It never ceases to amaze me just how many Reggae artists we have racking up the frequent flyer miles, traveling to every corner of the world to find their audiences and ultimately their successes. For a musical genre which is perhaps the MOST (semi) well known musical art which is associated with a SPECIFIC region of the planet, its just so interesting how not only the vibes themselves travel, but the actual artists as well. And of course, I don’t mean in terms of touring and traveling for other promotion and such, that happens with any genre, but artist who simply ‘pack up and leave’ their homes to relocate, whether completely or merely as an artist. One of the most interesting and recent examples I found was that of one Cali P who released his very impressive debut album, Lyrical Faya, last year on the German imprint Pow Pow. Cali P is a born Gwada with ancestry of Switzerland as well and being grown in both (COMPLETELY UNRELATED) areas definitely blessed him with, if nothing else, a very unique story as to how he came about. That is also expressed in his music based on the glaring characteristic that, despite many of his compatriots rising up high in Reggae using their native French/Creole languages, Cali P voices almost exclusively in English/Patois. Staying in that same vein would be the case of Lyricson, a born Afrikan from Guinea, who would make his name in Reggae in France but also has apparently spent quite a bit of time in the States as well (and he also voices in English). Coming back to more familiar terrain, the number of how many Jamaican artists have gone to foreign locations to earn their stripes is downright staggering. When you take into account that so many of our elder artists have to go to Europe to sustain themselves as the continent apparently (and gratefully from my end) has a hunger for the old school vibes so many of us in the Caribbean take for granted. But that’s not all. MANY modern artists at the top of their games also head for European soil to find their niche in the game. Names which come to mind are Daddy Rings, Jack Radics, Elijah Prophet, Prince Theo, Mark Wonder, Omar Perry and a whole heap of others who have either completely moved to Europe, or who have shifted their focus to providing the European markets with their new pieces FIRST and primarily because it is their where they have earned their fan base who appreciate and support their vibes consistently. I think its so unfortunate because so many of these artists and others like them who have taken the same route (like Ray Darwin) because Jamaica and the Caribbean as a whole has shown a foul inability to support these TOP NOTCH acts.
But sometimes we can be a bit more accepting. Such was the case when one Natural Black left his homeland of Guyana back in 1995 or so. Although Black’s rise to stardom took quite a while, he stuck with it and proved himself, ultimately, to be one of the finest Roots Reggae artist on the scene at the time, a status which he still enjoys to this day. In doing so, in my opinion, he also opened the doors for others to strike out from his homeland and potentially enjoy similar successes (provided they are as skilled, or at least as committed to develop as he is/was). I think his indirect contribution will someday be regarded as pioneering-like as more and more talented faces continue to emerge from the musically rich landlocked South American nation (there are also a lot of mad Soca artists in Guyana as well, biggup Adrian Dutchin). Since Natural Black’s arrival, we’ve seen a few very talented Guyanese acts follow in his footsteps, most notably the downright ABSENT Yahadanai, wicked group First Born and the man of the moment, Mr. Ras Mac Bean. I’m going to call Ras Mac Bean a SINGER more so than a chanter, although I’ve heard him described as both, as the type of music he makes is based on a nearly DOMINANT voice in terms of Roots Reggae music which kind of gives him quite a few choices as to what he can do on any given track (think Turbulence, just not as overall talented). Mac Bean is no stranger to traveling as well, although he didn’t go the Jamaican route of Natural Black (which would have been EXCELLENT in retrospect had he), instead he went all the way to FRANCE and made the link with what turned out to be a WICKED French label in Irie Ites. One could make a reasonable claim that over the past half-decade or so Irie Ites has been one of the most consistent labels in the entire Reggae world. They constantly put out new riddims and thanks to a nice working relationship with the well reputed UK based Mafia & Fluxy brothers who have built quite a few riddims for the label which they use to voice some of the biggest talents in the world. Incidentally, the first time I recall hearing of either Ras Mac Bean or Irie Ites was back in 2004 when the label released Mac Bean’s debut (and to date only) album, Pack Up & Leave. there was a time when I had initially received Pack Up & Leave of all of a year or so maybe that I absolutely LOVED this album and it nearly saddened and definitely FRUSTRATED me that Mac Bean had been so sparing in releasing anything (or at least anything that I could get my hands on) outside of it. Unfortunately the same could be said of the artist today, five years later as his reluctance to voice much for anyone outside of the Irie Ites camp has grown more and more evident but that doesn’t take away from what he did with II with Pack Up & Leave, nor the fine works he continues to do with the label as nearly every Irie Ites riddim which comes down has a Ras Mac Bean tune on it (and they release A LOT). What originally captivated me of this album (and kind of still does today occasionally) was the overall CRAFTSMANSHIP placed into the work. Pack Up & Leave has a very STEADY vibes to it: Although it may not be spectacular throughout (although it definitely is that at times) there isn’t even a bad NOTE to be found on Pack Up & Leave and now that Irie Ites has cracked open the vault and re-released it digitally, you, fan of modern Roots Reggae would have a hard case to make in not picking up this BEAUTIFUL album.
Trying to think of an artist, as a point of comparison, who Ras Mac Bean sounds like and it’s kind of difficult. He’s not the type of deep, baritone voiced singer like Luciano or Bushman and he’s not quite in the Chrisinti - Junior Reid type of a range, yet right in the middle but definitely a more laid back version of Turbulence in terms of the style (minus the Dancehall of course, yet with a perceivable edge as well). As I said, I would definitely say the album has a solid, if not spectacular quality to it, but the opener of Ras Mac Bean’s debut album, Pack Up & Leave definitely borders on spectacular despite not even being one of the album’s highlights in my opinion, Jah Jah Look. The sound on this one is just AMAZING as the composition on this one is really a standout and for his part, RMB delivers a very nice message of relying on the support of His Majesty in this day and age when it is so necessary. Nice opening. The next tune here, the title track, is arguably an even better tune as RMB shows off the vocals just a bit more and pushes, in a story style, the reason why he has come to be who is. The chorus on this one is just BIG and simple in it’s own way that it really can flow beneath the radar if you don’t really pay attention. The same cannot be said for the tune in full, if you don’t notice this one, something is wrong (WITH YOU). One of the biggest tunes on the album named after it (across a riddim named after it). The tune here which completes the opening of the album is one which has received a great deal of attention since the album’s release, Dragon [Get Released], across Irie Ites’ Zion Riddim from Mafia and Fluxy. The Zion riddim is SWEET and definitely received it’s share of attention (and a riddim album as well) as it featured some really big names like Capleton, Turbulence and Lutan Fyah and Mac Bean stands good in comparison with any of them with his big tune here. All in all, a very SOLID opening.
As a testament to the standing Irie Ites had achieved even at that point, there are two REALLY high profile combinations on Pack Up & Leave. The first of which features Ras Mac Bean alongside veteran Jamaican chanter Anthony B. The result of the pairing is, in my opinion, the album’s biggest tune altogether, the URGENT Wake Up Call. This tune, which comes across probably II’s biggest riddim to date, the LARGE Borderline riddim. The riddim supports the duo well as they more or less put a call in for SOLDIERS for His Majesty and I’m ready! If you follow that path in life, the tune will definitely get you up and moving and uplifted. Exactly where you need to be! HUGE tune. The other big combination on Pack Up & Leave is the Rasta affirming Lion Is King alongside Morgan Heritage, another shot across the Zion riddim. The tune is definitely more on Morgan Heritage’s style of vibes and that’s not necessarily a bad thing as they tend to make very good combinations with other artists. Lion Is King is SURELY no exception. The other two combinations here feature Mac Bean alongside lesser known artists Lorenzo and Tricia Collymore, with Forgive Dem Jah and the closer Oh Mama, respectively. Forgive Dem Jah (on the Pack Up & Leave riddim) is nearly a big tune as Lorenzo and RMB have become quite the dup showing great chemistry for the two artists who primarily voice for Irie Ites. Oh Mama is the obligatory Mama tune for Pack Up & Leave and has a different, more ‘funky’ type of a vibe. Its not a bad tune, but it is the album’s changeup featuring Collymore who (wonderfully) sings backing throughout and takes co-writer credits on many of the tunes as well). EVERY single tune on the first half of Pack Up & Leave is either a big tune or just shy of such distinction. That includes the BIG tune Boots Tracks which is a tune to all of those Brothers and Sisters unfortunate enough to be incarcerated for herb (it is the herbalist tune here). I used to LOVE this tune. It doesn’t have the urgent nature as several of the other tunes and you would expect it to, but it still gives the very FIRM feel that is necessary to get the message across to the masses, especially later in the tune. That urgency is back and solid on Why Do The Edens Rage which just reaches big tune status to my opinion with the complexities in that vibe. And the SWEET From The Cradle To The Grave isn’t even a question as it is simply one of the best tunes on the album. It’s a praising tune for His Imperial Majesty at its core and I LOVE how RMB (and Collymore) arrive at that sound with the wicked sound and just inspiring nature of the tune. The second half of Pack Up & Leave also features its fair share of big tunes beginning with one of the few non Irie Ites tunes on the album, How Can I across the Frontline riddim for the Swiss label, Addis Records. The tune pushes a empowering message of not to just stand idle when wickedness is going around. The Frontline is a big riddim as well and featured many big artist and RMB probably had the best tune on that piece with How Can I. Immediately following How Can I is probably the signature tune for the album outside of the title track, Time To Reach The Borderline which is probably the best solo tune on the album altogether. Another across the Borderline riddim, Time To Reach The Borderline just has a really NECESSARY feel to it. Really Ras Mac Bean turns motivation speaker on several tunes on the album and IT WORKS! It probably is never more effective than on Time To Reach The Borderline as wherever the ‘borderline’ is: I’M READY TO GO! Down the stretch Mac Bean continues to sprinkle in the nice vibes like on Dem A Run Away for the UK based Unik Music. The tune is just DIFFERENT sounding if you really dig into the lyrics and it caught me full on back when I first heard it and I still find myself enjoying it. Lastly is the nice Street Life from Addis which has a pretty even sound to it, fits in EXCELLENT with the album and serves as a very nice lead in to the DIFFERENT Oh Mama to close things out.
Overall, it’s available, you should have it. Previously Pack Up & Leave had a bit of an availability problem and I would recommend it to people who simply couldn’t track it down. But now YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE! Irie Ites has been making more and more of their catalogue available digitally and buried in ALLLLL of those riddims is Pack Up & Leave, arguably the greatest piece of work they have ever done. Pack Up & Leave was an album which so many people missed out on, some of which have even heard Ras Mac Bean’s name since then. If you were such a person then you missed a formal introduction to an artist who you may someday NEED to know. Pushing more and more vibes from Irie Ites and across the world, the jetlagged Ras Mac Bean should he voice more may DIRECTLY follow in the steps of Natural Black, consistently making hit records. Now if we could only send him a plane ticket to Jamaica. . . Very well done.
Rated 4/5 stars
Irie Ites Records
2004
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