A Place Of His Own: A review of Melodies From The House Of Levi by Addis Pablo

Construction. I look around at these pages and, the older they get, I find myself very hopeful that someday, someone besides me can find wealth in them. I already use them as a form of research for myself in terms of seeing maybe how my opinions have developed and changed over the years or what I thought at a particular time and, if I'm successful, for as long as they're up, others potentially will have the ability to find some research material here on the critical side (meaning, something other than just looking at track lists and such things which you can find anywhere). That's just me: Teeny, tiny insignificant me - attempting (and hoping) to do my part. Were I an actual musician, I'd like to think that my attitude would be the same. I'd be hoping to have made my contribution and done something for someone at the end of my career. All of that goes into the idea of how artists can begin to build a legacy for themselves and how/why they will ultimately be remembered long after their days are over/ Of course, without the perspective of time, it is a question currently unanswerable in any case (you could have someone put together an excellent career and then have some controversy emerge which will go to on trump anything they may've done musically) (I believe there's a fellow by the name of Alcock who would be a good example of that), but in some cases we can begin to see in which direction things are trending. I'm going to intentionally bring up the example (normally I just write these things with what I'm feeling at the time, when I'm pulling up comparisons) of the Marleys. Anyone named 'Marley' making music of any kind is sure to draw attention on the value of their name alone. This is magnified to an almost infinite degree when the genre of music is Reggae. The progeny of the legendary Bob Marley have made an undeniable mark on the music, regardless of their name and its origins but, first and foremost, they will ALWAYS be the descendants of Bob Marley. You can run down the line of names which includes Ziggy, who has won EIGHT Grammy Awards (including seven for best Reggae album) (and is, REALLY, won of the most successful artists Reggae has ever produced), the brilliant Stephen, Ky-Mani and personal favourite, Damian who has, so wonderfully, brought his music into a wholly modernized style. It doesn't. All of them will always be the offspring of Bob Marley and it is situation they have obviously embraced (if they didn't, they probably would have found something else to do than pursue an artform for which your father is the face of). If you look at similar situations, however, it isn't necessarily the same case. For example, if the Marleys are the 'first family' of Reggae music (they are), the Morgans may very well be its second. When you hear "Morgan" in regards to Reggae music, you immediately go to Morgan Heritage and then draw the line back to their father, Denroy Morgan (biggup Denroy Morgan and congratulations on a life well lived) and you're likely to do similar things with a few others such as Tarrus Riley and Queen Ifrica, so it definitely works both ways.

2014

I bring those examples up because (that's just what I do) what they show are situations where offspring of former greats have not only walked the same road as their elders, but have also embraced the journey. They knew, for better or for worse, that they would immediately be compared to their parent and, in many cases, it would be a situation of spending an entire career in the shadow of someone else. To do that and still manage to build some type of a legacy of your own is truly remarkable. It is one thing to maybe remake some of your parent's old songs or maybe do them in performance (or maybe even a full album), but we've seen certain individuals take it even a step further. Such is the case of one Addis Pablo. Addis Pablo's father is an undisputed, unchallenged king in a very specific area of Reggae music. The legendary Augustus Pablo popularized (within the capacity of actually making music, professionally) a relatively obscure instrument in the melodica which was, perhaps, best known as a child's toy prior to his work. The elder Pablo would clearly not only fall in love with the melodica but instead of doing what you might imagine he would have and held it as something of a hobby, he played it straight into immortality.

And his son has followed in his footsteps. As I think about it more and more, Addis Pablo's situation is even more interesting because if he does it just 'right' (and so far, so good) he stands a pretty good chance of DIRECTLY inheriting his father's kingdom. Because of the scarcity of the melodica, were someone to come around and, like Augustus, basically lay claim to the instrument, that would still go a very long way in establishing a lasting reputation for that individual. That might even be more the case because it isn't as if there has been a BOOM in the emergence of melodica players. I'm not exactly an expert on (anything. Anything at all. Not even an expert on myself) players of instruments, but despite the fact that it is more prevalent (thanks to Augustus Pablo), the melodica isn't the most 'active' of sounds that you're going to hear in Reggae music. If that isn't the case for you and you do pay that much attention then chances are excellent that you're a very big fan of Addis Pablo's work. When we last took a look at his output, it was way back in 2014 for his excellent debut album release, "In My Father's House" (and if that doesn't tell you all you need to know about his feelings about what he's up to, nothing will) (clearly he FULLY welcomes it). Wonderfully, "In My Father's House" would come through one of our very favourite labels around that time and one we haven't had the pleasure of running into since ending our hiatus, JahSolidRock Music. Along with their work with Pablo, the Dutch based imprint also gained our full appreciation largely through working with Chezidek as they produced a MAMMOTH pair of albums with the singer - 2010's "Judgement Time" and "The Order Of Melchezedik" from three years on. That was more than enough to get and keep my attention (the former is one of the single best albums that we've covered on these pages and if it isn't a modern classic, it should be... I don't feel like looking it up right now!) (....okay it is!) (thought so!) but the label has also done material with the likes of Brinsley Forde, Lloyd De Meza (there's a name you haven't heard in awhile) and others. So, it would only make good sense that, when there is a new album from Addis Pablo -- and there is -- that it should also come via 'the highest region' and he and JahSolidRock now deliver "Melodies From The House Of Levi". Between projects, Pablo remained well active. Though this is probably going to officially his second album, there have been quite a few singles and more than a couple of EP style sets as well. Most notably, perhaps, would be "Bright Star", a LOVELY eight-tracked EP from Evidence Music which arrived just a couple of months ago actually and last year he also linked with the Green Lion Crew for "Green Lion Crew Meets Addis Pablo & Friends Uptown", which featured contributions from Mr. Williamz, Jah Bami and more. So he's been busy and definitely been impressing and as I can well say that, eight years later, the name Addis Pablo, as his own musician, carries more weight than it did as an up and comer back in 2014 (when he was still dropping big tunes like the syrupy sweet 'Road To Addis'). That's what he's been up to, however, the question is how is the present looking for Addis Pablo and JahSolidRock??

Good. It's looking really, really good. Surely such a project isn't the work of one man alone and joining Addis Pablo throughout the new album is a very diverse and decorated set of musicians with the likes of Dean Fraser, Dalton Browne and Dwight Richards all lending their considerable talents to thiis release under the helm of Ras Denco with Marc Baronner. The majority of JahSolidRock's work (pretty much all of it, if I recall correctly) came with a distinct sound quality. Regardless of whether you liked the actual tunes (and you did), the actual quality of their work was pretty much not even a matter of opinion. It was always stellar and their latest work continues that. Like its predecessor, Addis Pablo's new album, "Melodies From The House Of Levi" features Pablo alongside a variety of artists handling the vocal duties, with this time a very clear line being drawn in the situating of the album: What you will get first is an instrumental version of the track featuring Pablo and then the effort from the vocalist. I really like this method, directly, and a credit goes to whoever came up with the idea because it almost comes off as like a compilation of sorts and is a streamlined form of what was present on "In My Father's House" (and that also definitely worked). It remains very fresh throughout. Getting this started is what I believe is the most recent single from "Melodies", 'Black Liberation Day'. Despite its title, this composition isn't one that I'm necessarily going to refer to as "joyous". This isn't a celebration to my ears. What it is, is WORK. This is not a congratulations for a completed effort, instead it comes off more as a call to join in for the preparations that must be made for the day. There is a bit of subtle urgency here as well (particularly during its building middle portions) that I feel, with the main sentiment, in my opinion, being that there is much work to be done. Most interestingly, handling the vocal duties for the first track is man of the moment, Spanish singer George Palmer. The Horace Andy-esque vocalist has an album, "Working Man", forthcoming on Irie Ites Records in about a month or so as of this writing, so you're probably going to be hearing quite a bit for him forthcoming. Until then, set your ears on his effort here, 'No More War Dub'. As its title would suggest, this one is PURELY for the Dub heads who should devour it! If you've enjoyed hearing Horace Andy at some point in Dub, you should feel the same way about Palmer's work and definitely looking forward to the album. Pablo returns with another single from "Melodies" (this one from a couple of years ago now), 'Narrow Road'. 'Narrow Road' is EXQUISITE. Were it not for one chunk of brilliance than comes later on, it would be my pick as the best composition on the whole of this album. It has such a FULL vibe to it and how it manages to progress throughout is damn impressive. I don't possess the vocabulary (I do actually have the vocabulary, what I lack is the knowledge of exactly what I'm hearing) to describe it, but about a minute in or so, 'Narrow Road' WIDENS. It begins to bloom and though I won't call it dynamic, it is just... COMPLETE. There is not a thing missing on this one. Pablo hands it off to a pair of greats in Earl Sixteen (who was also on "In My Father's House") and Mutabaruka who link up for 'Every Nubian Is A Star'.

"So wi haffi tek control of wi destiny

Remember our glorious history

Shine bright, see the light

With your melanin skin, find your Nubian truth within

Our armageddeon past long, long time

Don't let dem twist and turn your mind

WI GAVE THE WORLD CIVILIZATION

DON'T LET DEM INDOCTRINATE YOU AND CALL IT 'EDUCATION'

Light the torch and shine it bright

Remember our glorious history 

With your melanin skin, find your Nubian truth within"

The two deliver EXACTLY what you would expect from such an esteemed union on a MAMMOTH shot about instilling confidence and PRIDE in the children of Africa throughout the world. 'Every Nubian Is A Star' ranks as my favourite vocals on "Melodies From The House Of Levi" and it's definitely one which I think will find a very big audience if given the chance.

Later on, we see Addis Pablo joined by two very impressive up and coming vocalists in Kenny Smyth and Var, who provide "Melodies" with two of its heaviest hitters in 'Pagan Land' and 'Poor and Needy', respectively. The latter was a tune that appeared on JSR's Poorman Riddim from a few years back, which was released as an EP that also included Addis Pablo's golden cut, 'Blessed Are The Poor'. For his part, you may've heard a lot of good things about Var and his potential and, if you haven't, this is a nice place to start in making up your own mind. 'Poor and Needy' is an excellent social commentary with a spiritual root ["Jah Jah bless the poor and needy, because dem system designed to keep the rich man greedy. Every time the poor man feel it, dem seh poverty no real, cah dem neva yet hungry"] and, again, if you haven't paid much attention to Var previously, it is a fine place to become acquainted. 'Blessed Are The Poor' doesn't require much of a developing period. It latches onto the listener almost immediately, producing one of the most infectious and intoxicating moments on the album. Smyth also shines on the, arguably, even stronger 'Pagan Land'. Kenny Smyth comes equipped with a POWERFUL kind of dusty sound to his voice (probably not the best way to describe it, but I'm sticking with it), immediately giving virtually anything he does at least some level of appeal to my ears and 'Pagan Land' is going to be one of the best songs that I've heard from him to date (also check an older tune by the name of 'Jah Mi Gi De Glory', if you're curious about what else he's done on that level). Pablo comes through on that same riddim with 'Nineve', a highlight coming from his end as well. This one does have to grow for about a minute or so before emerging in total, but when it does - DAMN! 'Nineve' is almost stunning at times but in a very laid-back and chilled sort of way (there is a spell from about 1:44 to 1:58-ish, which just HAD me. It is so beautiful), making it very easy to take it all in. BOOM!

The final time we hear from Addis Pablo on "Melodies From The House Of Levi" is my favourite track from him here, the GOLDEN 'Jah Kingdom Come'. This one is EVERYTHING! It's laid back and dynamic. It simple and complex and it is BEAUTITFUL from beginning to end. I do so find myself loving horns on instrumental and while they are present on 'Jah Kingdom Come', they do not dominate the vibes, they only serve to accentuate them. What results is something that I had a thought of my Wife actually said it before I did: It sounds like Pablo is telling a story. He isn't playing music just for the sake of playing it, there is something on his mind and just like a great lyricist, he's enlightening us all through 'Jah Kingdom Come'. It is Jah Exile who (was also on the first album) comes in with 'Psalm 20'. As its title would suggest, Exile's tune is a pretty straight forward, biblically inspired piece. It almost sounds as if he got the idea to do this on the spot because there isn't much else going on here, the real attraction being listening to Exile, blissfully, lost in the moment.... probably not even caring who can or who is going to hear him. Pablo also gets very high marks for his penultimate offering on "Melodies", the outstanding 'Words of Solomon', as does the increasingly popular Ras Teo who supplies the riddim with vocals via 'Sabbath Day'. Somewhat similar to 'Jah Kingdom Come' in terms of the feel of it, 'Words of Solomon', again, sounds like Pablo is giving us information through his vibes. As an overthinker and someone who finds supreme joy in attempting to decipher the words of the genres most gifted lyricists, I'm tempted to do it here as well, but I think that, if my assumption is true, that such things are best left, COMPLETELY, to the individual listener; and even if I am totally wrong (and I almost surely am), who cares?? 'Words of Solomon is a JOY to listen to, even in just what it is on the surface. The Swedish born Teo, who has enjoyed a powerful last couple of years or so, was in fine form on this contribution.

It is just a really well-done piece and, if you have not looked in on what Ras Teo has been up to lately, you're really missing out on something quite special, so take care of that right now (and I have to mention how much I LOVE that, pretty much, the final twenty-five seconds or so of 'Sabbath Day' is more SWEET instrumentals). 

Overall, to the surprise of absolutely no one at all, "Melodies From The House Of Levi" is EXCELLENT. It continues much in the fashion of its predecessor (as will its eventual follow-up, I'm sure) which is just fine, so if you did enjoy the "In My Father's House" album --and if you've read this far into a review, you did -- it is a LOCK that "Melodies" will also make you happy (I've developed the habit of listening to something other than what I'm reviewing when I get to the conclusion and this time I've gone back into "In My Father's House".... that thing was SO NICE! What a nice album!). Though I do so wish that Chezidek had been involved, I do really like the selection of the vocalists as well and, like I said, the presentation of the project. In one or two of these instances, hearing the clean instrumental before the vocals kind of made me more sensitive to hearing the riddim behind the artist because I was tuned in at that point and expecting to hear certain things (particularly true with 'Psalm 20'). That put light on things that I don't know that I generally pay attention to in that exact way when I listen to music. I'm also going to give a credit to one Abba Yahudah, the artiste who created the album covers for both "In My Father's House" and "Melodies". That man is a genius. His artwork, here, just as before, sits atop a body of work befitting to such a beautiful display as, on "Melodies From The House Of Levi", Addis Pablo and JahSolidRock once again soar and demonstrate a level of quality comparable to even the most revered of legacies. I ended the review of "In My Father's House" saying:

"The album serves as a mighty debut for Addis Pablo who not only picks up where his legendary father left off, but he also shows himself to potentially be capable of building a legend of his own. GOLDEN."

The foundation was laid. Eight years on, on top of it is a palace. 

Rated: 4.35/5

JahSolidRock

2022

Vinyl + Digital