Completely Random Thoughts 13: Random As Hell

So yeah. There’re a few things on my radars right now, some things which I’m not planning on writing full scale reviews for, so I thought I’d just plop them together (good and bad) and do it randomly in this post, so definitely check the word “RANDOM” (as hell).

Smiley

First up is Smiley’s new EP, Lively Road for Love & Unity Music. Told you I should be getting my hands on a physical copy pretty soon (biggup Malida), and with it having successfully traveled the world, my Wife brought it on back from her latest trip up and I have it! It’s also autographed, which makes it the third CD (cover) I have a signed (not going to tell you what the other two are) (because I SLAMMED that guy’s album and he was still nice enough to sign one) (I digress) copy of, I’m not a big autograph seeker, but I think it’s kind of cool yeah. So, having spent a couple of days or so with it now, I thought that I’d dig into it, track-by-track briefly and give you a taste of what to expect before you grab it up (and you should grab it up, actually you should’ve already).

#1. 'Big Money Bag'

‘Big Money Bag’ kind of reminds me of Gappy Ranks’ big hit, ‘Stinkin’ Rich’ in terms of what’s going on with it, although I’m pretty comfortable in saying that I prefer it over its more famous counterpart. Smiley is just speaking of what is hopefully a stop on his ‘lively road’ - Enjoying the successes and fortunes of his labour and journey and it has a very healthy and heavy vibes to it as well. It’s a pretty deep track lyrically (“Step up, step up, step up my game. It’s up to me, no one to blame”) and stays on the proper course to make it a real winner by its end.

Rated 4.5/5

#2. 'Disarray'

This one finds Smiley just feeling bad and, in a very relatable experience (if you haven’t been through the process of fucking up a relationship, then shame on you), is feeling really bad about it and is in a total ’disarray’ because of it. Thankfully this one doesn’t drop into ‘Nanko Territory’ (LUCKY YOU), by going to the point where it is downright depressing, but at the same time it manages to go around the stereotypical (LAME) ‘baby baby please take me back, I’m sorry’ type of stuff. Well done.

Rated 4/5

#3. 'Lively Road'

Getting into gear now, we link up with Smiley on the EP’s title track, a nearly brilliant cut of Rootdown Records’ Kokoo riddim (a review for which may just be coming soon). For me, this tune is about being determined and staying the course and being CONSISTENT. It’s interesting how, despite the title ‘Lively Road’, the tune itself is saying how it ISN’T a lively road at all, but instead it’s the way Smiley hopes to “make it work” and, of course, you might not notice with that LIVELY riddim playing in the background and what you won’t notice is a VERY strong tune.

Rated 4.5/5

#4. 'Distance'

Speaking of roads - ‘Distance’ is my favourite tune on the release and, thus, probably my favourite tune from Smiley thus far, altogether. This one about mending a faltered (not broken) relationship and when you REALLY start to analyze it, it begins to develop in so many nice ways. The main one is the fact that when you look at the title and place it into context of a relationship, you’d probably take it to mean a long distance relationship, but it isn’t (just) a physical distance, it’s more of an emotional and mental type of distance. Besides that, the song just sounds good, the chorus is excellent, it’s very accessible and very much sing-a-long style as well - Pretty much every thing you need.

Rated 5/5

#5. 'Miss Sassy'

‘Miss Sassy’ is a story type of tune about a woman of the night in effect. The tune ultimately (at least to my almost certainly over-listening ears) goes in a direction which supersedes the notion of strictly being a female (or even a person in general, regardless of sex) and speaks more to the kind of degenerative lifestyle so many people are unfortunately involved in - Miss Sassy becomes a mascot of sorts for it.

Rated 4.5/5

#6. 'Da Weed'

Even on a seven track EP we have an obligatory herbalist tune for the masses and . . . Well it’s pretty good isn’t it??? The song finds Smiley smiling a bit less and going closer and closer to a straight chanting style on the riddim and it works, it definitely works.

Rated 4/5

#7. 'Dem A Wonder' featuring Junior Kelly

And lastly is probably what is the first tune you and I first heard from Smiley, the BIG ‘Dem A Wonder’ alongside Junior Kelly. It’s maybe a year or a year and a half on from the first time I heard the tune and it’s still very strong to my opinion. “Jah bless you with a fyah, so go blaze it nonstop. And if you waan fi live up, mek rise and bun hot”. Certainly Smiley has taken his own advice and is in the process of making quite the name for himself and, at least on the international level, it started with this gorgeous Al.Ta.Fa.An. Produced track which found Smiley stepping out and stepping up.

Rated 5/5

Overall (like a real review yeah), you should already have targeted this one. It might just be the best single artist EP I’ve heard all year (and that’s saying a lot because I’ve probably heard at least a dozen or so already which are at least decent) (about to tell you about one of those in a second) and hopefully it’s leading us to the full long player from the always impressive Smiley.

Zamunda

And speaking of always impressive young artists with EPs, quietly the big young artist (from St. Ann!), Zamunda, put out one of his own recently, entitled Life. Now I won’t get too deeply into this five track set (because I haven’t began to play it with it too much as of yet), but it has "quality" written all over it as does Zamunda in general and while awaiting what I think, you should go on and grab yourself a copy because the clips sound outstanding as does the bit I’ve listened to (and yes that is the official cover).

Not Too Good.

One would think that I would have learned my lesson by now, but I guess I’m slow as hell and I’m going to express dissatisfaction with the new Midnite album, Ark A Law, from Lion I and Higher Bound (which technically makes it the followup of 2007’s Bless Go Round album, which I did like and still vibe occasionally). This one starts off so nice with ‘Ansa Fa’ then it just . . . Gets weird. Certainly you can’t be surprised by that, this is Vaughn Benjamin, but I listened through this album and my ears didn’t jump again until ‘Law Of’ rolled in. Vocal effects abound, as do under explored vibes to a degree and . . . I just don’t like it very much, but I won’t bash it and unless my opinion changes (and probably pretty soon), I won’t even talk about it past this yeah.

You Know What Else I Don't Like?

Tanya Stephens - Infallible

Infallible certainly isn’t HORRIBLE, but coming after the RIDICULOUS standards Stephens set for herself, via the fact that both of her most recent previous efforts, Rebelution and Ghetto Blues, were amazing and modern classics, it just doesn’t measure up. This one made headlines about a month or two ago because Stephens is just kind of giving it away for free (if you can’t find this thing online - No), instead of going through VP as she normally does and it’s a pretty big deal because Tanya Stephens’ is definitely a big name. But when I got into the album it literally sounded like tunes which, for various reasons, were cut from both the previous two albums (especially Rebelution). There wasn’t a distinctive vibe (AT ALL) until ‘Turn It Up’, which was decent, and really the vibes are kind of genre bending which is cool, but it’s unexceptional. My favourite two tunes were the final two, ‘Turn It Up’ and ‘Get Wild’, which are two of the only tracks to have that typical sassy type of confidence for which Stephens is known (along with probably being the SMARTEST lyricist in all of Caribbean music), but the rest of the album is just kind of flat and that’s disappointing as hell yeah.

Methi'S

Not disappointing none at all is the fact that one of my favourite Zoukies without an album is about to have one. Genesiz member (I THINK) CUTIE, Methi’S is dropping her debut album (I THINK), Mon Nid D’iles, for Don’s Music (I THINK) later this month (do I need to say it again?). Definitely looking forward to this one, the absolutely adorable Methi’S has been on my radars for about three years or so now, from since she featured alongside Saïk on what turned out to be a HUGE hit, ‘An Ba Soley’.

And apparently to go with the new album she has some big new crazy ass video about to launch yeah. So you can definitely expect a full review for this one when I get my paws on it yeah.

Fire Pashon

And speaking of new videos, closing honours go to the newest video from recent Achis Reggae interview subject, the lovely Fyah Pashon, with ‘Mek It Inna Life’ which is available on digital single right now yeah. Enjoy.