All For A Time by Pressure Busspipe & The Zion I Kings

"All For A Time" by Pressure Busspipe [Zion High Productions]

"Pressure Busspipe & Zion I Kings": That is far more than enough to get my attention and, if you have any sense (literally ANY AT ALL), it's the same case for you. Absolutely MASSIVE news today as "All For A Time", a brand new project linking the two longtime favourites of ours, for the 900th time, has finally reached and you know we had to take a listen. I won't go over too much, but in their catalogue together, Pressure & ZIK have given us two albums which we've rated at 5/5: "Rebel With A Cause" and "The Sound", which we also named as 2014's Album of The Year. Individually, they're both also huge deals around here and I've been writing about them for... more than twenty years at this point. Whatever they do is enough to get my attention; together, they're potentially special. The new release actually lines up with the exact completion of Pressure's 45th rotation of the sun (I could be wrong but I want to say that he's actually done that before and, of course, you'll recall just last year when Chronixx did the same thing with his most recent album, "Exile") to add to the circumstances behind it. 

"All For A Time" is basically an EP. It features ten tracks, half of which are vocals, the other half (DELICIOUSLY) are dubs, so it lines up perfectly for the mini-review format that I've been doing lately (actually stopped writing another one to dig into this one). Apart from that... I mean... IT'S NEW PRESSURE BUSSPIPE MUSIC! LET'S GO! "All For A Time" gets moving with the downright MAJESTIC praise 'JAH Is Worthy'. On its surface, the song is almost ultra-straightforward in terms of both delivery and how it is written and it is transparent to an excellent degree. When you do dig a bit deeper, it does have a more complex element but we'll deal with that in the second half when I tell you all about the wonderful dubs on this project. Next up is our title track. Let's talk about this song for a minute.

TEARS!

When they finished this one, I think it's clear everyone involved were well aware what they had on their hands. 'All For A Time' is SPECIAL! It is of a caliber that would see it rank amongst the absolute finest of the St. Thomas burner's entire career and it is THE main attraction on the release named for it. It is absolutely STUNNING! From that syrupy sweet opening throughout the beautiful track as Pressure tells us all that nothing, including the roughest of times, is permanent.

"Though it hard I nah sell out

Suffer so long and can't wait to get the hell out

I smoke some marijuana and get mellow"

'Shine' is the sole combination on "All For A Time" - featuring the well gifted Imeru Tafari (coincidentally, whose mother, Queen Ifrica, has a new album of her own releasing next week called "Breath Of Life" on what happens to be my own 45th birthday) and it's another one that excels via a powerful simplicity for the most part, although Imeru does turn up the fire just a bit later on for a riveting stretch which is not to be missed ["Binghi youth deh pon a mission, clinical wid precision. Your vision spiritual so you no need no permission"]. The old school rinsed 'Be Somebody' has a riddim which SCREAMS that I know it from somewhere and maybe I do but getting to know this song has been damn delightful! 

"See your brother as you see your self

If I wish you good, you wish me well also

Everyone has importance-

From the homeless to the orphan"

Nothing no really impossible

ONCE YOU FLY YOUR VISIONS OVER OBSTACLES

Give it everything you got in you

You're the only one stopping you

Check ya attitude!

Cause nobody wants to be a nobody

Everybody wants to be somebody

Don't you take 'no' for an answer

Listen quick and slow your anger"

There is an infectious... almost JAZZY/BLUESY quality to this song that isn't entirely prevalent throughout but pops up during the chorus which absolutely CAUGHT me! The rest of the song is lovely also and I'll tell you that Pressure has more than one (GOOD) album that 'Be Somebody' would be in the conversation as being THE best song on. Did you see what I just said about 'Be Somebody'?? [If you didn't it's literally right there] The final vocal offering on "All For A Time", 'Rasta Children' is even better and CLEARLY so in my opinion. Ranking only second to the title track, the THICK 'Rasta Children', as you might expect, is a wonderful praising tune from Pressure  and though you'll find a number of such outstanding similar efforts within his catalogue, even most of the best of them rarely reach such heights.

Let's talk about those dubs for a second put a conclusion on this one and call it a day.  I'll bounce around a bit but let's head straight to the head since I did allude to it previously. 'JAH Is Worthy Dub' SHINES even brighter, arguably, than the original version. If you're unfamiliar at all with the work of the ZIK, the players of instruments include the typical esteemed cast (Tippy I, Jah David, Moon Bain, the late Andrew Stoch and the likes) (Stoch has been physically gone for nearly six years and we're still celebrating his work. What a life  that man led!) with a different name or two in the mix as well. This time around, Roberto Sanchez lends his monstrous talents to the project and, as is the norm, it is fantastic. I've always said that I'm not the biggest Dubhead in the world but I've always appreciated the Dub work of the ZIK. 'JAH Is Worthy Dub' has to be amongst some of their finest. Also, you really get a feel for just how complex and detailed this particular sound is here which is constantly one of the main points of interest for me on these type of releases. Just as dense as 'Rasta Children', 'Rasta Children Dub' is another big winner here but in a different way than 'JAH Is Worthy Dub'. 'Rasta Children Dub' is a bit more on the spacious side and it is lovely. I could listen to this all day long. The Jazzy element that I spoke about on 'Be Somebody' isn't present at all really on 'Be Somebody Dub' and that's fine because what remains is more than solid and a big credit here goes to one Okiel McIntyre for his horn work which highlights the sound. 'Shine Dub' is all sorts of interesting and I was very curious as to how they would handle this one with two voices to attempt to mix into things. 'Shine Dub' actually is more skeletal but the thing that sticks out here is... I don't know if it's a flute or what it is (probably is a flute and if it is it is attributed to Zoe Brown) but whatever it is, it lights this track up brilliantly. It makes 'Shine' GLOW! Lastly, the all-conquering 'All For A Time' makes way for 'All For A Time Dub' which is nearly as enchanting (yes E N C H A N T I N G) as it vocal version. I won't even begin to try to work my way through everything that is going on with this one but I will say that, beneath it all, SOMEWHERE in there is an oh so slight and but PERFECT guitar. It becomes much more pronounced later on but up until then (and including then) it hits all the right notes... or chords, or whatever you call those things on a guitar. 

Overall, like I said, I've been writing reviews for Pressure Busspipe's work for a very long time now and I rarely come away disappointed and "All For A Time" is not an exception and I knew it wouldn't be (and so did you). It's going to be next to impossible for me to believe that ANY fan of Modern Roots music won't enjoy this one. "All For A Time" features two of a our favourites, Pressure Busspipe & The Zion I Kings in outstanding forms.... they pretty much always are and that is more than enough for me. 

Signatures Vol. XVI: Capleton

 

Sure. There's absolutely no reason to do a Signatures feature on Capleton. His music is so popular; he already has at least one official 'Best Of' album that I can think of off the top of my head (it's literally called "The Best Of Capleton" if my memory is correct) and that's not to mention all of the unofficial, fanmade and mixtapes that he's accumulated over the years as well. You could go on YouTube right now and probably find dozens --if not hundreds-- such compilations and that's fine, he deserves it. However, in furthering enjoying his latest release, the GOLDEN "Heights Of Fire", of course, I have found myself going back through one of the most powerful catalogues in all of Reggae music so... why not! Today we take a look at and honour, arguably, THE most explosive talent in the history of Reggae music. Signatures: Capleton

{Coming soon: Fantan Mojah}

1. 'Who Dem'

Slew dem. In keeping with our running habit of opening with the biggest tune, OF COURSE first up is the MASSIVE 'Who Dem'. Anything anyone can say about 'Who Dem' has been said and it's been said for decades but I do want to stress one thing, in particular. While Capleton absolutely SCALDS everything, everywhere it definitely helped that he came equipped with something that can lay a legit claim to being one of the finest riddims EVER. Ward 21's blistering Bellyas carries 'Who Dem' and, obviously, King Shango puts it to the fiery sword. 'Who Dem' is THE prime example of what happens when the Dancehall meets active Roots music. It has a message and it was also powerful. It was also just... THRILLING TO LISTEN TO and a damn action scene of a song. THE single best song of Capleton's entire career and one of the best Dancehall & Reggae songs ever made by anyone. PERIOD.

2. 'Bad Mind'

Envious ahgo mad dem. There is a certain EVIL kind of infectiousness behind 'Bad Mind' which, largely, has to do with the Fed Up Riddim in which it sits and its signature GROWL (the riddim literally sounds like it's pissed off at you!). If the riddim and the overall sound of 'Bad Mind' don't completely hypnotize you (and they might), well then, for you, is also a fantastic message of BEING HAPPY FOR PEOPLE. Instead of letting jealousy and envy run your thoughts when someone does well, congratulate them, wish them well and allow it to motivate you to do better as well. There's a whole lot of common sense behind 'Bad Mind' - A POWERFUL AMOUNT. 

3. 'That Day Will Come'

Nowhere to run. It was the EXCELLENT Hardtimes Riddim which carried Capleton's 'That Day Will Come' (in retrospect, the track probably didn't do as well as it should have but the heights of it, this song and I Wayne's 'Living In Love' were sizable hits in their time) and if you recall me saying that "Reign Of Fire" opened with another entry here, it should be said that, right after it, was 'That Day Will Come' (showing just how mighty that album was IMMEDIATELY). There was a certain.... BLUNTNESS (?) to this song to go along with the typical and expected force found in Capleton's work: If you consistently fuck up and just do... wrong shit, EVENTUALLY you will have to pay. THAT DAY WILL COME! 

4. 'Jah Jah City'

Bloody city, bloody town! Think about all of the antiviolence Roots Reggae songs you've ever heard in your life. It's an impossible request, I know, but I want you to think of just how prevalent they are in the genre. Now when you go about differentiating some and distinguishing them from the pack, that new lot you come up with will include 'Jah Jah City. The MAMMOTH Morgan Heritage produced tune can lay a significant claim to being the very best of its kind. It was a hit in its day and is still well remembered but, these days what is also apparent is that, lyrically, it was one of Capleton's finest performances ever as well and, given his history and his present), that is a giant thing to consider. 'Jah Jah City' was downright terrifying. 

"Dem ah tell mi how dem cold!

Big 45, it shoot out dem brother mole

Nuff ah seh dem cold like up a di North Pole

Seh dem shoot down di young, shoot down di old

Shoot down di puss and di dog and di foal

Every weekend dem get a next payroll

OUTTA MAN POCKET DEM SHOOT OUT BILLFOLD

DISS MARCUS GARVEY, NUFF HEAD HAFFI GO ROLL" 

5. 'Alms House'

Step up inna light. By far the oldest song I'm mentioning today, the nearly THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OLD 'Alms House' stands as a VERY significant song in Capleton's career as it stands as one of a few which, in retrospect, shows what was to come for him and from him. It, literally, shows the internal shift that was going on inside of him. If I didn't make this clear in the opening (which I haven't written yet), once upon a time Capleton was a star of the Dancehall. He was loud and boisterous and x-rated and cocky (probably a poor order to put those in) but even then, the man had morals and he had a mine that there was just too much foolishness going on in the business which led to 'Alms House'. The tune did have a slight Roots aspect to it in the lyrics later on but if you hadn't figured it out by then, 'Alms House' was a signal that maybe this guy had a little something extra to him.... and he did. 

6. 'Babylon A Use Dem Brain' featuring Sizzla

Be still. Capleton has collaborated with Sizzla Kalonji directly a few times through the years (it has been AWHILE) but the DIAMOND of the pair's work together has been, without a doubt, 'Babylon A Use Dem Brain'. Produced by the legendary Bobby Digital (on a riddim courtesy of the immortal Burning Spear), the tune would be featured on my favourite album of all time, Sizzla's "Black Woman & Child" and it's one of those songs that require, unsurprisingly, a bit more keen of an ear to get receive the absolute FULLNESS of because of how DAMN genius it is. Have you ever really listened to this tune? No no. I mean REALLY listened to it?? If you have, you know that 'Babylon A Use Dem Brain' was complete and utter lyrical ROYALTY. It was intelligence of the absolute highest caliber on a combination of two MOUNTAINS!

7. 'Tour'

Culture a di cure. 'Tour' is well over THIRTY years old at this point and, though it did have its day, I don't think that it has aged as well as its quality would have seemed to forecast. 'Tour' was absolutely BRILLIANT. The song was about Capleton leaving Jamaica to tour the world -- spending weeks and months away from home -- only to return and be... fully DISGUSTED by the way things had changed in his absence. Seeing this and having spent so much time spreading his word, "preaching, teaching the people fi sure", he realized that he had much work to do. Instead of giving to strangers and fans, he needed to give his words to his neighbours and his family and friends. The way this song is situated, alone, is attractive but I can't imagine that it didn't work out EXACTLY how everyone involved hoped as a best case scenario. And from the second I was mature enough to appreciate anything beyond the melody here, I was hooked. I still am. 

8. 'Sleep Ah Night'

Worry and fret. We can talk about all of these powerful, outside forces that you may have to answer to when you do wrong but there's one which may or may not be as powerful but is FAR MORE immediate and that's the one that I've always taken 'Sleep Ah Night' as a testament to. You know when you've done wrong and HE has put something in you called a "conscience" to remind you when things aren't quite going according to plan. 

"Can't sleep a night, a nightmare dem ah get

Get up overnight awash by cold sweat

All come outside, come sit down pon step

Wid hand pon dem jaw, dem nah stop from fret"

'Sleep Ah Night' was an energizer of nature's regulator and it was genius.

9. 'Who I Am'

And where I'm from. Along with the final tune carried here, I think 'Who I Am' is probably the least likely to appear on any other personal compilation like this one of Capleton's music but it's long been a favourite of mine. Coming through across Henfield's cut of the downright GRIZZLY Babatunde Riddim, 'Who I Am' was featured on a relatively obscure album called "One Mission" (literally wrote that review SEVENTEEN years ago) where it conquered everything in site with a TORRENT of sagacity as Capleton, seemingly, responded to critics wondering just WHO exactly made him so special. 

"Dem waan know, who I am and where I'm from

Who gimme di authority fi bun di evil man?

Must be The Conquering Lion 

Unuh fi overstand, seh mi live a Zion

Well, no spirit cannot manifest without the flesh

Inna di north, and di south, and di east and di west

Mi bun dem and mi go bun dem yet

Mi dun dem and still ah bun dem yet

Well nuff a dem, mi tell dem go think and check

From di north, to di south, to di east, to di west

And mi hail King Selassie I as The Highest

Nuff a dem they gwan laid to rest

But righteousness haffi manifest!

Ghetto youths hold up yuh head, babylon get upset

Dem ah reject, wid dem internet

Dem technology, weh dem come fi tek

Well nuff a dem a di least

This seh dem a di less"

10. 'Cooyah Cooyah'

BUN EVERYTHING! It is a song like 'Cooyah Cooyah', specifically, why we associate Capleton with fire and call him the King Of Fire and all of these other titles he's accrued throughout the years. There is a stretch right in the middle of 'Cooyah Cooyah' where Capleton lyrically burns EVERYTHING and EVERYONE he can reach with his words. EVERYTHING! The song has become something of a legend over the years and one of Capleton's most popular tunes of all time.

11. '40 Suppn'

SUMN AHGO HAPPEN TONIGHT!! I haven't worked out the running order for this list just yet but I do know that I am planning to put the TRULY RIDICULOUS '40 Suppn' right behind 'Cooyah Cooyah'. Why? Because what 'Cooyah Cooyah' does in that one unforgettable stretch where he torches absolutely everything and everyone (including You & I) is pretty much the entire song '40 Suppn'. The whole damn thing! '40 Suppn' is an overkill. It's intentionally done with too much intensity and too many flames and the results were downright unforgiving. 

What needs to be said between both of these songs is the fact that they feature such an extremely high level of intelligence and sense-making to go along with their severity. This isn't... a kind of blind euphoria (although it most certainly is euphoric). There is a message (after message, after message, after message, after message) within this powerful torrent of words and it is what Capleton does at a level that I don't think anyone else can. HYPE is something that is not rare but MOST HYPE + MOST INGENUITY = Capleton. 

12. 'Death Row'

Sudden death. There is a word that describes 'Death Row' perfectly in my opinion and that is EFFORTLESS. This song, placed in the hands of someone else, might come off as having taken years to compose and to get the delivery just right... but Capleton just plough's right through it and does so from multiple angles. If you REALLY tune in this one, you, like me, migt just come to the thought that 'Death Row' ranks as one of the finest lyrical performances of Capleton's entire legendary career as it is brimming with wordy gems, primarily aimed at those who're not living righteously and have much to be ashamed of in their behaviour. 

"And all di wrong trumpet Rastafari go catch dem ah blow

And all di wrong boat, wi all go catch dem ah row"

13. 'Jah Is My Everything'

Hail The King! The immortal Bobby Digital was the maestro behind the MAMMOTH 'Jah Is My Everything' which absolutely clunked the listener over the head at the beginning of the "Reign Of Fire" album. I can remember hearing this song for the first time on that album and literally feeling overwhelmed and it's remained on my mind (obviously) twenty-two years later (almost exactly. Album released in August of 2004). There may be better songs on this list or song which I favour ahead of it but I will say about 'Jah Is My Everything' is that, for what it was, it was PERFECT. There is nothing wrong it at all. NOTHING. It was lacking in anything at all and, again, it just brings up such wonderful emotions for me; I now get dashes of nostalgia along with just the general feeling that what I'm hearing is something truly special as Capleton put on a praising performance for the ages. 

"There is no problem He can't solve

So inna certain things no bodda get involved

Well Rastafari is the ultimate and He, alone, can get all these problems resolved"

14. 'Hard Again'

HARD NOW! By far the unlikeliest song you'll find here (and the newest), it was just six years ago when Capleton called down some of the hottest and harshest fires of all for Payday's thumping Hard Again Riddim. Surprising to absolutely no one at all, Capleton went HARD on the riddim and it stuck in with me (and you think about everything I didn't put on this list in favouring it) (I could do a couple of sequels for this one RIGHT NOW if I wanted and it wouldn't be that difficult at all). Surely not the only one of its kind but if you looked down this list and thought you needed something to just... punch you straight in the chin, this one is for you! Man probably left his voice in that studio making this tune. 

It's Not Too Bad: A review of Too Too Bad by Buju Banton

Lineage? It is a beautiful thing that each and every case is different, as my expectations and anticipations going into every album that I listen to are never the same. Some are the realization of years and years of waiting; while others get here before I even knew they were on the way. TIME definitely helps to build hopes. Maybe that particular individual hasn't released a project of any type for quite awhile or, if they have, maybe the latest creation is with a certain producer who they haven't worked with in a long time or is of a certain style that they haven't touched in some time. As of right now, the last review that I wrote was of an album by the name of "Heights Of Fire". "Heights Of Fire" was the first album Capleton had done in SIXTEEN years. Absence definitely does make the heart grow fonder. Another thing that might help the water boil is a little thing called TALENT. Once upon, not long ago, Sizzla Kalonji and one or two of his peers would release three (and sometmes FOUR) albums in any given year and... I REALLY looked forward to each and every one of them. Every. Single. Time. Sizzla was my favourite (historically speaking, he still is) and I'd been thrilled by his work enough to the point where I had no problem sitting through and sifting through some of his less than stellar work because the golden carrot of a generational type of release was always out there for him (and, at his best, he rewarded me for my loyalty). Also, given Reggae's hesitancy for promoting itself, something else that tends to catch the eyes and ears is when you actually do come across a release that has a solid amount of publicity behind it. This can work in a few different ways: You can have the unthinkable, which is an actual label doing their job and propping up an album and giving it a nice buzz prior to its release; you can also have the more usual word-of-mouth type of hype surrounding an album which, obviously, will exist both and ahead and well after its release date. Take all of these things and you have a situation where I'm struggling to wait to wrap my brain around a record an... you could even throw in something like... oh, I don't know... maybe even the album's title will make me eager to hear it as well. Any one of these things can do the trick (I'm not too hard to please). 

2006

Now, hypothetically speaking, what if we had an album which, in one way or another, actually checked off every one of those categories? It hasn't been a very long time sense Buju Banton last released an album. Three years ago was "Born For Greatness" and three years prior to that was "Upside Down" (there was a decade-long gap between it and "Before The Dawn" just ahead of it but let's not talk about that today). So he's been fairly active and productive. HOWEVER, we're going to back TWENTY years for the last time Buju pushed a project that was billed as a full, heavy Dancehall oriented set. It was very well regarded and is probably best remembered for carrying 'Driver A'; while also featuring GEMS such as 'Hey Boy', 'Try Offa Yuh', 'Your Night Tonight', 'Jig' (which I just listened to for the first time in who knows how long and I do not recall it being THAT good) and personal favourite of mine, the absolutely slaying 'Til It Bend'. Oh yeah... that album was called "Too Bad". 

Time-X. 

Anyone sitting down to read a review of this length is probably going to be familiar with Buju Banton's work to some degree so I will not stress just how talented he's been but I will say that it is COMPLETELY fair to make the point that his has been one of THE biggest names in all of Reggae music (and I would even go as far as to say in all music made by people of African descent) for the better part of the last THIRTY-FIVE YEARS or so. The industry has responded accordingly and his albums are uniquely promoted. They tend to land, in my opinion, somewhere between some big international release (think Sean Paul, Shaggy etc.) and the aforementioned Capleton or Sizzla at their best (think "More Fire" or "Da Real Thing"); his releases seem to simultaneously grab an appreciable level of respect from both music scribes and mroe hardcore fans (and, in Buju's particular case, he seems to get quite a bit of respect within the Hip-Hop community as well). Evidence of this can best be found in the fact that Buju Banton has been nominated for the Reggae Grammy Award for Best Album on SEVEN occasions, having won it in 2011 for "A New Dawn".  Buju's also worked with a number of big labels; most recently his work has been released through a relationship with VP Records and his own Gargamel Music. (and I just mentioned "More Fire" & "Da Real Thing": Both are VP projects). who've done a find job in getting the word out for his new albums.

Talent-X. Publicity/Word of mouth-X. 

Enter "Too Too Bad" [Album title-X]. I want to say that it was maybe later on in 2025 when I first got word that Buju Banton was coming with a new album (it may've been earlier, actually, but it was definitely before 2026 began), which was definitely good news on its own. As the information developed and we got an official title, "Too Too Bad" was hyped as basically a sequel for the aforementioned 2006 killer, "Too Bad", and not just in title, alone. Like its elder sibling, "Too Too Bad" would be a heavily Dancehall-centric release, featuring the handiwork of such respected maestros as Di Genius, Supa Dups, Ricky Blaze, the great Suku from Ward 21 and others and... that was it for me! I was COMPLETELY sold! The few early bites we got from the forthcoming meal were also legit and seemed to signal that, indeed, a worthy followup to "Too Bad" was in the offering. Not to dwell on it too long because you probably know the story to some degree but (much like Capleton, actually) Buju got his start in the Dancehall, where he was also one of the biggest names before shifting to more Roots focused material. (Also like Capleton) He has found HUGE successes working under both spectrums and, typically, his albums may lean one way or another but they'll feature elements of both subgenres. His most recent work, 2023's "Born For Greatness", also carried a bit more of a varied and open sound and it wasn't his best piece of output and, ahead of that, was 2020's "Upside Down", for which pretty much the same could be said. For me - if you want to hear the last TRULY GREAT release from Buju, we go back to "Rasta Got Soul" from 2009 (and I'm skipping over "Before The Dawn" from 2010 which won him his Grammy), so it's been awhile (again, respecting that decade where he was... not releasing albums) but, going into "Too Too Bad", I was FULLY expecting that trend to come to a halt. Does it??? 

Nope! It most certainly does not. While I can report that "Too Too Bad" is pretty good, I don't think that I can honestly call it a GREAT album. That's awful after all of that^ buildup and anticipation and I will try my damnest to make sure I don't make it seem like it's bad at all as, in the end, it proves to be a good, fun time of a Dancehall album. A PRIME example of my feelings of Buju Banton's new album "Too Too Bad" can be found on its very first track, 'We Nuh Play'. I think I was expecting something a little... maybe on the harsher side of things in terms of the sound but this tune, which checks in over a cut of the Diseases Riddim and is aimed at bullies and people who think they can intimidate and threaten their way through life, is far more lyrical and DEFINITELY has its moments ["To breathe in and out, dat a my daily trod. To survive these streets and no get no toetag"]. 'We Nuh Play' is also THE baddest moment that I found on "Too Too Bad"... but I don't know that I LOVE it, necessarily. The kind of bitterness that I was anticipating on the opener is found in spades on the second tune, 'FAFO'. An acronym for the increasingly popular (or maybe it's already peaked) "Fuck around and find out" saying, 'FAFO' definitely is more on the harsh side of things, although in a minimalistic way (that riddim has a golden simplicity to it) but it's almost not even there! Coming in at just over a couple of minutes, 'FAFO' probably could have been a bit more! What is here, however, is very solid and serves up a bit of an early BITE for the album. That vibe continues (pretty much everywhere) on the next tune in, 'Eye 2 Eye', but in a different way.  This one is a 'gal tune' and it's... okay but the star of that show, without question, is the infectious riddim courtesy of Silent Addy & Disco Neil. It should also be mentioned that 'Eye To Eye' is COMPLETELY in a rush or something because it's not even TWO MINUTES long. Speaking of riddims, the world famous and CHILLY WYFL Riddim (that thing is ICE COLD!) underpins one of the best tunes on the whole of "Too Too Bad", the KNOCKING 'X-Rated'. This one? You won't get a damn thing out of me in reference to. It is original "Too Bad" quality, EASILY, and likely the best song on the runback not named 'We Nuh Play'. Biggup collective producers, DJ Mac & CrashDummy for what they did on the mightily ambitious WYFL. It seems like it's been a long time (because it likely has) since someone has done such a project in Dancehall and it worked out (even got PAPA SAN involved!) (WHAT!) [BOOM!]! And SINCE I'M HERE.... I might as well mention 'Good Pum Pum' (not in general. it's an actual song title), a song that is MUCH better and more detailed than I was thinking it would be. 

The tune is a... just not what I was expecting and, to that end, I suppose it's actually better. It comes across FAR stronger as a kind of a relationship piece rather than a sex song which is what I (and You) were thinking it would be. And while I won't call it one of the BEST selections on "Too Too Bad" its simple curiosity angle is definitely amongst the highest here. 'Like You', despite its thinness, on the other hand, is EXQUISITE. Let's talk about this one for just a second. If you take away the little 'lead-in' portion and the 'let-off' at the end... there're probably 80-90 ticks worth of actual lyrics in 'Like You' in full. That's it! It's all over SO damn quick that it's almost jarring. However, as I said, Buju makes the best of the moment (as tiny as it is) and delivers a real winner across a damn colourful track via DreDay. Longtime Buju Banton par, DJ Khaled unsurprisingly makes an appearance on "Too Too Bad" as he lends his services to the very familiar 'Wild Woman' (and TECHNICALLY Notch is also here) (biggup Notch). This one has an inherent extra interest to it given that 'Wild Woman' is a kinda/sorta remake but it's just okay. I did like the sound (biggup Tony Kelly) and it is definitely good time though. Considerably better would be 'House Call'. Having just covered Tony Kelly, 'House Call' actually sounds like something out of Dave Kelly's catalogue (it has GRUMBLE to it which has convinced my ears and brain that 'Boom Boom', a tune by Baby Cham and Rihanna, is about to break out) but it is a BEAUTIFUL creation of Di Genius, actually. 'House Call' is both the type and quality of song I was expecting throughout "Too Too Bad" and I was damn happy when I came across it. I'm going to ahead and pull up the similarly licked 'Heavy Hitters'. I'm not too fond of the beginning of 'Heavy Hitters' and the chorus is a bit awkward. EVERYTHING else about it, ESPECIALLY the delivery, is candy. It is delightfully old school Dancehall pitched and, when I sift through it all, a potential gem of an offering rests within. 

The balance of "Too Too Bad" is on somewhat of a different vibe and, within the four tracks, they register with varying levels of success in my opinion. Check the almost Stephen Marley-ish 'Be Good'. I do not love 'Be Good' but I do enjoy it quite a bit more than I did initially. Early on, I think that I was trying to overcomplicate it and attempting to draw something out of it that was too damn hard to find (because it wasn't in there) (I'd still be sitting here looking for it, wondering why I couldn't find it). Taking it on a more surface level (not COMPLETELY but more than I was), 'Be Good' is simply nice to listen to and it brings a lovely message. It's pretty easy to be good to people and when you find that it's hard to be good to someone - maybe it's time to move on. American Soul singer, Ari Lennox, has a name that I don't think that I've come across before and she does have a very nice (and INTERESTING) voice to her which she puts on display via 'Satisfy Me'. Unfortunately this is my least favourite song on this album; I don't like it at all. It's harmless, standard R&B fare and it just doesn't do anything for me in pretty much anyway. 'Butterflies' most certainly does do something for me. The previous single is a large standout on "Too Too Bad" and obviously Buju and co. knew precisely what they had on their hands with it. 'Butterflies' is all sorts of compelling and not just because it's a beautiful song. It's also unusual in being somewhat of an aggressive love song and it's gone on to provide "Too Too Bad" with something of an early signature. 'Butterflies' is worth every bit of acclaim that it's gotten and will get in the future. Lastly, Buju taps another frequent friend of his, the venerable Gramps Morgan, to join in on the festivities with 'Power'. Try as I might --and I tried and tried and TRIED-- I couldn't get into 'Power'. Certain aspects of it sound like a vibe; like it was created on a spur of the moment but the sound is STRANGE. It never really accelerates or takes a step back. The song plateaus fairly quickly and it just kind of stays there. Full credit on that riddim, however. That thing is excellent musicianship. 

I have a ton of things on my mind before I close this out and I'd like to take a look at one or two of them, quickly. The first is definitely the LENGTH of the album. "Too Too Bad" has thirteen songs which, collectively, take just THIRTY-FIVE minutes. That's it. From the time you start 'We Nuh Play', to the end of 'Power', it's just over half an hour (and they knew it, I think, because the physical disc has another couple of songs on it). OF COURSE I wanted much more, even if "much more" in this instance would have meant tacking on a few other (likely short) songs, I would have been happy with that. Secondly, despite the fact that it is so short, I really wanted to spend time listening through this one intently because, as I said (or at least I think I did. I don't feel like going back to make sure), I wasn't thrilled with where my opinion was headed in regards to "Too Too Bad" and I REALLY wanted to LOVE it. Having scrutinized it now even more than I usually do and seeing my thoughts of certain songs and aspects go up and down, I think I've arrived at a place where I'm most comfortable about how much I truly like this release. 

Overall, I've used the word before, surely, "Too Too Bad" is FUN. It is most definitely a good listen and damn entertaining; a suitable followup to the original "Too Bad". How good it is actually is another question. Unsurprisingly, fans have reacted very well to it early and the impressions (for the most part) have been positive but I can't help but to feel that it could have been even better. This will not be the last Buju Banton album and I don't think it'll be the final Dancehall album he makes either; they'll do this again but I think that if you come here looking for that landmark next release, you will not get it. What you will get is a set that is compelling from beginning to end and ACTUAL DANCEHALL MUSIC (which is both always fun and increasingly rare as hell) from one of the greatest we've ever seen after a buildup that forecasted something SPECIAL might've been in the offering. "Too Too Bad" isn't quite special but you also don't want to miss out on what is going on here. 

Rated: 3.75/5

Gargamel Music + VP Records

2026

FANTAN MOJAH!

"The Most High Jah deliver me"

Your work is done. Rest now, Fantan Mojah

Elevation by Ziggi Recado!

"Elevation" by Ziggi Recado [Oneness Records]

Let's talk about Ziggi Recado for a little while today. I used to consider myself a pretty big fan of the Statian born dynamo. I reviewed a number of his albums and even deemed one, "In Transit", to be a modern classic. I go back in my head now and I'm thinking of crazy records that Ziggi did that are still stuck in my head to this day like 'Need To Tell You This' ["GIRL I NEED TO REALLY TELL YOU THIS!"], 'Cry Murdah' ["SOMEBODY GET GUNNED DOWN IN THE STREET LAST NIGHT!"], 'Mary' ["ME AND HER CONNECT INNA PASSIONATE WAY!"], 'New Day', 'Masquerade', 'I'm Blaak', 'Guide Ova', 'All Obstacles', 'So Much Reasons'... I'm literally going through his albums and recalling just how much fun these songs were and how they went so far in making a fan out of me and this is going back... maybe fifteen, TWENTY years at this point. He started out making more Dancehall/Hip-Hop geared material and, as he matured, Ziggi would become a damn powerhouse of modern Roots to the point where he grabbed the attention of the mighty Zion I Kings, who produced a fantastic album with him by the name of "Therapeutic", a dozen years ago now. 

Somewhere along the line, however, I kind of lost touch with Ziggi's music. He'd made a few singles that I didn't particularly enjoy (which is nothing. You won't like EVERYTHING anyone is making; that's normal) and... I don't know what happened really. Maybe he was a little inactive (maybe not) or maybe I just wasn't doing a good enough of a job in paying attention but Ziggi was making music and I wasn't completely noticing and that's a problem. 

Here's a problem solver. On the third day of the second half of 2026, one of my favourite labels in the entire world, the brilliant Oneness Records from out of Germany has just released a brand new, seven-track EP from Ziggi Recado by the name of "Elevation". Ziggi had been dropping singles for the label earier this year and you figured a full project of some type was forthcoming and here it be! You already know what's going on here but let's take a look at it anyway, mini-review style. 

I'm sitting here thinking what my response would have been, years ago, had you told me that Ziggi was working with Oneness. That would have made my day.... my year, even. That is HUGE news around here even on a single but I get seven of them? THANK YOU! The first is the sublime 'Wheels Keep Turning', featuring the highly interesting Rik Jam with whom I have a bit of indirect history. Rik Jam had an album come out last year by the name of "The Genesis" that I kept meaning to get around to digging into and possibly reviewing but I never did. I've still not written the review for it (thinking about doing it now though, actually) but I have heard quite a bit of "The Genesis" andddddddddd.... it's kinda spectacular. So I was curious as to how Jam might beautify "Elevation" and he does so with an appearance on one its strongest efforts. 'Wheels Keep Turning' is a damn DIAMOND of a tune saying that judgment, whatever it may be, is coming and there's nothing that can be done stop it. Excellent start! Next we have a well recognizable 'Boom Meditation'. I've THOROUGHLY enjoyed this song from the first time that I heard it... but it may be even finer than I was giving it credit for. First of all, the riddim is GORGEOUS; that is next level infectiousness and musical intoxication. Furthermore, am I going too far in declaring it to be, PERHAPS, one of the finest vocal performances of Ziggi's career?? Forgive me for being blasphemous but some of what he does here almost sounds.... Cure-ish?? I'm hesitant to compare anyone to what is probably the single greatest voice ever given to a human being, EVER, but respect goes to where it is due and it is DUE all over 'Boom Meditation'. Oh, and the song is really good too if I haven't said that exactly just yet. 

Remember when I talked about losing touch with Ziggi's music earlier. Well, one of the tunes I fucked up and missed out on was called 'Don't Stay Far'. I'm 99.9% sure I've never heard this song from a couple of years ago at all. Like never! I'm going to call 'better late than never' and give credit to Oneness for bringing it to my attentions here because this thing is CANDY for your ears. What a sweet love-ish kind of tune this is. 'When She Loves' is somewhat similarly themed as 'Don't Stay Far' and not trailing too far behind. This is an older tune that I actually had come across at some point and I remember, largely, on the strength of that RIDICULOUS riddim. That thing is... in the stars somewhere, seriously. The song also has a nice and fairly unique message to it as well and is just solid, all the way around. 

I heard a bit of 'One Step Forward' and didn't get very far into it at all before I knew that I was hearing something special and it hasn't moved at all. This is THE best song altogether on 'Elevation' and I'll leave it at that. It is absolutely fantastic. 'Nice Ting' is the obligatory ganja tune here and it, fittingly, is a slow-burner. You may enjoy this song the first time you hear it -- you probably will -- but the.... fifth or sixth time you go through it should be even better. What changes (at least what changed for me) is the fact that this very subtle but damn lovely melody begins to develop more and more as you listen to it. The chorus, in particular, the first time I heard it, I thought it to be impressive but now.... it'd damn near special and very catchy. Finally, wrapping up "Elevation" is another tune from a few years back that I missed for some reason, 'X Amount' and it is all kinds of fun. 

"X amount ah try keep up but dem can't catch mi speed

X amount nah waan listen when mi proceed

X amount a lyrics, dem ah flow like stream 

X amount ah try stop mi but dem neva succeed

X amount a gal ah run mi dung like stampede

X amount of loving coulda never exceeed

X amount a hungry vampire waan feed

X amount of bloodsuckers, none a dem heart no clean

X amount nah like wi, that's why dem face lean

X amount a power, mi seh x amount a steam

Natural to di music a so wi keep it real 

A so wi keep it real"

"Tell dem call fi assistance 

Cah wi nuh bow down, wi putting up resistance

And if fem fire, then wi fire back in response

Ready fi spark it, ready fi blaze it inna instance

And wi no matta bout di distance

Mi fire travel wid the Almighty guidance

And this a musical fire, mi nah violent

Yes this a musical fire mi nuh....

That's why mi keep badmind in the backa mi

Burn all\ di wicked, no pardon or apology

Nah tune in to none a dem psychology 

Til I'm laid to to rest, i know they'll never get the best of mi

Well nuff a dem no rate mi and mi no rate dem

Through mi deliver nuff musical statement

But nuff love ina mi heart so mi nah hate dem

BUT MUSICALLY NOW MI AHGO TERMINATE DEM"

While 'X Amount' does have substance to it (clearly), it's REALLY just a good time. It's a celebration of music and of an extremely high level of ability. 

Overall, I think it's time I got back in the rotation and starting keeping track of what Ziggi's working on. While not the full Ziggi:Oneness Records link that I would have hoped for, "Elevation" is definitely the next best thing and it's just VERY GOOD. Yes, I took a break in recent years but looooooooooongtime I have been singing the praises of both artist and label in this case and, together, they are everything you expect them to be. Musically, "Elevation" lives up to its name; it's in the stars somewhere up there and add to it someone as capable as Ziggi Recado and I really can't see how anyone who is a fan of Reggae music in its current state won't find something here to enjoy immensely. 2026 has been very impressive so far and here's another big winner. BOOM!