Memories. In virtually all things, making first impressions can be extremely tricky things. Not only can you really never be quite sure whether you got things completely right... you may not even be sure what "right" is! Be it meeting someone new or having your first day at a new job or a variety of different things, if you want to see awkward human behaviour, give them something to do for the very first time and enjoy. While the two-sided personal interaction of an initial 'meeting' is generally removed for the most part when it comes to music, what does remain, to some degree at least, is the very high potential for awkwardness and uncertainty. As I've said in the past, the road to becoming a fan of someone is one which, literally, never stops winding. It can offer up endless highs and lows (and sometimes both at the same time) and, while we may never admit, we, as music fans, absolutely LOVE the experience. But it's that very first time when you encounter the work of a particular artist that can be both very interesting, in general, and all kinds of important. If you hear something you enjoy, obviously, you're more likely to look for something else from that individual and you're also going to pay a closer attention to what they offer in the future (....). Something is more likely to stick. However, with that being said, you could also make the case for the exact opposite being true. If some tune you hear absolutely repulses you. It makes you sick to your stomach to hear, what will you do? In all likelihood that will not be the only song from that artist that you will ever hear. Curiosity will get the better of you and you will simply HAVE to hear something else. So, I find myself thinking of good first impressions, with an album in particular, and I want to do it on maybe a more obscure scale than telling you about.... an album I once listened to called "Be Strong" or something like that (but biggup Sizzla anyway). So I'm thinking of people who really caught my attention with strong first albums and didn't come out with some grand promotional vehicle behind them. I'm running into names such as Zareb (debut album, "Authentic Love", had four combinations with his friend, Fantan Mojah, and then others with Jah Mason and Perfect Giddimani and had Pow Pow behind it, coincidentally), King Cephas (what!), Ambush, Jah Hem (literally using my own blog for research), Jah Marnyah and really a very solid line of others who made an impact. That lot, in particular, is very interesting because you won't find many second releases amongst them. Right off the top of my head Zareb and Marnyah are the only ones who have had album #2's of that group and I'm still waiting for them (probably a waste of time, but I don't have anything else to do). For whatever reason they never seemed to fully capture the attention of the masses, but I'll never forget them.  |
| 2006 |
Another fitting member of that group, and someone who has definitely done something which has made him unforgettable in my eyes (and ears) would be the downright mythical singer, Elijah Prophet. Waaaaayyyy back in 2006 (when I was turning twenty-five years old) the Westmoreland native would deliver what would become one of the greatest modern Roots Reggae albums that I have ever heard, even still (Modern Classic #9) "King Of Kings". Just as was the case for Zareb's, the project would come courtesy of the mighty Pow Pow Movement (they also did Cali P's first album, "Lyrical Faya", and several sublime riddim releases, perhaps most notably were the Superior (which backed Gentleman's huge hit of the same name ["I know Jah loving superior!"] (BOOM!) and Blaze Riddims, respectively) from out of Germany which was a very 'powerful' outfit in its day (and I think they may still be around in some capacity but aren't nearly as active making music, if at all). And I head back and listen to that album these days, now a decade and a half on, and I still feel that very HEAVY vibes that it produced. Songs such as the title track, 'Piece of Ganja', 'Nah Tek No Talk', 'Revolution' and others showed a wholly developed artist and one with this big and beautiful, glowing voice (Prophet sounds somewhat like a lower pitched Mark Wonder to my ears at times) and I was fully expecting to hear from him on a consistent basis, eagerly anticipating his sophomore full release. Well things don't always go so smoothly (they rarely do).
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| never |
While waiting for the second album I can remember a few strange things occurring. The first was that.... it actually seemed to exist. The set had a name, "Happy Days", it had a tracklist, a label (Soundquake), it had a big tune at the time called 'Smile Jamaica' and it was on its way and that was probably in 2010-ish; but it never got here (and it sounded so good, you can still find a very healthy album preview for "Happy Days" out there)! I can also distinctly remember getting a message from someone who I presume had to have some type of involvement with Elijah Prophet, lamenting the fact that the album never arrived. It never materialized to my knowledge (can find nothing solid right now suggesting that it did) and I was pissed off! Had it never come up it would have been find. You've lived through the age of the even more perplexing Yahadanai -- who delivered a classic in "One Atonement" -- and then VANISHED, I would have survived Elijah Prophet doing the same thing. "Happy Days" had whet my appetite, however, and I was well looking forward it to... for nothing and Prophet had become someone who I looked forward to hearing from on singles here and there, but I had long lost hope for "Happy Days" or any other type of second album. So with that being said, had you told me that Elijah Prophet would deliver TWO projects while we were on hiatus, I would have been totally shocked and I probably just wouldn't have believed your ass! Well that's exactly what happened as, in 2017 a wonderful individual who I have never heard by the name of Carles Pastor from out of Spain brought forth "New Chapter Of My Life" from Elijah Prophet and two years later he repeated it by delivering "Man On A Mission" on his The Shepherd Records imprint. WHAT! Both, as expected, were very strong (the latter, especially, with 'Rastafari Deya', 'Solider With A Cause' and the title track being truly MAMMOTH) and I was damn pleased! Now! After having waited eleven years for a second album, suddenly I'm faced with the prospect of giving the fourth and third in four years as Elijah Prophet links up with Costa Rebel and Costa Rebel Studio for "Elijah Prophet Meets Costa Rebel Going Home". Like Pastor, Costa Rebel's name (cool name) is one which was new to me and, with his help, the Prophet continues his globetrotting ways for his releases, going from Germany, to Spain and now landing in Costa Rica ('Costa Rebel' from Costa Rica. Like I said, cool name). I've actually known about "Going Home" for maybe a couple of weeks now which is pretty good in terms of generating an early buzz and I was very interested in getting my paws on it. Thankfully, from all I can gather, Costa Rebel is somewhat of a veteran having spent the last three or four years making Reggae music and he's even recorded with the likes of Million Stylez (with whom he released a solid Dancehall EP in April, "Million Stylez Meets Costa Rebel"), Gappy Ranks and Singer Jah. And it isn't just that he's been around from awhile, he's also demonstrated a level of talent as well. Unsurprisingly, a gifted maestro manning the ship for an Elijah Prophet ship results in some very smooth sailing.
As I alluded to, the early word on "Going Home" has been quite nice. Before its release now it has already generated three or four singles which have seemingly set the course for what you would have expected in this instance - a very nice modern Roots Reggae release. And further research reveals that the duo, alongside Spaniard Pipo Ti, have a future single coming forward as well later this year, 'Alta Suciedad'. Quickly, I also HAVE to mention that album cover. I LOVE when people make drawings of artists, it has always caught my eye (going all the way back to "Culture Dem" from the Lustre Kings) and I do not know who drew this one but a big credit goes to the artiste on a job well done. His or Her artwork adorns one equally exquisite musical creation in "Elijah Prophet Meets Costa Rebel Going Home" which begins with one its genuine highlights, 'To Be Praise'. Coming through on CR's sterling Reggae Fruits Riddim, this one is absolutely nothing that you've never heard before; chances are that if you're investing in reading a review like this, you've probably heard dozens (if not hundreds) of similarly created tracks, but I would argue that 'To Be Praise' would be one of the stronger of its kind. It has this lovely ROLL vibes to it with that one-drop which the Prophet fully employs to send up one giant chunk of praising tune in the outstanding opener. Next we have the first appearance of the a single from "Going Home" in the form of the heavy ganja tune 'Backyard Garden'. The song kind of has funny moments to it, it has a sense of humour, but at its core it is about the legal fight people go through.... for the sake of a plant: A simple, powerful plant. Elijah Prophet is no stranger to such tunes with the both FINE 'Piece of Ganja' and 'Sensimilla Fi Bun' (which featured DYCR) emerging on "King Of Kings" and 'Ganja Plantation' from "A New Chapter Of My Life" and 'Backyard Garden' follows that trio not only in its focus but with its quality as well. It fits SNUGGLY in line with them and, apparently, if you want a big herb song, you can depend on Elijah Prophet to deliver. Later on, he fully gives me more to back that statement with 'Legalize'. Though not quite as strong as 'Backyard Garden', 'Legalize' is well sturdy and it traces its sibling in terms of its look at the legal side of ganja and, again, is more of a sign that Prophet definitely excels in that area and I WOULD well expect him to give us another ample draw on his next album.
'Going Home' finds the artist taking a look at the African diaspora and before settling on the topic of repatriation. You know, it almost seems as if songs like these are becoming less and less frequent. Where, just a few years ago, they came through as often as any other theme in Roots Reggae, it seems that we're getting not as many now. I don't know if that actually is the case or my incorrect perception but, under any set of conditions, 'Going Home' is flaming! I take it back to the cover and look at the wide smile on Prophet's cartooned face and I HEAR it on his face during portions of singing this one (and while he was singing he put one on mind as well). The album takes a very large turn with its next offering 'Your Bed', which is a warning that maybe "someone else is sleeping in your bed (the girl is lying to you from the top of her head)". Faintly reminiscent of Junior Kelly's classic 'Love So Nice' to my ears, the Prophet says to be mindful that you may've just hooked up with a good-for-nothing type and it will not get better my friend. He addresses dishonesty and cheating of a different variety on 'Tell Me That You Lied'.
"Tell me, tell me, tell me that you lied
That you've been failed by The Most High
Tell me, tell me, tell me that you lied
From January, September or July
He's my rock, my shield, my hiding place
Everywhere I go, I have no need to hide my face
You can't stop me now, there's no weight or disgrace
Babylon move outta mi way before mi put you inna yuh place
Tell me, tell me, tell me - what it's gonna be
I know di system must be crazy
You fighting a war, make no sense
BUT RASTAFARI IS I MAN DEFENSE!"
Perhaps 'distrust' is a better term than 'dishonesty' in this case as the Prophet goes on about someone walking away from The Almighty, themselves, while professing things to be the other way around. The literal manifestation of this one makes for a VERY interesting and specific case that may be at the heart of this tune, but I think I should probably keep that to myself. Big tune regardless of its inspirations, however.
The vivid 'Rolling Stone' was another of the pre-release singles from "Going Home" and I think it was a curious one. In listening to this song, it isn't the easiest of spins. It's kind of messy ["Dem seh dem a big shotta and ah rob poor people, dat messy. Kill old woman and baby, your lifestyle messy. Seh yuh mek millions and yuh still dress messy. How you fi rob poor people food? Messy Yuh messy"] (big tune, 'Messy' by Elijah Prophet from a few years ago) and not the most cohesive (much of it is Elijah Prophet telling a story, really) of tracks, so I wonder why they chose it ultimately. It certainly isn't a BAD song, however, and it comes through on the structure of getting older and wiser and maturing and the things we go through, focusing primarily on relationships. The other single here was the album's closer, 'Thankful Jah', which is another sizable effort in praise. Gratitude and humility are the major focal points this time around. Songs like this which give thanks for even the smallest of things have always been attractive to me (you may not have everything that you want (no one does) (NO ONE DOES) but you do have something and there're many who have less) and this one not only is that but it also has such a gorgeous sound accompanying it. While the selection of 'Rolling Stone' as a featured song may be perplexing, they did completely fine by me in lifting up 'Thankful Jah'. Well done Costa Rebel and Elijah Prophet. Had they picked 'Who Did It?' I think they may've done even better as it is the finest track I hear on the whole of this album.
"Tell me who did it
Who did it?
Tell me who did it
Tell me who did it
Who did it?
Tell me who did it
JAMAICA IS A LITTLE ISLAND WHERE WI NO HAVE NO GUN FACTORY
BUT WHEN YOU CHECK ON DI STREET NOWADAYS GUN MORE THAN TAXI
Gun come in from east and west
Gun from north and south
And if you try find it out, you get shot inna yuh or yuh mouth
The land of Jamaica you love and not the people
That is why the youths dem wake up so evil
Everybody forget about God and dem ah deal wid di devil
If you think seh a joke mi ah mek, gwan go ask yuh badmind friend Neville"
I'll probably go back to this more in closing but there is something SO wonderfully SIMPLE about 'Who Did It?'. It is streamlined and basic and I mean that in a good way. It doesn't try too hard to push itself through and it comes across as a very organic response to something: If you hear something violent happened, one of the first things to go through your mind is to wonder who did it? It reigns supreme on this album to my opinion and it would have even rated highly on "King Of Kings" as well. I wouldn't be at all suprised to see the Reggae trumpeting 'Good Times' as a future single for "Going Home" also. This one finds Elijah Prophet giving a hefty (deserved) credit to the music, itself, and some of its greatest practitioners. He covers all the bases from the likes of Bob, Bunny and Peter, to Dennis Brown, Beres Hammond and Garnet Silk (who was a mentor of the Prophet's) up to Capleton and Luciano. I kind of wish this piece had greater aspirations. It's nice and it does its thing, but it is the second shortest track on the entire album (after 'Your Bed') and I think they could have did more with it (producers! When you have a nice riddim, just let it play! After the vocals, just let that thing go!). We also get a pair of love songs in 'Beautiful Girl' and 'Wanna Be Your Man' (biggup Chaka Demus & Pliers). The first doesn't do much for me, it may be my least favourite song on the album, but 'Wanna Be Your Man' is a very good love song, on the other hand. As you go on through "Going Home" you come to discover that finding good music, in general, isn't very difficult, but the composition on this one is even a standout amongst its typical high standard. And Prophet lives it up entirely by sending on one SWEET piece of vibes. And the singer also turns in a big tune on the ULTRA interesting 'Hey Mama'. You, like I did, will quickly look at this title and immediately take it for the obligatory 'mama song' for "Going Home" and, technically, that is what it is (it is a song about mothers, after all) but 'mama songs' usually don't sound like this.
"Hey mother
You needs to tell us the truth about our father
Hey mothers
You needs to tell us the truth
Hey mother, you need to tell us the truth
You didn't tell me daddy used to treat you like a queen
And every Sunday he used to take us out for ice cream
Daddy used to bring us to school
And now you're taking us for fool
After you and daddy break up, you change the entire rule
But everyone of us really need to know the truth"
'Hey Mama' is actually a most rare 'daddy song' (I can probably name you albums-full of Reggae songs about mama, but off the top of my head the only one I can think of about fathers is 'Big Up Papa' by Queen Omega) in disguise, as it stands up for the fathers out there who actually met their responsibilities as a parent but have had their former partners trample their efforts and tell their children otherwise. Given just how specific it is, I'm thinking that this had some type of personal meaning to the singer (or to whomever wrote it) and, again, it is the presentation of an extremely unique and downright scarce point of view.
I believe I made a similar note in regards to Cali P's latest album, "Vizion" - "Going Home" is too short. I don't mean that there aren't enough songs on it (thirteen is not only a good number, but it also seems to be THE preferred number of songs on an albums these days, at least the ones I come across), but I think they should have done more with the music here, which leads me into my next point.
Overall, what I do hear on this release is music which has a very pleasing SIMPLE sound (there're no combinations, no genuine changeup) and as I go through more of Costa Rebel's catalogue, it seems to be a staple of the label's. The Dancehall is the same way, their style is predominately straightforward and it absolutely works for them. When paired with vocals like Elijah Prophet's what you eventually have is a set which remains damn solid throughout and shows quite a few flashes of greatness in its duration (.....which should have been longer, or did I say that already? I feel like I may've) and that is exactly what I would have expected going in to it. If Elijah Prophet has now settled into this far more frequent album release rate (and after three of them, I think it's safe to say that he has) and if "Elijah Prophet Meets Costa Rebel Going Home" is any indication (and there is no reason to believe that it isn't), it would seem that the next classic release may just be right around the corner.
Rated: 4/5
Costa Rebel Studio & Hot 78 Radio
Digital
2021
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