Lyrics!: Jah Mason

Much like Capleton and a handful of others, I don’t think that Jah Mason is someone who gets the full credit for his lyrical ability. So many fans probably know the Manchester born former resident of Capleton’s David House more for the fiery Roots chanter that he certainly is, but should you get past the flare and the dynamics, what you have is someone who is extremely gifted with the pen. This is evident not only in the various hits that he’s scored throughout his career (and if you ever really noticed, a great deal of his hits are very lyrical tunes), but also through the level of consistency that he’s managed to achieve and maintain (his last album notwithstanding, of course) - being one of the most durable of names in a very crowded field and at least partially due to his ability to, sometimes wildly, place together beautifully dexterous linguistic streams. It is such flows that we take a look at today - Here we have ten at least moderately random lyrical brooks from arguably one of the most underrated wordsmiths in Reggae history, Jah Mason.

"Hey ghetto youth have dem education
Hey babylon you betta hold yah meditation
Divide an rule: Dat ah segregation
Rumours of war
Nation 'gainst nation
Selassie I dem praise and no tell mi bout Satan
Livin in dis world, dem seh look up to di pagan
Old anti-christ wid dem same old slogun"
-'Can’t Wait'

"Tell Elizabeth free wi
She nah free none
Dem rather free di coke
An free up di opium"
-'As Much As Mi Get'

"Yuh system fi clean up
Too much things mi si lean up
Together we will be, if we ever team up
Clean up
Too much things mi si lean up
Nah mek it boil over and steam up

Gather di puzzle pieces
Every cornah, every crevice and-
Each and every creases
Be careful
Watch out fi di papas and di beasts
Mother harlot, father harlot, auntie, uncle and di nieces
Fight against cleanliness, you end up lak feces
Be precise
Hey, in whatever you teaches
No contradict yourself or you will end inna mystery
Living like some unsolved mystery"
-'Team Up'

"I mek di trod deh inna di day
She mek di trod deh inna di night
And she know seh she was wrong
And she know dat I was right
What happen to royalness?
No more you nah act polite
Well mi si seh dat you ready fi put up a fight
From di other day mi si seh you acting hype
Well you friend dem you go follow -
And you follow di wrong type!"
-'Princess Gone'

"Stay in my heart like the sun that shine and the wind that blows
We’ll never part, special place in my heart for you girl and you know!

Some gone fi good
Well dem gone forever
Yow keep it real, mi nah go end up lak no beggar
I been so smart and you been so clever
Yow, loose love, well I coulda neva
Well Rastafari, well love mi go treasure

Love stay wid us, everyday wid us
And wi coulda neva be apart
Never stray from us, or stay from us
Love always inna our heart"
-'Stay In My Heart'

"I'm delighted to do thy work, oh Jah
Well dem caan stop mi, no time, no sah
Salvation mi need
Mi no waan no sponsah
Tell dem, love is di way, also di answah
Gimme di oldtime tradition, mi no waan no sponsah
Bangarang dem ah pick and a powdah and pampah
Yow, its too late, dem gwan get anchah
We a unconquerable, weh dem caan conquah!"
-'Black King' w/Lutan Fyah

"Mi dun si dem move!
Mi dun si dem flex!
Mi get fi ovastand seh nuff ah flex lak Rex!
Mi dun si dem move!
Mi dun si dem flex!
What kind a move dem ahgo mek next!

Mi tell dem live clean and dem gone live dutty
Selassie I commandment?
Dem run go bruk it
Dem heart, it no clean
Dem mind, it smutty
Watch how dem ah move lak a dogs and puppy
Caan escape!
No care how dem lucky
Watch how dem ah flex lak Jason & Chucky!
Well you no si seh dem a walkin duppy!
Dutty livity!
Mi ah beg unuh fi lef it!"
-'Si Dem Move'

"Tru mi divineness, well dem know seh dat mi skillful
Mi show dem love, mi bun dem grudge -
Mi do it willful
Well I a lion, some a behave like a pitbull
Mi ah ask dem why mankind so neglectful
Mi ah ask dem why mankind so rejectful
From you’s a suspect, well mi si you suspectful
Jah give I blessin and HIM give I inna handful
Always be right, mi tell dem neva be wrongful
Whether you inna turban, or your kangol
Dis a one ya name Rasta neva gamble
Ah di truth a mi go si seh some ah ramble"
-'Watch!'

"Tell di government, vote fi demself
Go tell clerk a court, go a court fi demself
Who gwan judge di judge, him ah sentence himself
So tell di lawyer, seh fi lawyer himself
Barrister, dem ah run risk wid demself
Police man, tell dem go arrest demself
Yow, cah mi si seh dem possess demself
Seh dem ah stop crime, but stop demself"
-'Keep Your Joy'

"Tru mi tun to di east and behold di Trinity
Emmanuel, Marcus and His Majesty
Mi neva close mi eye
Neva go down pon mi knee
And alla praise to di Man who irate you and . . .
Di Man who irate di sky -
Di land and di sea
Who irate di flowers and even di tree
Di Man who irate di fishes and birds and di bee
Ah Emperor Selassie I, come set us free"
-'Workin So Hard' w/Jah Cure

'It's Alive!': A Review of "Don Corleon Presents Dub In Hd"

Dancehall in particular, but generally speaking, all of Reggae music is, at least somewhat, of a trend-following type of genre. As opposed to other forms of music, where what you'll see a more natural 'changing of the guard' where an artist/producer/whatever will inspire young and forthcoming artists/producers/whatevers (we have that also), in Reggae, and specifically Jamaican Reggae, when someone finds something that WORKS, someone else is going to try and follow them as closely as they possibly can. Throughout the years we've seen things such as a performer developing a unique style which registers with fans and then someone IMMEDIATELY copying it (while the originator is still around and still in his/her respective prime) (which is completely ridiculous if you really think about it). This happens so frequently and common that I'll even confess to being someone who, upon hearing a new artist for the first time, one of the first thoughts that I have who he/she sounds similar to (and if you do read my work, you know that I openly do it almost every time I review someone’s debut album) (biggup Joggo) and have FUN doing it. You'll also see it, very regularly with riddims. Perhaps the greatest example in my mind is when the Diwali Riddim reached and subsequently spawned several others which were intent on attempting to recreate that same infectious handclap sound. As I said, when something does prove to be effective and a HIT, people will lineup to copy it and I'm hoping they're paying attention now.

Don Corleon Records

I don't know exactly what Dub Music has been up to these days, but he hasn't actually been the most active of subgenres. Perhaps he moved to St. Croix (along with old school Reggae), England (with Lover's Rock) or maybe spends his days traveling in Europe, availing himself to completely random European country after completely European country (like . . . Well, much of modern Roots Reggae). He could be just enjoying his retirement as Dub certainly has found itself to be a very under-utilized and under-popularized art form over, especially from the turn of the century. Not only is it in much decreased rotation, but it's even looked upon as a kind of a dinosaur in Reggae - The actual word 'Dub' will almost always find itself quickly accompanied by "old school", or some conditioning term like such, wherever it may appear linguistically. It's just fallen out of favour with so much of the world it seems and is in desperate need of a boost of some kind (and some serious PR help).

So! When Dub got the link and heard the news that not only would he be required, but at the request of arguably the greatest all-around producer in Reggae today, Don Corleon, you can only imagine that he, like (fortunately) a great deal of fans, myself included, got very excited. I’m not some great fan of Dub, obviously, however, my interest came in the fact that I am (and used to be even more so) a pretty big fan of Don Corleon's and the prospect of him dubbing out some of his now legendary catalog was damn appealing to me. It should be said that Corleon has always shown himself to be a bit of a 'risk taker' and a trendsetter and one could argue that it is one of his greatest qualities and one which has lead him to become the genius of a maestro people like You and I regard him as. If you can remember back to his beginnings on the biggest stage - His riddims, in retrospect, usually had something different about them, even before he gave them to (Vybz Kartel) the actual artists. Riddims like the Krazy and the Mad Ants and the Good 2 Go, they were all very STREAMLINED projects, very cool and well carried out, but they were also LOOSE. If I recall correctly, he didn’t emphasize changing them so much behind each vocalist, but they were so . . . FUN, that you almost never ran into a situation where you had a problem of each tune sounding like one another (even when the vocalist wasn’t the most talented). Then, of course, came the time when the proverbial gates open and Don Corleon fell in love with the one-drop and all of these years later, he's still showing just how proficient he is in both areas (check the Monte Carlo Riddim). So, I suppose it shouldn’t be to a great surprise that "Don Corleon Presents Dub in HD" is upon us and whether it is or it isn't, I'm well happy to see it. Even in theory this thing works. I was thinking that if he ever chose to just release an instrumental album, or series, with the clean and untouched versions of his riddims, that even that would be of interest and pretty useful, but to actually add some effects and dub out the tracks? I'm all for that and that's what we get on this now hotly anticipated set. Also, it is definitely to be said that this is the move of a VERY confident individual. I did (and rightfully so, in my opinion) just categorize and portray Don Corleon as a risk taker, but you don't just decide to do an entire project like such, if you have much in the way of doubts that the people will appreciate it. And going by his history, and if you haven't noticed, Don Corleon has been FLAMING as of late, why should he think it any different. Again, I'm no expert in Dub, but as a more than very interested fan and observer of modern Reggae music who is almost thirty years old (SHIT!), I really did enjoy this one as Don Corleon cracks open and dubs out what is arguably the most impressive vault in all of modern Reggae music. How does it happen? Let's take a spin.

Don Corleon Productions

Although I'm certain they had nothing to do with it, I do look at a few labels, such as Not Easy At All and JahSolidRock and a few others (biggup Foreign Key Records, also, who did a dubbified Earl Zero album by the name of "Marketplace", earlier this year) who have not only done modern Dub music, but have done so within the framing of simultaneously providing top notch albums, which is incredibly difficult to know. When dealing with the subject here, however, we’re talking about one of the definers of this era of Reggae music and someone who has well been enjoying the fruits of his prime years for nearly a decade or so. "Don Corleone Presents Dub In HD" gets off to a most interesting launch with 'Dread In Dub', which is a version of the riddim for the hit from Don Corleon's cousin, Protoje, 'Dread' (I don't think I needed to say that!). I may go as far as to say that the arrival of the very old school oriented and fixated Protoje is something which may've spurned this project into existence. I have to say that although I did like the original tune (which appears on Protoje's debut album, "7 Year Itch"), I was never THRILLED by the riddim - It now sounds EXCELLENT. It's very powerful and even Don scales it back it, rather easily, maintains its power. I would even like to hear it, now, completely sans vocals because this is nearly outstanding. Protoje actually 'returns' later on the project for the album's closer (unsurprisingly, his is the only voice you'll hear on more than one track on the album) 'Wrong Side In Dub'. I think that I would have liked this one even more with a bit less in the way of vocals, however, I should say that this piece includes on of the most thrilling moments to be found here when it literally DIES right in its middle for a second or two only to experience a "resurrection" (biggup Protoje) and come back with more of an edge in its latter stages.

Speaking of its latter stages, tracks #8 and #9, 'Sweet Treat In Dub' and 'Warning In Dub' are also of interest. The first is of particular interest because it is EASILY one of the best things "Dub In HD" has to offer altogether. "Crisp" is the word I've come to use to describe it and I would imagine that old school fans of Dub will probably appreciate this one above all others present. 'Warning' is the version of (cutie) Jah9’s big tune from last year. Much like in the case of the album’s opener, I do recall appreciating the original version of the song, but never the riddim to this degree (in my defense, however, the song is a very lyrical one), so hearing it displayed in this manner definitely opens up yet another dimension in what was, already, a very WIDE reaching track. This sounds very nice.

Album Trailer Pt. 1

With all of that being said, the main attraction on "Don Corleon presents Dub In HD", for me at least, CLEARLY comes in its early and middle portions - Between tracks two and nine which feature dubs of some of the biggest compositions of the ace producer's entire career. At the head (literally) of these is what most probably regard as his finest work ever and one of the greatest riddims, from anyone, ever made, the incomparable Drop Leaf. In its original form, it is a PILLAR of modern Reggae music and the prospects of finding it in this form on this album was downright appetizing. It does not disappoint. This lick of the riddim is so straight forward that it basically sounds like an amplified instrumental which works for me and will do the same for you and everyone you know (even your animals). The track which typically finds itself most associated with the Drop Leaf, the Seasons Riddim is also here and it manages to outdo its older sibling, to my ears . . . And everything else on the album as well. TEARS! The tune presented for 'Seasons In Dub' is, arguably, the signature track of the riddim (there were probably five or six "signature tracks" from that MASSIVE riddim), 'Far From Reality' by Natural Black, which everyone loves and I had the LOVELY experience of singing this tune from the beginning and finding myself wonderfully cut-off by Black - As if he were singing it regularly and synched up, but we just can’t hear him. For a ridiculous nerd-like fan such as yours truly, this is HUGE! I also really enjoy how Corleon makes full usage of the kind of 'ethereal' sound at the beginning of the riddim - using it quite often throughout - I usually associate that with Jah Cure's big track 'Love Is', but it sounds divine here also on the album's finest offering.

Maybe a half step down from those two unforgettable efforts is the Major Riddim which also makes a nice appearance on the album. Of course, I immediately began to sing 'Let's Do It Again' by J-Boog, but instead Don chooses 'Wildfire', the big hit by Tarrus Riley for the basis of his mix. I have no complaints here (and I’m still singing “nice to nice to know ya” in my head anyway). This one maybe the second fieriest track here. There's definitely a great PRESENCE on the riddim and I've always loved that thing from the very first time I heard it and it’s not lost even the slightest bit of its nearly blinding (or deafening?) musical lustre in my eyes. Oft-collaborator of Don Corleon, the aforementioned Jah Cure makes an actual appearance on "Dub In HD" with his wicked tune, 'Only For You', being the foundation of another of the album's real highlights, 'Istanbul In Dub'. This one - I was somewhat surprised to see here (probably because I had forgotten that it was Don's riddim) but it’s still very well done. Again, it may attract more traditional fans of the genre with its more skeletal, but HEAVY type of vibes - I'm not such a person, but I also like it and a lot. And finally we get the dubs for a couple of random (big) tunes on the album. 'Ghetto Life In Dub' is the version for Pressure Busspipe’s track of the same name and this one, before even APPROACHING the stage of actual application, works in theory. That riddim was an old person in a young person’s time and when you take into account just how involved it is (and this IS the most fire you hear on the album), it's the changeup for the project. There's so much going on between the mix and Pressure and King Kong worked in throughout. It's just a well dynamic and versatile set. And then there’s 'Luv A Dub' which is for the tune of the (EXACT) same name from Alaine & Buju Banton (who apparently got sentenced to a decade in prison yesterday). This one took a minute or two to really grow on me and I know why - We don't actually hear Alaine's voice, not a single time on the track. Instead, the riddim kind of does her part, but the attraction here was them both. Buju would certainly be more fitting on a dubbed version of a song of this tonnage and he holds the weight here, but it would've been nice to hear just a little from Alaine.

Couple of things here. First of all, while listening to this one for the sake of this review, I thought of the fact that Don Corleon is typically quite stingy with his riddim tracks. If I recall correctly, he simply stopped putting them on albums after going largely digital (the most remarkable bit of evidence in that is the fact that the CD versions of riddims like the Drop Leaf and the Seasons contain the clean riddim versions, while their digital counterparts do not). So this one definitely does come with at least a hint of irony. Also, and I'll speak more on this in a prevailing sense in just a moment, but where do we go from here? I find it very interesting that this album does things like call dubs of single songs by the riddim's names but, presumably, versions of other songs on the same riddim, in future editions (???) would also be very much wanted (with the obvious request being Jah Cure's 'Longing For' in Dub) and in demand.

Overall, I just LIKE everything about this one. Not only is a good album, but it also has very much a wider reaching sense to it. What I will do, right now, is to recommend "Don Corleon Presents Dub In HD" to perhaps newer fans of the subgenre. Reggae fans, in general, are very arrogant when it comes to our music (and we should be, we have, by far, the greatest music in the world) (did you catch that?), but Dub heads, specifically, are NOTORIOUSLY very difficult to please - Not liking anything made after ~1990 and by anyone besides a handful of gifted individuals, all of whom are probably several hundred times the age of a Don Corleon.

Album Trailer Pt. 2

Going forward, however, we’re presented with a very wide array of possibilities. First would be a volume 2 of this album (the Heavenly Riddim? The Minor? The Message?). Then, again, what if it proves commercially successful (and I think it will)? Looking at the various types of music underneath the umbrella of 'Reggae' it’s just damn strange that all of them seem to clear out and reignite every few years with new names, new producers and new audiences, but Dub, as I said, is very much a dinosaur and seemingly passed on in a variety of very obscure ways. Can you imagine if Dub ever meets modern Dancehall (or semi-modern Dancehall and not the majority of that shit they make these days). What's keeping someone like a Stephen McGregor for dubbing all of his old angry riddims like the 12 Gauge and the Red Bull & Guinness? Or Don from doing the Krazy or the Good 2 Go or the Trifecta or the Mad Ants? I'm not saying it would be good, but it would be a mighty update for an art form which is downright STARVING. If it can manage to even approach opening those type of doors and keeping Dub from merely resting on his old, fat and nasty ass, "Don Corleon Presents Dub In HD" may prove to be the most important thing to happen in the music in a very long time.

Rated: 4/5
Don Corleon Records
2011
Digital/Vinyl [I THINK]
Don Corleon Records

Halftime Report - 2011

So yeah! There’s only a week remaining in the first half of 2011, so I thought that now would be a pretty good time to have a brief look back at the first six months of the year, with some of the normal categories and a bit extra if I can manage to finish this before I begin to get sleepy (which is HIGHLY unlikely). Let’s go!

*Album Of The Year*

"Free Expressions" by Etana [VP Records]

While I've yet to actually give a 5/5 rating this year, I'm pretty sure the 4.85 which I gave to "Free Expressions", the sophomore release of the incomparable Etana, in February remains my highest number rated reviewed album and I'm pretty firm in that. I haven't spun this album a great deal, but simply going back to it briefly, for the sake of this post, and it didn't take more than a couple of tracks to be reminded of just how amazing it was. The album was a powerhouse of modern Roots Reggae, Lover's Rock and just GORGEOUS music altogether.

'Free'

Other candidates come from the likes of Ziggi Recado, The Uprising Roots Band, Luciano recently and a few others - and the second half of the year figures to set up worthy challengers such as Agent Sasco, Saïk, Jah Cure, Perfect, 'Modern Classic' entrant, Elijah Prophet [see note], and others (maybe even Chezidek) and while I do hope that someone does something worthy of a 5/5 in my opinion - would I be COMPLETELY shocked if December arrives and Etana's place here is still secured? Not really.

{Note: Elijah Prophet’s new album, "Happy Days", may actually release next week}

*Artist Of The Year*

Machel Montano

I know what you’re thinking and you’re 100% correct - Yes, I am taking the easy way out of this question with this selection. Reggae Artist of The Year? An entirely much more difficult question to response (although I’m, most partially, leaning towards Assassin and a continued streak of good singles combined with a second half album, will probably earn him the spot and probably do so at least semi-unanimously), but when you follow an intentionally lackluster and largely vacant 2010 by taking your fourth Road March title and . . . Randomly going Matrix on a Soca Monarch stage in the process of capturing your first crown, you’ll have a place on any list that I’m doing within the subjectry of ‘best of the year’. That’s exactly what Machel Montano did this year.

*Riddim Of The Year*

The Show Version Riddim [Studio 53 Entertainment]

I know I'm probably the only one choosing this one but . . . Yeah, I don't care. How fucking NICE would it be if Trinidad gave us the best Reggae riddim of 2011? If the year ended today that would be precisely the case as the well respected Studio 53 showed up BLAZING with the SWEET Show Version Riddim early this year. I'm beginning to identify a specific Trinidadian Reggae sound, with this sublime flexibile and 'swinging' sound which is exemplified by the SV, but also thrown in is something which even further identifies the origins of this one - a steel pan! The result, for me, is one EXCELLENT composition and one currently having no equal in 2011.

From the Dancehall THANKFULLY there’re more choices than I expected, but I’d probably go with the Run Di Place Riddim from Boardhouse.

The Random

'Run Di Place' by Assassin

Song(s) of The Year
'Run Di Place' by Assassin & 'Consider It Done' by Fay-Ann Lyons

Label of The Year
Don Corleon Records

Lyricist(s) of The Year
Assassin & Bunji Garlin

Occurrence of The Year
Buju Banton convicted on drug charges (sentencing later today, I believe)

Cutie of The Year

Stevy Mahy (damn stairs!)

Cool Person of The Year
Sara Lugo!

Thing I’m Most Looking Forward To In The Second Half of The Year
'The Cave' [More on that coming soon]

Zanmi Kreyol

So! In about a week, the first half of 2011 will be over. You’ll be six months older than you were at the beginning of the year (I'll be about 7 weeks away from thirty) and hopefully, six months smarter. In Reggae, coming up in the second half of the year, you're undoubtedly (and hopefully), looking forward to big and brand new albums from the likes of Jah Cure, Perfect, Sizzla Kalonji, Elijah Prophet and others (like Bambú Station???). Yeah! And all of that is great, but you know I like to dig a little deeper and in doing so, I have my own eyes and ears pointed firmly in the direction of and tuning into the area of Reggae and Dancehall from out of Guadeloupe, Martinique and Guyane - These areas pushing BIG talents in Kreyol and French.

This year, we’ve already seen BIG releases come through from the likes of Tiwony ["Cité Soleil"], Paille ["Inflammable"], X-Man ["Atypique"], Sista Majesty ["Ouvrir Les Portes"], Colonel Reyel ["Au Rapport"], Guy Al MC ["Sé Love Sélman"], Little Guerrier ["I & I"] and I’m sure a few others as well. This has all followed a 2010 which saw albums from Admiral T, Lieutenant, Kalash, Krys, Sam-X, Damaniak, E.Sy Kennenga, Young Chang MC, Blenda and Yeahman'C. Of course there is the top of the top notch (and I’m about to tell you about one of those), but ALL of these, in some respects, are big names and would be the equivalent to . . . A seriously STACKED line of Jamaican artists (predominately Dancehall) releasing albums in about eighteen months - Something which probably has not happened (specifically in regards to Dancehall) in nearly a decade.

'Turn Around' featuring Lady Sweety & Natty Bwoy by Sista Majesty

And there's more! The final half of 2011 tentatively is scheduled to offer up three more big release from a trio of big named and very talented performers. One of which is someone who has suddenly become much improved in my eyes, another is a DJ specializes in FURY and the other is someone who is . . . Wildly talented beyond his time and is almost GUARANTEED to have the best Dancehall album of 2011 and maybe even THE best album altogether. Let's take a look.

"Dalycious" by Daly [Hit Maker Mizik]

'Rèspèkté-w'

I haven't exactly been shy in expressing the fact that I am, by no means, the biggest fan of Gwada Dancehall veteran, Daly, but I think it says something that I know enough even to formulate an opinion - I have been paying an attention (not a great amount, but attention still). SO! Because of that, I wasn't at all apprehensive to check what he was up to as of late and it has subsequently turned out to be probably my favourite piece of work from the DJ to date. Not too long ago, Daly returned with the first single for his forthcoming album, "Dalycious" (his third, by my count, and his first from 2007's "Mista Dal"), the VERY strong 'Rèspèkté-w'. Either I just wasn't giving Daly the credit he was due previously or the tune is a significant step-up from a great deal of his previous work. And I should add that it wasn’t that said "previous work" was bad ('Konstriksyon' is a HUGE tune and always will be) (alongside Admiral T), it just never grabbed in this way. "Dalycious" will likely be his best album to date, and I'm WELL looking forward to hearing the entire thing.

“K-Rakter” by Mighty Ki La

'Régine'

How do I describe what Mighty Ki La does??? At his absolute best, MKL has a skill of blending an undeniable talent with such a strange level of intensity that you kind of wonder which, exactly, is his base. Did someone happen to stumble upon a crazy guy who learned how to rhyme from Martinique? If not, was he just a REALLY skilled lyricist who just . . . I don’t know, bumped his head one day and LOST it! In either case, he’s really become one of my favourites over the years (I "lost it" a long time ago) (I'm not even entirely sure that I ever had "it") and it would seem that 2011 would be a very good year for him to return. "K-Rakter" [see note again] is set to be his third album to date and his first from 2008 and if you know what to expect from MKL (and I just told you), then you know that there is almost NO WAY that this project could even be remotely close to substandard work.

Saïk [Don’s Music]

'You & Me'

I don’t even know what to say about this one. A few years back we learned about a youth from Guadeloupe by the name of Saïk, on the strength of his debut album (and material from), "Face à la Réalité". That album showed young Saïk to be, already at that point, amongst the very best lyricists that the Dancehall had to offer, potentially surpassing, ALREADY, his good friend, the very respected Admiral T. Saïk was basically off the registers and the album proved to be one of the greatest Dancehall albums since the turn of the century in my opinion. I've been a fan from then and now is the greatest time to jump up because Saïk, now older and more mature is set to bring his sophomore release later this year. To get things rolling he pushed what is likely the second best video I've seen at all this year (biggup Tarrus Riley) for the album's increasingly excellent first single, 'You & Me'. There is no way that this album isn’t going to be GREAT! And the only thing that keeps me from pronouncing it the best Dancehall album of 2011 (besides the fact that I haven't heard it yet) is that Assassin also figures to be in play later in the year. But make no mistake: this will be a MAMMOTH album.

Oh! And I suppose that there maybe an outside chance that we might FINALLY get the next album from Achis Reggae and Earth favourite, Lady Sweety - But I'm not holding my breath on it.

{Note: As always, check out Antilles-Mizik and the SSBStore for FWI releases}

{Note 2: Releases, titles and pretty much any other thing I may've said in here which proves to be completely wrong and/or DUMB are, of course, tentatively scheduled}

The Vault Reviews: "Signs of The Time" by Mark Wonder

I have to say that, besides listening to and then writing for this wonderful, wonderful music, that some of the greatest joys and . . . just FUN that I get from writing this blog is ‘simply’ doing the research. I’ll be a student, of some sorts, for my entire life, hopefully, and when dealing with something as obscurely detailed as Reggae music, where the difference between learning what is wrong and learning what is right is often very slim, the quests for knowledge are so healthy and brimming with very fascinating twists and turns. There’re albums which were released and done so in a very limited manner and are, therefore, essentially completely gone. There’re actual artists who aren’t around anymore, but strangely have tunes which are released well beyond the days of their careers. Producers who have taken older riddims (of their own and of other producers) and re-released them and re-re-released them and done so with different names and different musicians in different studios for different labels and . . . Researching Reggae can be damn tedious work! But, generally speaking, it’s worth it - There is a reward (biggup Joe Higgs). Be it merely finding the actuality of what you’re searching for (or as close to it as you or anyone else will ever get) or establishing some other base of functioning knowledge going forth, it is helpful work. Oh! And there’s also the matter of the actual music itself, of course, which may not get any better or worse once you know the story behind it, but when something COMES BACK and gives you an opportunity to hear it for the first time, perhaps, and dive straight into it, it has to be one of the greatest musical experiences for me, personally.

"Break The Ice" - 2005

And here is such an opportunity. If you haven’t noticed very much, I’ve been one of quite a few people (which is wonderful) who has recently been singing the praises of a singer who has gone woefully overlooked for entirely too long in the grand scope of Reggae music, the amazing Mark Wonder. Much like artist such as Yami Bolo, Batch, Mikey General and others, Wonder has become someone who although he may not be regarded as one of the most popular top flight Reggae performers of his day, will ALWAYS have a place on players, regardless of how old or new his output is. What is perhaps most remarkable besides the music (which I’m getting into shortly), is the fact that nearly every time I hear one of his songs (many of which I’ve heard dozens and dozens of times and written about thoroughly) I gain a greater and greater appreciation for it, which is a quality that he probably only shares with the aforementioned Ras Batch and Sara Lugo these days. Also, I should add that, as I alluded to, I’m not the only one who seems to be waking up. I write about him, in the most informal of manners, and we get comments on the page and a great deal of emails as well and, that’s just beautiful and HOPEFULLY we can get it to a point where he gets the credit he deserves: As simply one of the greatest Roots Reggae singers the genre has today and has likely EVER had.

So! When you give me an opportunity to do research about Mark Wonder and definitely if you give me music which is new to my ears as well, I’m not only going to be interested, but as you can see, I’m going to be vocal as well. When doing research in Reggae, one of the most fertile of focal areas is surely the debut album. Particularly for an artist who has quite a few years in the business (and, reportedly, Wonder is nearing a quarter of a century in Reggae music), going back that far is very GOOD work. That brings us, most fortunately to ”Signs of The Time” which, I’m almost certain, is officially the debut album of the Kingston born singer. Okay - The album was likely done for the year 1996 (when I was fifteen) (yes, I will, so unfortunately, be thirty in a very short moment), by an old Dutch label called Zola & Zola, which was ran by a Peter Jonker. It was produced by veteran KC White, whose work I am familiar with, who reportedly was introduced to Mark Wonder by one of the greatest Dancehall DJ’s of all time, the legendary General Trees. The album may or may not have actually been released (EVER!) and I take this from the liner notes of the later (beautiful) ”Break The Ice” album (which says that it wasn’t). So, if we could somehow, someway get the tunes from that album, at least as far as some of them, it may be the first time that almost anyone has heard them. Well we can. If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a billion times, the digital medium for music, and especially a music such as Reggae which is so ‘fractured’ in terms of how many people do it and where they do it, is extremely powerful. So powerful is it, in fact, that it can raise the dead! White, now with his label, Carmor Productions, slapped a cover on it (which is positively awful, but who cares?), linked up with the leaders of digital Reggae, the conquering Zojak Worldwide, and has manifested, likely for the first time ever, ”Signs of The Time” by Mark Wonder! [He’s also released projects for Trees, Anthony B and others, all of which were all apparently done for Zola & Zola] If it didn’t happen like this, it’s likely that this album would NEVER have been resurrected and that would’ve really been a lost to fans of the singer such as you and I. Now, it’s readily available and when I first saw this album (biggup Bredz), I’m sure I flashed a smile from ear to ear. Not only is the voyage back in time to discover the story behind this album a very entertaining experience - It’s still a MARK WONDER ALBUM, which means that it’s top notch. It is a very well done and UPFUL project from someone who has likely not flopped on A SINGLE TUNE at any point in the last decade and a half - at least! Let’s have a look back.

Mark Wonder

The first thing that I’ll say about the album is that, despite its rather mysterious background, apparently everything surrounding the actual recording of the project was legit. It sounds very very good throughout and that’s an excellent trait to have because whenever you’re in the business of displaying one of the greatest voices in Reggae music, we want to be able to hear it at its finest. Also, there’s been no radical shift in regards to what the singer does with his vibes and you can well expect the same predominately straight forward and DURABLE Roots Reggae on which he’s made his name (although I might say that this album has a slight more laid back colour to it than some of his later work). Obviously the work has had enough time to last at least fifteen years and when looking at material such as the opener for Mark Wonder’s 1996 debut album, ”Signs of The Time”, the heavy ‘Behold Africa’, it’s no real ‘wonder’ why. The tune is one of a few on the album which I will actually describe as being a GREAT song - It is damaging! Wonder gets biblical on what is a very intelligent repatriation anthem and it is blended so mightily on this track which champions the nature and virtues of the Motherland and does so in a MAMMOTH way to start things off. Speaking of virtues, next we’re treated to ‘Black Woman’ which does the same thing the opener did to Afrika, to the most amazing creature on the planet.

“Give thanks and praises to Black Woman
She’s all Mother Nature and she’s alright
Give thanks and praises to Black Woman
She’s all Mother Nature, yes she’s alright

Virtuous one, so gorgeous and fair
To you, no other can compare
Pearl of the garden
Source of the divine
You fill the emptiness of mankind”

The song utilizes the classic Vanity Riddim, which definitely gives it more of a ‘light’ feel and you recognize this kind of fun backing to this very important tune and that only adds to the entire set of the vibes to my opinion. Next we have a pair of tunes in ‘Break The Ice’ and ‘Cry Aloud’ which are (kind of) very familiar to me and hopefully to you as well. Both tunes would appear on Wonder’s later work, including his aforementioned superb album from 2005 which shares a title with the former. What’s most interesting in the case of both of these songs is the fact that they were re-recorded for the other album and what we have here are two different versions of them both. I do prefer the later version of ‘Break The Ice’, but this cut of ‘Cry Aloud’, which still does feature singer Skatta, tops the later version to my ears. In either case, this goes back to exactly what I spoke of earlier - Rewards! You come this way and for your work, you receive two new versions of two already certifiably big big tunes. Large opening.

'Just Lead The Way

The class of ”Signs of The Time” would be THE class of just about any album from around its time as Mark Wonder vividly demonstrates that, when he is at his very best, his equals exist ONLY amongst the very best that the entire genre has EVER produced. Along with the anthem-like opener, there’s also the lovely ‘Hail Israel’, which is part praising tune and part, tangible POWERHOUSE of a track. I particularly love the way this one is written (especially earlier on), because it does what I’m always wanting the spiritual tunes to do - Combine the spiritual with real world situations and HIGHLY USEFUL information and circumstances. Next to step in, in a massive way is ‘Revolution’. Again, this one is a predominately spiritual set, but its beauty is just . . . Something else. It may not grab everyone in a similar manner, but I will DEFINITELY speak to the power of this ROYALLY vibed tune. It’s more laid back (more on that in a second), which is why I say that it may not strike everyone in the same fashion, but it got me almost immediately and definitely focus on what is being said on this one (“I can hear the trumpets blowing”). And I wasn’t going to include this one here, but going through it several times for the sake of this review, I now have a grand appreciation for the tune, ‘Just Lead The Way’. This song comes over the old Choice of Colour Riddim and it so nicely speaks on how to find comfort and DIRECTION in the virtue of His Imperial Majesty. I really like how Mark Wonder personalizes this one, but not too much, so by its end, it literally sounds like he’s speaking of himself being lost in some way - And me and you and everyone else also. The single best tune on ”Signs of The Time”, unsurprisingly, is the song which it is named after. It is a simple but STUNNING piece of music.

“See the signs of the time
Natty keep the faith high
See the signs of the time
Glorify Selassie I

We are HIS true witness
Holding firm through any test
Through all the trials and tribulations
We upset the pagan’s plan
Chant a psalm Rastaman
Tear down di walls of babylon
Chant a psalm
Your song!
Tear down di walls of wicked man!”

I could take this one in several directions (and you know I could), but what mainly hits me on this tune is a sense of unity that Wonder is trying to convey. If you really tune it in you notice that he rarely says ‘I’ and ‘Me’, it’ s always "let’s" and he speaks in more community type of terms, regardless of the action and that’s something which stands out in a HUGE tune.

As I said, ”Signs of The Time” has a slight but certain lighter feel to it. Not every song is heavy or ‘urgent’ in the vibes and even when they are, at times it isn’t in a prevailing way -- even some of those songs have kind of musically agile moments. The love songs on the album, ‘Love You Baby’, ‘Right Here’ and ‘To My Love’ are three very good examples of this. These tunes aren’t amongst my favourites on the album (although ‘To My Love’ is damn close), but what they do, ostensibly, is to change up the vibes on the album and in a nice way. They’re not the Reggae-normative type of love song either, for the most part, they’re largely at least somewhat R&B-ish and not a bad track exists amongst them. Also adding to the lighter side of these “times” is the album’s closer and definitely one of my favourites, the very unique ‘Twisting & Turning’. I was very interested in hearing this one based on the title alone and seeing in what direction it went and it took me awhile (sonically speaking, this just may be the most impressive tune on the entire project), but ultimately we see that what Wonder is speaking about is the UNCOMFORTABLE nature of those who shy away from His Majesty and from righteousness, in general. They can never be placated; they’re eternally “twisting and turning”. WELL DONE!

And finally is a pair of outstanding tracks which could definitely fit somewhere in the earlier group of big tunes that I mentioned and likely do for more than a few listeners. First is ‘Let’s Not Be Ashamed’, a tune which I’m almost certain that I’ve heard from somewhere before. This is another big spiritual anthem (slightly more laid back than one or two of the others) which speaks, indirectly, on confidence and security in His Imperial Majesty.

“Let me not be ashamed -

To call upon Your name

Let me not be ashamed -

I’ll never, ever complain

Yes, I am willing and I’m ready to make that sacrifice

Oh Jah you know, I speak truly

My poor heart won’t lie

Your love so precious, forever sure

I just want it more and more”

And then is ‘Positive, Nothing Negative’ which is fairly similar as far as its subjectry, to ‘Let’s Not Be Ashamed’ and is just yet another all-around nice addition to an album which really doesn’t need the help, but we’re most thankful that it got it anyway.

"Jeremiah" - 1998???

Overall, technically it didn’t - But Mark Wonder’s catalog (which should probably be larger than it is), just TANGIBLY got bigger now that this album is available and we can get our hands on it. If we’re going to hold him to the same level that we do some of the more well regarded Reggae singers in the world (and WE ARE), then that’s a really fucking big deal. Can you imagine if some random Luciano album from 1996 just appeared one day and it was top class work? There’d likely be a great deal of discussion around it and it wouldn’t go unnoticed. For me, that’s the level of work we’re dealing with here. ”Signs of The Time” is a big release and, it should also be reiterated that it was a DEBUT. Fifteen years later, Mark Wonder is only picking up steam and, no matter how long it took us, the look back was well worth it . . . Now if someone could just do the same for ”Jeremiah” and that assuredly WICKED live album with Prince Theo - I’d like to go back again. Very well done.

Rated: 4.25/5
Zola & Zola/Carmor Productions/Zojak Worldwide
1996/2011
Digital
Mark Wonder @ Myspace

Lyrics!: Vibez Cartel

How quickly we forget. Before Vybz Kartel started to . . . Do other stuff, he was quite easily one of the most inventive and destructive lyricists the Dancehall has ever seen. Drawing comparison to such a wide variety of predecessors, including Bounty Killer, Papa San and Madd Anju, the Portmore DJ with the very strange delivery was tapped to be amongst the next generation of artists and a future leader of the pack - Someone who would, someday, seemingly inspire his own fleet of up and comers. Well, a few years on and all of that has come true, although certainly not in the way that most of us would have imagined and maybe not even have hoped. Still, I frequently go back to what I consider to be his prime and pre-prime years of the era circa 2003-06 (the 'up 2 di time' years) (down to di minute!) and am STILL just as frequently amazed at what this man was capable of. This was a time when the Dancehall was truly (and I hate to use a cliché) experiencing someone who was not only at the absolute height of their talents, but was also 'ahead of his time'. Here, we look at ten very random and ‘punctual’ and potent phrases from The Minister of Time - Vybz Kartel [back when no one knew how to actually spell his damn name and wondered why he had the name of an entire crew and was only one person].

"Murderah!
Blood deh pon yah shoulda
Buju gimme di money and report it tomorrow
Tek Mad Cobra drop top ah Southboro
Mi mek Frisco walk lak him a disco
Rob Roundhead widout a gun -
Tek him chain and run
How a four-hundred pound man fi try run mi dung?
Buccaneer seh widout ooman him nah have no career
So mi kidnap every gyal him have an carry dem up a Vere"
-'Robbery'

"Singa Blinga seh, 'Kartel a what time?'
Up to di time, mi hear Singa talk, but mi no matta time
Cah mi have mi weed an mi ah look seven dollar coin
1 fi buy di rizzla
6 fi buy di cigarette -
What kind? Craven A
But no bodda smoke it lak di last time
Inhale it and blow it lak when ref whistle fi halftime
Man deh pon di ends til bout 27 past 9
And when mi look up inna di sky mi si di sun ah shine!"
-'Sen On'

"Come sen on di pussy mek mi show you how fi manage it
Doctor haffi bandage it -
When mi finish damage it
You is acting lak a giant, so mi mek you a midget
Wid di cocky wid di curve weh bend you up lak a digit
Cuz, if you a penicillin, mi ah diabetic
If you a anesthetic, mi ah di paramedic
From you land inna mi bed you get cocky til yah sick
Cah you neva come a my yard fi pussy -
A trick!"
-'Pon Dis'


"From dem highjack mi Q45 Infinite
From mi know who did it -
Knock dem out lak Riddick
No, rude bwoy, kill it
Sen fi di morgue, not clinic
Dem ahgo dead dis minute
Sink dem lak Titanic
Jam 2 wipe dem out!
Mek maggage bite dem out
Di pussyhole light dem out
Marrow fly lak when kite deh bout
Friendly foes
Judge mi fi mi Fendi clothes
Tru dem gyal ah sen mi rose
An no Valentine mi bruk
Jill and Geneva codes
Mi badda dan Walker Texas Ranger
Whole 2118 episodes
So even if you bring di whole a di guns dem and di swords
It nah mek no sense
Cah mi nah go tek no fence"
-'Kartel Ah Reveal It'

"Don how you wicked so?
You get props from DJ Wayne, Colin Hinds and Liquid so
How di gun pon yah hip big so?
It mek bwoy haffi jump and prance lak Calypso"
-'So Me A Say'

"Man a real badman
Buss fiber glass and blue steel badman
Beat likkle youth -
You a baby badman
Beat gyal alone -
You a lady badman"
-'Real Badman'


"Dung inna Waterford
A dats weh di ganja load
A Cellblock ah press it flat lak a board
Di next episode -
Pon di plane on it fi load
Di pilot and di flight attendant dun know di code
And then -
Never hitch, lock off the X-Ray switch
Dog nah waste time fi sniff
Cuz ah di plane time fi lift
If mi hundred-thousand pound about a million spliff
Money high lak di cliff
Man haffi -
Shot di sheriff inna di sky
Don’t drink and drive
Smoke weed and fly"
-'Up To The Sky'

"School girls tell mi seh she nah need no tutor
A peer executive man recruit her
That’s why di college boot her
The brown one seh fi her man haffi be a shooter
CBR man, nuttin pon a scooter
Gwan dream on lak Martin Luther
She want a man weh super
Smaddy wid whole heap a fame lak Arif Cooper
Young girls a trail man, him a nuh pied piper
Study fi become a star lak Mekhi Phiefer
Mi swear seh, I will never
Go jail fi no girl weh just come outta diaper"
-'Little Miss'

"Two party but a di same sad song dem ah play
Poor people money lean back and rock away
Dem raise everyting from oil to Craven A
Then how dem no raise up everybody pay?
Portmore mi bawn and a dehso mi yard stay
So mi nah pay no toll fi cross di Causeway
Mr. Bruce, Mr. PJ -
Dis is just a couple question from Addi di DJ
Question: Kingston mek no AK?
Question: How gun come inna JA?
Who own di wharf, and di airport, di docks and di bay?"
-'Emergency'


"Mi buss mi gun an breeze cock it
Special black blunt, bullet proof cannot stop it
Even if a doctor lay dung inna ya top pocket
Hollow point dead between yah heart and attack it
Bore it and chop chop it
Math automatic -
Multiply bullet, divide yah head and subtract it
When mi fyah shot guard ring caan turn-back it
Mi no fyah one shot, dun gun and dun ratchet
When you seh 'run' -
Watch it!
Mi have gun weh work wid pin number lak Nokia chip
Shot contagious lak disease, try don’t catch it
Head bust lak bicycle wheel, try don’t patch it
Mi gun dem land plane and turn ova ship"
-'Murderah'