddim itself is a big and VIBRANT Roots set which plays a fantastic backdrop to the likes of Sizzla Kalonji, Tarrus Riley, Agent Sasco, Ce'Cile and Christopher Martin. Really liking what I'm hearing on this. Certainly wish there was MORE, but the five here seem excellent and also playing a part is the genius that is Stephen 'Lenky' Marsden. See for yourself and pick up the Most Royal Riddim from Maximum Sound today.

Digital

{Also available on 7”singles}

The Jungle Skunk Riddim [IrieVibrations Records]

And we're back again. We dealt with the wonderful people at IrieVibrations just recently for their big new release from Anthony B, "Freedom Fighter" and now they're back with a new riddim album as well for one of the label's staples - the Jungle Skunk Riddim. Joining Anthony B are big names such as Luciano (who has the single best moment on the track to my ears, 'Hard Road'), Perfect, Konshens & Delus, new friends Kabaka Pyramid and Ras Muhammad and others. Again, we wish we had more of this one also (and a clean version of the riddim!), but we'll take what we can get because this thing was BEAUTIFUL. 

Digital

"The Ultimate" [Tad's Records]

Now - It's time for the 2012 installment of Tad's Records' annually overstuffed Dancehall & Reggae compilation (mainly the former this year), "The Ultimate" (apparently it ditched the year this time around in the official title). There shouldn't be much needed to be said here, you already know what to expect, there's just the matter of WHO to expect it from. I-Octane, Mavado, Popcaan, Kartel, Lady Saw, Konshens and a copious amount of Baby Cham highlight. 

CD 

{Obviously they'll release this digitally very soon, if not already today}

The Speak Out Riddim [Asid Reignz Music]

Asid Reignz Music is saying a hello in a big way through their own new creation the blazing Speak Up Riddim. The label, which has roots in Zimbabwe (thus the cover) is jumping up on the shoulders of a headed straight back to early 2000's style Dancehall. Names like Beenie Man, Spragga Benz and Mr. Easy help  in that as well (the latter of the three may have had something else to do with this one because he actually voices for it THREE times, including two solo tracks). Konshens, Esco, Gappy Ranks (on the sublime 'Ugly Face')and others also abound on this set which his ACTUAL Dancehall and has my full support! BIG!

Digital

"Zétwal Nwè" by Slikee [Black Star]

'Tou Sèl'

Next we have something which I was well pretty surprised (in a good way) to see floating around digitally. "Zétwal Nwè", an album from well talented veteran singer/chanter Slikee (to my knowledge, it's his only album to date) from out of Gwada, had to have originally arrived a few years back (2009 maybe) or so, but I never had the opportunity to hear the full album and I don't know anyone else who has either. Well, now you can pick it up digitally. Listening through some of the tracks and it's damn impressive. Not a lot in the way of big names jumping on board along, but it does contain more than its share of big tracks, like the maddening 'Rasinn é Kilti' alongside Tonekimai (biggup the DJ, having a nice year this year) and the GOLDEN 'Tou Sèl'. 

CD + Digital

"Soca Is Life" by Scrappy (EP) [Faluma]

Scrappy is back for the first time in . . . a really long time with another new project from Faluma (who we also haven't heard from in more than a little while) (and who NEVER did deliver the launcher). The veteran Soca performer from out of Montserrat (or "Monster Rat" as my Daughter says) is now making a point which I've been saying for YEARS, "Soca Is Life" and doing it over the course of four tunes. Scrappy is somewhat of a trailblazer, because he's been doing the digital thing for some time now and it's wonderful that he's still doing it these days. 

Digital 

"Spread Some Love" by Jah Nyne (EP) [Mealy Records/Zojak Worldwide]

Jah Nyne from out of The Bahamas played a big hand in 2011 with his sterling debut set, "Holdin A Vybe" and obviously he wasn't comfortable (or Mealy Records wasn't) with leaving it there, so he's back in 2012 with a big EP. As it is seven songs in length and shares only a pair with the album as far as I can see, had "Spread Some Love" arrived last year instead of the album (and I didn't know about said album), I would have been pleased! This set taps other big tunes, namely 'In The Name of Jah', and is just a nice general 'companion piece' to the album. So check it out.

Digital

Heartical

Heartical, from out of France is another label doing big things these days and, for them, it's three big singles which we're looking at these days. First is one which we told you about last week as Zareb comes through with 'Heart of Mankind'. I actually have had the pleasure of hearing the full tune now (because Bredz bought it IMMEDIATELY) and it's a lovely social commentary from the singer (who is sounding very Yami Bolo-ish these days). And they also have 'Rub A Dub Session' from General Levy, as well as 'Mental Slavery' from Lloyd Parks & Joseph Cotton. The second of those also includes Parks' classic 'Slaving' and all three of these selections tap that legendary composition which Heartical also did a full fledged album for a few years back - none of these tunes appeared there. We don't normally cover stuff like this, but I really enjoy the first tune and I'm looking forward to hearing the next two. Beat me to it and pick all three up right now.

Digital

'Vampire Slayer' by Ras Attitude & Batch (single) [West Coast Studios]

And finally is another piece which we've mentioned previously, but is now widely available as Virgin Islands superpowers Ras Attitude and Batch link up again for a powerful tune, 'Vampire Slayer'. The song is one which Tarrus Riley would approve of (it's an acoustic) and it puts all bloodsuckers on notice than their time soon come to an end.

“Man a vampyah slayer

Man a Dracula slayer”

An EXCELLENT song and one which you really should already have! So get it and everything else on this list! Right now! WHAT!

Digital

'So Royal': A review of "Mecoustic" by Tarrus Riley

Quality in abundance. We talk a lot about the subject of artist development, progression and a general career trajectory because it's truly one of the most interesting aspects of being a fan of music. To watch someone  go from originally defining their sound, to having a big tune and eventually ending up here with a big picture and a billion words describing their album - it's probably one of the greatest, yet most common, journeys music can take you on. Somewhere in there is also another factor with which we tend to discuss to a large degree and that is how one manages to distinguish themselves from the pack of artists in their particular genre. Just recently we dealt with Perfect Giddimani who is someone we watched and heard go through this same process in the past few years before wonderfully coming in with this style which is so very much his own. Beyond that still (going DEEP today to make this point) is the examination of another quality which Perfect has enjoyed and that's STAR quality. There's something which, in my opinion, differentiates even the GREAT even from the VERY GOOD and that's a quality which comes through in someone's music and literally guides it into the minds of the listener. Call it 'CLASS', which is a term I've used for it in the past. Call it 'PRESENCE'. Call it whatever you like, when certain artists play a tune, it's clear to even the most unseasoned of listeners that whatever the mythical "it" is - THIS person has IT in excess. An example??? Of course you should look at someone like Tarrus Riley who has not only been on the proverbial top of his game, but has been on the top of ANYONE'S in Roots Reggae for the past few years. At the heart of his success has been . . . The fact that he makes wonderful music (just a guess!). And his style is one which is far from the grimy edginess of people like Sizzla, Capleton, Anthony B and others - an older class of heads of the subgenre - Tarrus Riley is a powerhouse of REFINED excellence. At its best, his music, each and every tune, sounds like it was painstakingly crafted by some master orchestral maestro to perfection before being given to the masses. And when you have all of that going for you, when you literally CANNOT take an upward step, because no such direction exists for you, sometimes it can be nice to go in a different direction. 

Such a shift would only occur after what has already been such a STELLAR career. Three full albums and countless big singles in and Tarrus Riley is simply playing a much different game than almost any of his peers. Of course, with such (warranted) acclaim (which has been nearly universal in Riley's case), expectations run high as well and I don't think that I would be incorrect in assuming that the major expectation in 2012 for the vocalist was to do yet another big album. Following "Challenges", "Parables" and his most recent record (and finest to my ears), "Contagious", you would also think Riley capable, at this stage, in pushing a project which has a TIMELESS quality to it. Well maybe he has done that. But he didn't do it in the way we were expecting.  

"Challenges" [2004/2008], "Parables" [2006] & "Contagious" [2009]

 You'd anticipate something in the way of the last album - a STERLINGLY high-powered piece of modern Roots Reggae mastery - but that's not what "Mecoustic" is. Billed as his most personal project to date, this album, as its most wonderful title would suggest, is one featuring songs stripped down and done acoustically. The obvious comparison to be made here goes back a few years to when Stephen Marley followed up his 2007 album, "Mind Control" a couple of years on with an acoustic version of the release (subsequently, effectively, earning himself two Reggae Grammy Awards with the same damn album) (biggup the Grammy's) (not really), but this one is something even more different than THAT. What happened with "Mecoustic" involves Riley and his legendary producer, Dean Fraser, working on an album which would not only include hits given back to the masses in a sublime new method, but new tunes as well. NEW TARRUS RILEY music is a big deal, in any case, and doing that for an album of this variety is really a fantastic addition. Furthermore, more surprises abound when you consider that previously Riley's trio of albums, in one way or another, arrived via VP Records (with the previously all but invisible "Challenges", his actual debut, being re-released by the label after "Parables" caught fire), who're nowhere to be found on this project. "Mecoustic" comes via Soulbeats Records from out of France (although there're about one-thousand label logos on the back of this album). It's pretty hard to imagine VP turning down such an idea, but the fact that it is where it is (and that Riley hasn't had a piece on the label in nearly three years), at least for a moment, gave me some hope that . . . Someway we might get to do this twice in 2012. I'm fairly sure that's not going  to happen, but after sifting through this album, there's probably enough here to keep me happy for another three years (only if I had to wait though), because, as expected, "Mecoustic" is STUNNING! In one of the press pieces I read for the album, Fraser mentioned that one of the driving forces behind doing the album (which he said took an entire year to complete) was to, essentially, give more casual fans the opportunity to REALLY grasp the messages in some of the songs outside of a more stereotypically Reggae approach and sound, by streamlining the sound. But for you people like You and I, it also allows for a captivating quick trip back to some true modern classics and a very different display of one of the genre's bonafide modern greats.  

I wonder if it says more about "Mecoustic" or just "Me" (did you catch that?) when I tell you that I listened to the lion's share of this record with tears STREAMING down the my face. Certain album's, and just tunes in general, really just get me like that at times (biggup Stevy Mahy) for some reason and this is definitely the latest of those . The tap behind my face gets started along with the album on the stirring opener, 'Larger Than Life', from the "Challenges" album (where it was also the opener). This song has always been all kinds of interesting and the biggest reason isn't even the actual SOUND of the tune - actually it's probably one of the least sonically impressive tunes in that area, but it is spectacular! The message here is a story of a man whose head has gotten far too big. What I got here is no matter how big you think you are or how big you may actually be, your knowledge, your power and your ability is still NOTHING when compared to that of The Almighty. Riley is saying to BE HUMBLE and he uses one amazing way to get the story across. Next in is a definite highlight as Tarrus Riley links with his father, Jimmy Riley, on the tear inducing 'Black Mother Pray'. The tune is somewhat of a SAD one (it's been awhile from last I've said that about a song), but it well picks up throughout, still remaining quite said, arguably, but having this golden larger appeal to it simultaneously. There is a spectre of hope behind the vibes, so it isn't full on depressing, but again, this song is really nice. 

And then there's the BOOM.

“Now I

Never been someone shy

Until I seen your eyes

Still I had to try”

Those are the opening line of the now DEVASTATING 'She's Royal' which absolutely rules this album to my ears. As I was trying to make the point of the artist in question here having some type of grand quality which sets him apart from just about anyone, this song has it too (it may even have more than Riley does!). This version has a sound of something important about it and it is. It's probably the greatest musical celebration of womankind that exists in any genre of music and in this version it sounds more special. 

I was really interested to see just which tunes "Mecoustic" chose. While the presence of some were totally predictable (like 'She's Royal' and the next one I'm going to tell you about), that of a couple of the others were surprising and, ultimately, some work here which you may not have imagined would or at least not this well. Personally, I immediately gravitated towards a tune which comes with a slight twist, 'Marcus Garvey'. I was sure that this was actually 'Love Created I', which is one of my two favourite Tarrus Riley song's ever (the other being 'King Selassie H.I.M.') (if THAT song were on this album, I would've had some serious problems). Here, despite some lyrical differentiations (which aren't entirely unexpected), it's still an amazingly beautiful song.  Not far behind is another slightly changed tune in 'Eye Sight' which was originally 'I Sight' from "Contagious". This version really made me re-appreciate just how much I loved the initial set (after going back and listening to it several dozens of times, of course), but it just may be better than the original. This track is THUNDEROUS! It's almost overwhelming at times and I'm not complaining - that Riley almost seems to be throwing this song at the listener. 'System Set' also comes with a bit of thunder of its own in the form of extremely gifted Dub poet, Cherry Natural (biggup D'bi Young). It's been awhile from the last time I've listened to any version of this one and it really, once again, reminds you of just how much you used to enjoy and look forward to enjoying it in the future. Check 'One Two Order' which I was really anticipating hearing - to see if they could possibly recapture what has to be one of the most LIVELY Roots sets that you're going to hear in the modern era. They did! "They did" an even more impressive job on the GORGEOUS 'Africa Awaits' which is a real highlight here (and anywhere else you may find it). This track just has so many different facets to it that it becomes such a VAST experience of a song and you have to take notice. The chorus on it, when it reaches its peak, cannot possibly be missed. And there's also a rendition of 'Other Half'. This is probably my least favourite selection on "Mecoustic", but I wasn't terribly fond of the original either. Still, I will say that this is the better of the two, to my opinion. And you should also recognize 'Pick Up The Pieces' and . . . Okay I'm tired of saying "beautiful tune" or something like that so . . . Yeah. Another one. 

'If It's Jah Will'

Still, the most expected move here has to be 'If It's Jah Will' which seems to be a more enthused version of the original on"Challenges", but that's it. The first form was also acoustic and it develops into a standout here, so much so in fact, that I believe it was the first official single for this album. It's another flawless moment on an album which really doesn't need any help in that spectrum. It gets even more of an arsenal in the wicked 'Devil's Appetite'.

“Devil’s appetite - open wider

Belly of the beast - getting larger 

So many things to distract you from Jah

How many souls yeah, will fall short?

Shots all around, hope you know that my friend

And in HIM, you can depend

Devil’s appetite - open wider

And the belly of the beast is getting larger

Don’t be careless now, he’ll devour you

And chances are, you won’t recover”

Riley wages his own personal holy war against evil and attempts to sway those who are lead to nastiness. There's a whole heap of attractive things here and the biggest is probably the pacing of the song. It's subtly very upful to my ears, but in a way which 'persuades' the audience to listen more intently - something which is EXTREMELY rare. I saw 'Paradise', but it wasn't what I though it was going to be, but it is still a nice tune. This is a changeup because it really is not an acoustic offering. There're horns and big drums and a group of backing singers and every thing, so it stands out. I don't find myself, however, complaining that Riley broke form in including it. And finally, after a spiritual 'break' of sorts (where we get the DRUMS!), the . . . beautiful 'Whispers' wraps up "Mecoustic". If you track down the first vibe of this tune, you'll quickly notice how powerful that song is and here, once again, we have a step up from even that level. At its core, it is a social commentary, which 'unveils' itself as we go along and it is one MIGHTY way to end an album!

Tarrus Riley

Overall, the first thing on my mind right now in regards to this album is just how OBVIOUSLY important it was to Tarrus Riley to do (and Dean Fraser). We look at things in terms of being in the moment, and we'll also do that here, but in doing that you can't ignore what's behind it. He's been working on this album, indirectly, for his entire career - with all of the older material on it and I look at "Mecoustic" as not being a LANDMARK for him, but definitely a 'checkpoint' of a kind. Next, what can we start to expect from Riley in the future? One can only assume that at some point we'll get the inevitable Greatest Hits release, but until then, can we maybe have a live album? Is this album he sign of a grander deviation from the norm for the singer? Or maybe he'll just give us another studio album. Also on my mind is just how much this sound opens up a few of these tunes, especially the opener, and it may prove to give some of them a second wind. Regardless of all of that, however, what we have in "Mecoustic" is an absolutely dazzling release from an artist in Tarrus Riley who has shown himself to have a little something extra and at this point, whatever he does is almost guaranteed to be amazing. Now excuse me as I wipe my face. Superb. 

Rated: 4.85/5
Soulbeats Records
2012
CD + Digital
{Note: Releases worldwide on June 26}

Review #370

'Echoes': A review of "The Chant" by Sizzla Kalonji

Standing on the road to perfection. When it comes to actually ranking or rating an album or an artist or a song, I like to think that I have some type of subconscious, but consistent, scale of reference hidden somewhere way back in my mind. Depending on the particular genre in question, I think that I can somewhat ask myself something along the lines of 'but is this better than that?' - "that", of course being something on my scale which, to me, has shown itself of such an amazing quality that I will refer to it/him/her as prototypes of that particular genre - PERFECT examples. For an actual event of this the easiest one which comes to my is the case of a modern Roots Reggae compilation. From now indefinitely looking forward, my place of reference begins with "Joyful Noise". If you want to do something special, do that! Similarly, I have heard unblemished Dancehall music, it exists in prime level Beenie Man and a version of Lady Saw at her vintage best in the late 1990's/early 2000's when she would absolutely destroy a riddim. And should you want to make an impact on me by making an insane level of frenetic Soca music, you'll have to see Destra, Fay-Ann Lyons or Bunji Garlin - that's what I'm expecting from you. And, in the scope of Roots Reggae music, the scale of comparison is and will always be Sizzla Kalonji. Not only that, but in terms of being musically "perfect" in the sense of an absolution [irrespective of genre], for me at least, Sizzla is prevailing scale. If you want to be without flaw doing any type of music, the first thing I do in my mind is to compare you to a vintage and prime level Sizzla Kalonji who, in that state, made a brand of music which was full-on genius. Around here we deal with a lot of words and lyrics, obviously, and I can fully say that, even today, listening to some of the best of the chanter, I'm still hearing and noticing idiosyncrasies which are making words revered as being TIMELESS, even that much more without a designated era. He also had a grandly developed sense of melody which made that music entertaining as well and, as I've said in the past, Sizzla made music which changed an entire genre and it changed my life. At his very best, in my mind, this man has no musical peer.  

Sizzla Kalonji & Dr. Cave

And sometimes we can go back. Through years and years of doing . . . other shit, I've gotten to the point where I'll happily listen to almost anything Sizzla does and not really care too much if it's awful. I'll review it (maybe) or talk about it and if I think that it's bad, I'll tell you - no big deal. HOWEVER, I go into just about every song and definitely every album hoping that the vintage level Sizzla Kalonji, who I'll still continue to maintain is somewhere in there, will make an appearance. He's done that a few times in recent years on songs primarily (especially a few times last year, pinnacling on a fine album release in "The Scriptures"), but his first album of 2012 figured to be a more conscious shift in an extremely familiar direction. 

"Caveman Culture Sound Vol. 1" [2009]

"The Chant". This album was very interesting because it once again featured Kalonji going in the direction of doing a full album for one of his earliest mentors and good friends, following 2009's fairly well received "Crucial Times" for Homer Harris (and I guess you could also add the sterling "Ghetto Youth-ology", for the Firehouse Crew, to that as well). This time he's linked up with 'Dr. Cave', Everton Moore, with whom the artist made some of the initial moves in his musical career and who definitely played a large role in giving us the bonafide legend as he exists today. "The Chant" was far and away the most discussed of Sizzla's two albums for early 2012 (and one EP), the other being the very solid "In Gambia", and it has also become one of the most talked-about out of the entire giant vat of wonderfulness 2012 has given us. This was partially due, in my opinion, to the background of the project which was reportedly (just like its 'sibling') hatched during a tour of Afrika (duh!) which inspired Sizzla to do fantastic work and there you have an album recorded partially on the continent and in Caveman Studios. The project is also officially released via Afro-Jam Music from out of Germany who has gone to the excellent stages of actually placing it out not only on vinyl, but in a TRULY WICKED move, they've also released a CD/Vinyl combination package of "The Chant" which offers you the . . . Album on . . . CD and vinyl (just in case that wasn't clear in anyway). So obviously they had big things in mind when they placed it on the shelves and although the reaction that we've seen has been quite mixed (get ready for more mixing!), like I said, there has been so much buzz surrounding this album that one would  think, ostensibly, that it has provided for at least the hope of a commercial success. Also, both Caveman Studios and Afro-Jam came together to put out "Caveman Culture Sound Vol. 1", a STRONG compilation which would not only include nice efforts from the likes of Mikey General, Lutan Fyah, Norris Man and Fred Locks, but also two selections from Kalonji which would ultimately appear on this album. That piece was probably one of the more overlooked compilations over the past few years, considering what was on it, but I would imagine that it, too, was getting another run following the release of "The Chant". As for me, as I said, my own main personal interest in this album, besides the fact that it's a new Kalonji album which is far more than enough to get my attention ("new album" will generally work on me), was in hoping that we'd get a chance to hear that most brilliant of vintage Sizzla Kalonji being that he was working with someone who, essentially, helped to create that artist. While we clearly didn't get that, in full, what we did get were flashes of 'him' and his most devastating of abilities and talents. Let's take a listen. 

"The Chant" album announcement

While I was definitely hoping for something in particular from this album and maybe even expecting it to a degree, you don't really start listening to an album like "The Chant" and imagine that you're going to hear a noticeable shift in direction or focus from Sizzla. First of all, in having several thousand albums, there aren't many topics that he hasn't covered that he cares to talk about at this point and you also don't figure to get . . . "Addicted" from a Sizzla/Caveman link either. So, the tune which gets us started on the album, the sublime (albeit a big strange) 'Chanting Rastaman', was entirely predictable. This tune is probably just a small amount of BITE away from being a great one, but for what it is, a fairly broad spiritually charged social commentary, it's more than good enough to get things steered in a proper direction. The course it does set is in is in the way of the sweet 'Jah Made It Possible', a tune which I probably listened to somewhere around a dozen times COMPLETELY enamoured with its fantastically simple riddim before I even got around to the song's actual lyrics. 

“Jah made it

Jah made it

Jah made it possible

Jah move it 

Jah move it

Jah move all obstacles” 

Of the several statements I'm left with after taking in the whole of this chant, this is probably one of the longest living and most significant. The song is exactly what the title would indicate it is and although, again, it is rather broad, it's broad in an all-encompassing sense and clearly not in the lack of focus manner and it's also one of the finest moments on the album. Things go even higher on the next track up 'How Come', on which Kalonji features alongside Jah Seed from out of South Africa (I believe Jah Seed is originally from Zimbabwe). This thing is HEAVY! The song has an inherit immediate attraction because Seed is someone whose voice simply refuses to abate and it subsequently goes on to become one of the most dynamically vibed selections on the album. 'How Come', to my knowledge, originated on Seed's album from a couple of years back, "No Surrender, No Retreat" (which shouldn't be too difficult to find should you want it) (and you might) and it's a beautiful creation. The tune, at its core, speaks to the lasting qualities of a people and does it in a SPLENDID fashion and definitely biggup Jah Seed. The album's other combination which comes later on, is the album's obligatory herbalist track, 'Smoke Marijuana'. This tune features veteran Wippa Demus and singer Halloway. It's not my favourite song on the album, but I will say that this may've been a lot of fun if it were a solo track or just with Demus - there's just too much going on here, ultimately. 

Beginning at it's second track, to my opinion "The Chant" really picks up a fine pacing which it holds for quite awhile. 'How Come' is a big tune as are the FOUR which follow it. First in that quartet is 'Put Away The Weapons'. This song is instantly noteworthy because it utilizes the Soul Rebel Riddim for a message which is a little antiviolence and a little spiritual upfulness as well. 

“Put away the weapons yah

Wi no really deh pon weh dem deh pon yah

Babylon only waan you fi war

Babylon no waan di youths dem shine like star

Wi no come fi destroy, mi only come fi build

Hey babylon I tell yah seh be still

Hey babylon you mek di blood dem spill

I tell yuh di guns only mek a kill

Pretty Black Woman yeah she birth yah soul

True babylon, dem no worthy soul

Children ah listen to my words and all

That’s why babylon ah try hurt yah soul” 

Speaking of spiritual food (biggup Natural Black) (WHO!) (biggup Khago too, the most recent graduate of the prestigious Leonard Bartley School of Making Friends) (how one manages to have problems with BUSHMAN, Sasco and Sizzla in the span of a few weeks is just remarkable) (Queen Ifrica - you may be next!) (I digress), the next two selections on "The Chant" (which I continuously call "IChant" for some reason) (biggup Bunji Garlin) are both of the tunes which featured on the aforementioned "Caveman Culture Sound Vol. 1" record, the bright and bouncy 'Zimbabwe' and the STERLING 'Hungry Children'. It's the former which has probably gotten the most attention of the two, largely, I suspect, because of its very controversial back story, but it's also a nice song as well.

“Zimbabwe!

Her weh mi seh

Chant, plant and pray

Zimbabwe!

Hear weh mi seh

My love is with you everyday

Clean up di city

Clean up di place

Black people you gotta beautiful face

Babylon only want to see di people go to waste

Babylon only want to see you shamed and disgraced

Community service: Protect di area

Everybody play ya part

Share and care yah

Nurses, doctors start to prepare yah

Get rid of cholera and malaria”

Still, I think it's the latter which is the stronger of the two (it was also the best song on the "CCSV1" album). The riddim, the tune itself, everything here works in a damn near PERFECT and blissful marriage of the vibes. 'Hungry Children' is a POWERFUL piece and were I not COMPLETELY devoid of even a marginal amount of common sense (and I most certainly am), I would call it the album's best. 'System Crash' which helps itself to even more of the greatest vault in Reggae music, this time for the Rat Race Riddim, is also an excellent tune, albeit a pretty strange one to my ears. There's a point on the chorus of this tune (which is its best part) where I just fell in love with it and while that surely has more to do with the riddim than the full song - who cares!

Sizzla Kalonji at Caveman

'Look What's Happening' doesn't get the same type of respect from me, but I don't hate it as much as it seems many others did. It's average in just about every conceivable way to my ears, but average Kalonji is still quite fascinating. An example of that is clearly present on 'A She Mi Love', which is a mess and sounds like something which didn't make the cut on the "Hosanna" album - but I can't stop listening to it. I've tried to, but I just cannot. There is something about that song which just keeps my attention all over it. Had no such problems, at all, with 'Something Special', on the other hand but (and watch this), it's probably a better song than 'A She Mi Love' in every single way! 'Something Special' lacks a kind of outstanding quality, but it's a solid, simply and not overly ambitious (something Sizzla does occasionally) love song. And "The Chant" comes to its end with its namesake which is a clear highlight on the album named after it although it did take me a few spins to arrive at that thought. It's a song which definitely picks up the pace and the quality throughout its duration and by its end you have one significant selection. 

STILL! For some ridiculous reason my ears grabbed 'Love Selassie I More'. TEARS! Ten years from now I'll probably (be old[er] and stupid[er], I might not even remember the chorus on the song, but these days, I can't hear a BLIP from this track without smiling a smile as wide as the terrain of my face shall allow! I LOVE this song! I can't help it!

Sizzla Kalonji

Overall, there're so many things I want to say about this album (thankfully I'll forget most of them after doing the first one, however), but I think that the biggest is its actual nature. NO! "The Chant" isn't the greatest album from blah blah blah and blah blah and it isn't Sizzla at his absolute best. It isn't even close in either of those aspects. But I think it is a step in that direction and I think it may even be a step closer than "The Scriptures" album, which was CLEARLY and wholly better than it in my opinion. And I think it's also a little better than most people gave it credit for. I don't see this album being one which gets appreciably better with time, it's not at all hard to 'digest', so I don't see people waking up in five years suddenly in love with it, but I do see it as a nice album. Furthermore, this album also kind of put me in the mindset, personally, of just how I view this man's music. I don't care that "Welcome To The Good Life" was terrible. I don't care that this album could have been better. I don't even care that currently Sizzla is going back and forth with forty people in a . . . I don't know what you'd call that (one dispute produces two hundred songs from twenty-eight people, ALL of them are AWFUL, every one of them), it doesn't bother me at all. Sizzla Kalonji has made some truly immortal music and I don't see THAT being diminished full-on anytime soon and definitely not ever for me. "The Chant" isn't amongst that most elite class to my ears, but I think that it is enough of a sign to think that something which IS isn't very far away. 

Rated: 3.80/5

Afro-Jam Music

2012

CD/LP + Digital

Review #369

Gone But Not . . . Yeah, Forgotten

So, maybe you had something else to do at the time. Maybe it slipped your mind. Maybe no one told you. Maybe you were looking in a different direction at the time. Or maybe you had meant to but . . . Something came up. Whatever the reason is, I'm sure you had a good excuse for missing out on so many big named/big releases over the last few years, but don't worry. I'm here for you. For various reasons, something always manage to slip past you, but it can be damn helpful to take a careful look back and see what you may have missed. Some of it is pretty bad and you should be thankful that you missed them, but there're gems to be found and fun to be had. Thus, we submit for your approval (or disapproval, who cares), ten albums which you completely forgot about! Gone & Forgotten. 

{Note: Albums appear in no particular order}
{Note 2: With one exception, we focused just on the past few years}

Gone & Forgotten

"Revelation" by Bunji Garlin [VP Records - 2002]

Wonderfully, earlier this year Soca ace, Bunji Garlin, delivered his first album in a few years, "iSpaniard" and, looking back, it was arguably one of the most complete of his career to date. That album was the culmination of an equally impressive, which was definitely one of his best ever. Throughout his career, up until recently, Garlin has been someone who was conscious about putting albums out and even hit a streak where he went five or six years, consecutively, doing an album for Carnival. Near the head of that streak was one of the most unusual pieces you'll ever come across, his 'big time' debut "Revelation", for VP Records. This was just strange! It was also one of the first times you clearly had a Soca artist being 'packaged' for a Dancehall and Reggae audience. It wasn't a big leap for Garlin (and is probably even less so these days), but I think it's pretty telling that despite the fact that went no where, became even more popular (and SKILLED) and took a couple of Soca Monarch titles in the interim, it would be half a decade before Bunji and VP linked again (for the FAR better "Global" album). "Revelation" did have its fair share of nice moments. It was THE album which had the devastating tune, 'Licks' and there was also 'Hands Up', 'In The Ghetto' and even 'Send Dem Riddim Crazy'. But it wasn't his finest moment, so what looks to be on paper his second most high profile set to date, is probably one of his LEAST remembered.

CD + Digital 

"Mad Bwoy Anju" by Madd Anju [Drop Di Bass Records - 2008]

This one sticks out on this list because, theoretically and in so many ways, it had pretty much every opportunity to achieve that an album could hope for. Back in 2008, the relatively unknown Drop Di Bass Records put out a trio of releases which included "Prototype" by Spragga Benz, Sizzla's "Addicted" and the debut and only album of really one of the most NATURAL and inventive talents that the Dancehall has EVER seen "Mad Bwoy Anju" by Mad Anju. Look back, pretty solidly, this was the class of that pack in my opinion and, for all of its absolute oddness musically, it well exhibited a chunk of the truly stunning skills of its star. These days, Spragga's (more on him in a minute) album still gets a bit of attention because it was Spragga, but surely it's "Addicted" which was the standout of the three in terms of hype, unsurprisingly. Anju's album is nowhere to be found and that's unfortunate for someone who, for many reasons, hasn't gotten the overall attention his actual skills would warrant. 

CD + Digital 

"Live Good" by Spragga Benz [Victor Entertainment - 2007]

I don't know if this one is more of a matter of "forgotten" or if it was an issue of people never even knowing that it existed. Just a few years ago it was the trend that, while Dancehall albums were on the decline from the biggest names, some of them would head East, to Japan, to put out albums in the Dancehall STARVING Land of The Rising Sun. People like Chino. Da'Ville, Voicemail and even Vybz Kartel (in the midst of a reported contract dispute with Greensleeves if I recall correctly) went that route, as did Spragga Benz with the very strong "Live Good". Looking back, if you never heard it, I'll tell you that it was significantly better than the aforementioned "Prototype" piece and probably better than "Shotta Culture" to me these days also. The album was essentially a standard album for its time with little in the way of fresh material, but MUCH in the way of 'tested' (older) tunes making up the lot. It featured a downright MASTERFUL title track and other well known releases like 'Guns, Girls & Ganja', 'Hard', 'To The Right', 'Gonna Fight' on the Diwali Riddim and others. Frisco Kid and even Kartel (old, old school) guested on two of the album's finest pieces, 'One Two Order' and ‘'Bedroom Slaughteration', respectively. Worth tracking down.

CD  

"Love Life" by Black Dillinger [IM Music - 2009]

We got into this one just a little while back in the review of the new album from Rebellion The Recaller, "In This Time" (big album, get a copy) - the curious case of "Love Life", the sophomore set of the awesome South African star, Black Dillinger, which would ultimately receive a 'fate' which just seems so fucking wrong! The label who did the album, one IMMusic from out of Germany, released it and then . . . vanished! I don't think they even stuck around as long as it would've taken to promote the record (maybe they did, there was an early video) and I'm sure they weren't around when it came time to do the CD which never (and will never) manifested. That might not be a problem for some of the other entries you'll find here, but Dillinger was/is far too talented and this album was far too good to ultimately end up taken up 'space' on a digital rack as 'just another album'. 

Digital 

"Karma" by Perfect [Chalice Palace Music - 2009]

Just before Perfect would . . . Explode and begin taking over the entire world as the precision pointed Roots Reggae firebrand that exists today, there was "Karma". Ummm. Yeah. This album came just before . . . Oh I already said that. The next three album he would do, "French Connection", "Back For The First Time" and the most recent "Journey of 1,000 Miles" ("staaaaarts with one footstep!") have made it extremely easy to forget about this one and that's a good thing. "Karma" featured a version of Perfect who, although still somewhat close to what he is now, just had taken a different direction and decided to make an album full of love songs on his own Chalice Palace imprint. The results were pretty much what you'd imagine and it is no surprise that when you read reviewers these days dealing with new albums from the chanter, they've forgotten to include "Karma" in listing his catalog. Even more interesting, maybe, is the fact that I wouldn't AT ALL be surprised if, at some point, this album got a sequel. Perfect just plays by his own rules. 

Digital 

Natty King

These days I'm definitely coming around to a notion born from a friend of mine (biggup Youstice), from awhile back, who considers Natty King to be someone who is proverbially BEFORE HIS TIME. That's a very strange thing to say because when you listen to this incredible singer's work, he's not far off, superficially, from the Lucianos, Bushmans and others of the world (although I do disagree that he's a vocal carbon of either or anyone else for that matter). Even when you dig into things further, he doesn't have that type of style of a Aidonia or Saïk or even someone like a Perfect who you could imagine having such a distinction placed upon their work. Natty King is VERY straight forward. But I don't know why his music seems to almost come with an expiration date in the mind of so many. These days I find myself enjoying his work, particularly 2009's "Trodding" and "Born To Be Free" from the following year and I'm enjoying them SO much, but I don't think I'm in a great company with that and that's just WRONG! Pick up both of them and hear someone who is, in my opinion, one of the most gifted Roots Reggae vocalists maybe of all time.

CD + Digital 

"Write My Name" by Luciano [Footprintz Music Group - 2010]

What happened to "Write My Name" was actually fairly predictable. Not only was it released in 2010, a year in which its creator, Luciano, would also release "United States of Africa", his first album for VP Records in a couple of years, but just a year on, "Rub-A-Dub Market" would reach courtesy of IrieVibrations and go on to be widely regarded as the exquisite singer's best work in some time. "Write My Name", although it well holds its own in terms of quality against either of the other two albums, really never had a chance. Most people hadn't heard of Footprintz Music and I don't know if they've even done anything since then either. So, while it did come equipped with a DVD and a title track which was nearly as good as ANYTHING to be found on any of the three albums, this album now seems destined to be 'that other Luciano album' from this era. 

CD/DVD + Digital 

"Uncrowned" by Teflon [Black Ice Records/Yard A Love - 2010]

Although I do have a couple of others in my mind (biggup Turbulence) (biggup Natural Black) (not really though), I'm tempted to call "Uncrowned" from Teflon THE worst promoted album from an even remotely well known artist in a really long time. I don't know that I've ever read anything in regards to this one in the official sense of things and while you'll find some of these albums having simply 'outlived' themselves, or having another set of odd/extenuating circumstances for their lasting absence -  "Uncrowned" was an album which really never even got started. 

Digital 

"Let's Get Physical" by Elephant Man [Bad Boy Records - 2007]

It also became a case back in the 1990's when major labels came calling for Dancehall, seeking the next Shabba Ranks, and suddenly the likes of Super Cat, Mad Cobra, Terror Fabulous, even Louie Rankin and a whole heap of others (Spragga Benz) had major releases on their hands - sometimes even major albums get overlooked. Such was definitely the case with Elephant Man's first and only trip to Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Record, "Let's Get Physical". Just as in the case with Bunji Garlin, ostensibly this should have been one of the DJ's two biggest moments (the other being "Good 2 Go", of course), but it so clearly wasn't. Armed with a line up of guests which seems now full on ridiculous - Chris Brown, Rihanna, Puff Daddy himself, Swizz Beatz, Wyclef Jean, Busta Rhymes, Kat Deluna AND Demarco all featured - "Let's Get Physical" is easily less remembered than any of Ele's other album, besides his debut and maybe even that as well. 

CD + Digital 

"30" by Lloyd Brown [Riddimworks Productions - 2012]

And finally is the piece which hatched this idea, the latest album from shining UK veteran, Lloyd Brown, "30" There's just so much to like about this album on the surface: As its title suggests, it is Brown's celebration of his thirty years making music and it's also REALLY GOOD! But you'd never know either of those things because it already seems to have faded away in the four and a half months or so following its release date. As far as I know, it's still only available in digital format which is okay, but doesn't seem quite right for an album of this magnitude from an artist of Brown's stature. Also, we were gone when it dropped, but when we got back, it was so surprising to see that no one had reviewed it really or paid it much attention (and I think I know why that is). This one is almost begging for a re-release at some point and in some fashion, but if that doesn't come and "30" continues to fade, it'll just be SAD! So go and buy it! 

Digital

The Vault Reviews: "Rasta Awake" by Army

I like to think that in every album, or at least in every one in which some type of considerable effort was paid by someone, there is not only a type of grand and prevailing message to be taken, but also some predominant experience to be had. I think that the writer of the songs, the producer and everyone/anyone in between was trying to, in their own way, ensure that the listener came away from listening to the record with not only a thought and some type of enlightenment, no matter how large or small, but also a feeling which may be just as important in many cases. Here's the great thing for me (and of course I'm a nerd, so you surely won't find this as impressive): I think these two things are COMPLETELY independent of one another. I don't think they are related in the slightest outside of both being born from the same artist, album, producer etc. and I could call upon a wide array of shitty Roots Reggae albums to make my point. They all are likely built on lyrical foundations which I'm likely to support, for the most part but, as we established, they are shitty. The experience of listening to them will be shitty and you'll feel like you need several showers to wash away their shittiness after the final song reaches its end. Another good example which is so far away from the first that's similar, would be listening to an album from Capleton. Again, in terms of the message, King Shango is one of the most brilliant lyricists the music has ever seen and because of that his points are generally crystal clear, but the encounter of listening to a Capleton album, a great one, is EXHAUSTING! It is a journey of sensational proportions, the likes of which is more often found from high level Soca stars and Capleton bottles it and gives it to us in Reggae and Dancehall and it is amazing. I do have to say, however, that one of the most fascinating "journeys" that I've been fortunate enough to go on over the years is the one provided by sweet singing Virgin Islands veteran, Ras Army, who pushed an album now seven years ago which I just now find myself being able to say that I REALLY comprehend every aspect of. And because of that I also have to say that the album has become a favourite of mine, very recently, and has done so much for me as well. 

"A Different Age" by NiyoRah & "Conquering Sound" by Ancient King [2005]

The album? "Rasta Awake". This record came way back in 2005 for I Grade Records as part of their 'Fire, Earth & Wind' trio of releases which also included the debut album of the brilliant NiyoRah, "A Different Age" [Earth] and Ancient King's debut set, "Conquering Sound" [Fire]. The incredibly easy singing Army fittingly provided the 'wind' of the set and as we're SO able to now look back and observe what became of an ultimately very successful promotional campaign (and I Grade may not be planning out things like this anymore (then again, they might be), but they're still very productive as promoters of their releases these days). It was probably one of the first such internet driven marketing jobs from anyone in Reggae music and look what it's spawned. Ancient King may not be very active anymore to my knowledge, but he did have another album and toured quite regularly if I recall correctly and NiyoRah is a bonafide star and arguably one of the most wholly talented individuals in all of Reggae music. As for Army, by far the most distinguished of the three in 2004/2005, it remains his most high profile release to date and really brought him out to a fan base who didn't previously either know him at all or know him as well.  

"Zion Soldiers Chant" [2008]

 As for me, it's also where I really caught on as well. Previously the singer had done two albums (which are pretty much impossible to find, at least until their producer gives them to the wonderful people at Zojak Worldwide to make available), "Yesterdays News" and "Struggler", for the mighty Dean Pond ("their producer") (biggup Dean Pond), which helped to gain him a remarkably faithful and passionate fan base which Army still enjoys to this day. He would go from working with Pond, a maestro with very few peers anywhere in the music to working with Laurent 'Tippy' Alfred and, musically, the completely incomparable Tuff Lion at I Grade Records. Can you even THINK of a better situation for an artist from out of (anywhere) the Virgin Islands to develop? That's what Army had to deal with and, clearly, they all saw some form of giant talent in him and I'm sure if you asked each and every one of them, they'd say they still see it today (especially the Lion who would also go on to produce the singer's next album, "Zion Soldiers Chant", in 2008). I've been listening to this album from when I got it, which had to be not too long after it released, and while admittedly I was initially more interested in the other two albums of the trilogy, over the years I've always found myself coming back to "Rasta Awake" because I (paid my money for it and I can!) always felt like there was something more in it. And this was an album which I well had respect for. I'd listened it and while Army certainly does have a very unusual writing style (it's very poetic, which is kind of assumed, but not always the case with good/great writers of music lyrics) to my ears, it's one which, after seven years, I can digest with no problem. But it was on the other end of that spectrum - the experience of listening to the album full on - which I don't think I managed to accurately APPRECIATE until rather recently and when I did (!) I heard angel singing, I saw explosions and was just generally very proud of myself. On top of that developed a notion that clearly this album, which had "awakened" something in me (I had to, I had no choice but to write that sentence and you know it), is probably one of the most COMPLETE records that we've seen in Reggae from since the turn of the century. I'll show you what I mean. 

Not that I looked or anything but (I'm just going to go ahead and say this anyway), for an album with thirteen tracks, six seconds more than an hour of playing time does seem very THICK. The album has only two tunes less than four minutes long (barely - they are both 3:55) and three more than five minutes long (and another at 4:57) which means that you really have a lot packed in here. Maybe that's why it took me about SEVEN YEARS to arrive at a point where I felt that I'd gotten the biggest vibe from it that I could (but you know that I'm still working on it). Getting us 'awake' and moving on "Rasta Awake" from Army from out of St. Croix (I hadn't mentioned that yet) (shame!) is the delectably vibed spiritually minded social commentary, 'Give The Youths A Try'. As I alluded to, Army has a very interesting way of writing his lyrics - he almost never goes at anything straight forward. He prefers a more 'spiraling' method of making his point[s] which, for the type of music which is to be found on this album, is a very good thing. The tune is exquisite in almost every way and we begin! Next we have what is definitely a favourite of mine from the album, the OVER COOL 'Jah Reveal It'. It also happens to be a selection which with I've struggled with for so long. Ostensibly, it is a social commentary, but you (or at least I do) try to fit in the title with the nature of the tune to try to get at what Army was thinking. These days, I've narrowed it down largely to a few lyrics:

"Some don't believe a change is gonna come

Greeting the children at the setting sun"

"Escape from her waters, flushing down through your streets

Escape, it's your duty

Or else you gonna face defeat"

They suggest something else, presumably greater, exists which is worth being struggled for and therefore something which is "revealed". I love songs like this which challenge a listener and REALLY make you step it up as a listener and not just accept what is placed before you. Wrapping up the opening lot of tunes on "Rasta Awake" is 'Mr. Monday', which I'm sure is divine on some type of an OFFICIAL level, but whatever. It's a standout here for many reasons and, all of these years later, I find myself hearing it like it's the first spin. Big tune. 

As I said, this is an album which I've been playing through a lot very recently and it's done some really powerful things for me. I'm not exactly a PILLAR of mental health (never have been, never will be) and a handful of tunes on this album managed to hit me and help in some very strange (yet usual) moments. The biggest of those and the biggest of all of the tunes on the album is its title track which is a very enlightening experience of its own. 

“The rivers running long and the waters are deep

There is a great divide-

With the children on the street

Now Rasta awake

Cause a no time fi sleep

Seh no bodda retreat

Steady vigil you fi keep

Rasta awake!

Lord a no time fi sleep

Earth is your school

Steady vigil you fi keep

Listen to the reading and then watch for the sign

Storms ah pass through pon your frontline 

Unuh keeping to the border with your head to the grind

Don’t let mischief turn into crime”

This ALARM CLOCK of a song is one which, brilliantly, presents Rastafari as a kind of a maintainer of the world and of natural order with a direct line of reasoning and contact to 'The Executive'. He shows that when Rasta 'sleeps', so much in the world goes wrong and turns into chaos and later Ras Army says something in this song which just GRIPPED my mind. 

“Climbing ever steady Rastafari haffi climb

And enough thing haffi stay behind” 

I heard THAT in a heavy line of thinking and it turned into: 

“You have work to do

Stop worrying over bullshit” 

WHAT! The song also picks up and intensifies throughout, making it one where the brilliance of word is well equaled by the genius of sound. Another tune to which I had a very strong reaction and opinion on recently was 'Honorebel'. This song has one SWEET vibe which is kind of an uptempo set and Army uses it to set up a track which reminds us to live an upful life because if you don't, "What you gonna do when you really got to face The Man". And I always took to heart the grandly vibed 'Don't Move My Mountain'. There's so many digital blips and slips (what?) going on in this one at the beginning, but ascends into this wondrous one-drop which plays a SUBLIME backing to Army who lyrically personifies the EARTH and life and history in asking His Majesty for help to do HIS work, but not the absolute final answer. I love  this song because it, again, is a challenge to the listener. There's something to be said for being a GOOD LISTENER and if you are that type of a person, you'll find billions to enjoy about this one. I also like how it's cleverly presented with Army really just asking for a hand here and there, but he's well willing to do the work required on his own. 

“Don’t move my mountain Jah

Don’t move my mountain 

Just give we the strength to climb

We will cross over ya” 

And lastly I'll place in here 'Preying Mantis', which I think history has found to be one of the most popular tunes on "Rasta Awake". It's also one of my favourites and, as of this writing, the one I find myself thinking about most these days. 

'Preying Mantis'

That's not to say, of course, that the remainder of the songs aren't on that level at all, most of them are and some even better, looking at them with a more objective eye (I don't have to be objective, I'm not getting paid, I just like what I like!). An excellent example of this would definitely be 'Tek Your Time', which is an undeniably GREAT tune. That song is GORGEOUS and it also leaves you with one of the most memorable sentiments of the entire album ["I don't want to wake in the middle of the night to find out I don't know Jah way"]. And the song immediately preceding it 'Who Will Pay' is another winner and a very lively one too, which goes to wonder when The Almighty comes to clean up corruption and general NASTINESS, who will pay for the state of society. 'Small Number' may just be one of the most sonically pleasing vibes here. I hear more traditional R&B in there and I hear a whole heap of Jazz as well. For his part, Ras Army delivers a unique more straight forward, almost deejaying, style for the most part which creates for one of more stirring moments on the record. Speaking of stirring, do check the energized 'Men Will Doubt' and the brilliant 'Share Your Love'. The latter of the two is a champion of a song with the singer seemingly interchanging "love" with a concept of awareness and using love, in its actual state as a catalyst to urge people to be more aware and to "read the signs". 'Men Will Doubt', on the other hand, is a bit more open and immediately discernible and still a very mighty piece of work. Finally check 'Mi Sista' which is a composition equally aimed at uplifting the hard working women of the world and also aimed at men who just refuse to treat them right, appreciate them and stand up for the women. I hate to say it (not really, I love to), but out of the TRILLIONS of problems I do have, I've never been this guy. Love your woman, it's just too easy not to! And if you still don't get it, take 'Mi Sista' for several spins. 

Army

I do want to go back and say something for the writing on this album briefly. Taking the 'Fire, Earth & Wind' concept into consideration, Army's style, at least here specifically, fits so well into things. You'll hear words related to nature, especially the water, in pretty much every song and every single verse even and he almost seems to, at times, use those things as metaphors of people and situations as well. It's very interesting and I'm now WELL looking forward to going back and reacquainting myself with the "Zion Soldiers Chant" to see if I hear the same as pronounced there as well. It's very, very interesting. 

Overall, I do so much have a greater appreciation for the "Rasta Awake" album in 2012 than I ever did prior to it and that's saying a great deal because I already held a high regard for the project. These days, I can definitely call it one of my favourite albums from I Grade Records altogether and I can also just as surely recommend it to more experienced fans. It takes awhile, or at least it did for me (I'm not the brightest of individuals, so maybe (DEFINITELY) you'll get it much quicker than I did), but when it does finally set in, what you have on your hands and ears is a STUNNINGLY beautiful album from Army. One which was well, well worth the journey. 

Rated: 4.65/5

I Grade Records

2005

CD + Digital

Review #368