The Vault Reviews: "Where Is The Love" by Everton Blender
Easy. As is the case in pretty much everything that I can think, if you listen to enough music, you're likely to have come across certain individuals or things which bring you a certain level of comfort. This is the same as, perhaps, having particular scents that do the same for you as they remind you of something from your past (like my Wife who has a nose for gingerbread, which reminds her of her grandmother (who is still with us)); and, of course, everyone has 'comfort food'. Music is the same and, like those examples, it also can be an evolving sense because as you live life (at least if you do it semi-well), you will hopefully encounter a variety of different things that will continue to make you feel grounded and secure. Now, these may or may not be general favourites of yours but, even if they are, they kind of end up in their own little category. If you see someone CRYING because of a song that they hear, most likely that is a COMFORT tune for them. That other one that you... spin into oblivion because you absolutely love it and simply cannot imagine life without it probably does not do that to you after awhile, but comfort music, by definition, has the power to tap into a whole heap of different emotions. When I got into thinking about this, I started with a few names whom I thought would be the types that I could put such a label on, but when I really started to dig into it, artists such as Luciano, Bushman and Junior Kelly began to look like too frequent entries on my radars to be comforting for me entirely (I did have A LOT of fun going through Junior Kelly's vault though. It's been a minute) ["ROUND MY BACKYARD IS WHERE YOU CAN FIND MEEEEEEE!"]. They're still, very much, amongst my favourites. The name that I did arrive at, however, who definitely did stick was the great YAMI BOLO. Along with delivering what has gone on to become simply on of the greatest albums I have ever heard in 2003's "Rebelution" ["Sanctify yourself and be free from sin. Open up your heart and let Jah love come in"] (BOOM!), Bolo has become someone whose music, as infrequently as it may be, I'm thinking about going to if I'm not feeling very well, especially mentally. If my mood isn't the greatest and I need a lift, somewhere on the road to delirious Soca, for me, is big voiced but SMOOTH Yami Bolo. As I thought more and more on it, I also came to the conclusion that General Degree would also be such an artist for me. In the case of Degree, it certainly has something to do with his cool adhesion to making the unfortunately increasingly absent authentic Dancehall music. That genre, in general, is probably comfort music to me, but when performed by someone as skilled as the General, it becomes enhanced even more. You probably wouldn't find a lot of lines being drawn directly from someone like Yami Bolo to General Degree, but I think that, because of that disparity between the two, it helps to make my point more vivid as that vibe can definitely come from almost anywhere.
Sometimes it can even be more familiar. During our hiatus, I missed out on writing for so many big projects which, as you can see, I'm still working on getting around to recovering (and I don't think that I'm likely to ever get around to them all, something will slip between the cracks) (it probably already has) almost a year on (and it'll probably be a year by the time you read this). Today we're going to take a look at someone with an album which I not only didn't get a chance to review, but while I can recall listening to it at the time around its release, I hadn't actually picked up at all in quite a few years until I recently came to the conclusion that I.... just needed some Everton Blender in my life. Much like with Yami Bolo and General Degree, Blender is the type of artist who, although he did have his day, has never really been the hyper-active type when it came to releases, but virtually everything he has put down in his career has been at least respectable. And while I hesitate to use the term 'underrated' (I don't think he is), saying that he has gone "overlooked" in some aspects, in my opinion, is fair to an extent. If he never sang another song as of right now, the sixty-seven year old Clarendon native has already cemented himself, at least for me, as one of the finest singers of Roots Reggae music of the modern era. Something I found very interesting in regards to Everton Blender's music: While he has definitely had his hits, 'Lift Up Your Head', 'Blend Dem', 'World Corruption', 'Ghetto People Song', 'Create A Sound', 'Bob Marley' and many more; when I want to listen to the Blender, I usually go more in the direction of personal classics - tunes such as 'King Man' ["Mark my words: I'm going to be her king man"], 'Conference Table', 'Coming Harder', 'Blender Nah Go No Way' and other lesser known downright gems. That, for me, is another signal of the 'role' that he fills when it comes to just how much affection I have for his music.
So that's probably a large reason why I am currently ECSTATIC to be writing a review for what is unfortunately is Everton Blender's latest full set, the now eight year old "Where Is The Love". Speaking of comfort, this album has a CUSHION of a background as it comes to us via Love Injection Production, a label which has given us a number of solid releases over the years and on which I certainly do find myself searching for... just to see what they've been up to. Most recently what they have been doing have been albums from label staple Roger Robin and the great Glen Washington (who would be another comforting artist for me now that I think of it) in 2019 and 2017, respectively. Prior to that Love Injection have also worked with the likes of Guinney Pepper, Mykal Rose and, most notably for me, Turbulence. Wayyyyy back in 2004, Love Injection Production dropped the well underrated "Words Of Wisdom". Now an album well overlooked in Turbulence's giant vault (it says a ton about how active he once was, given just how many albums he's released despite being EXTREMELY inactive in releasing them these days) (by my (surely incorrect) count, he had TWENTY-ONE albums between the beginning of the year 2000 and the end of 2007!), for me, "Words Of Wisdom" has become a favourite of mine and while there is a clear distinction in quality between it and his absolute best work -- "Rising" -- it isn't far away from anything else Turbulence has ever done. So that put Love Injection on my radars, initially and, led by one Rowen 'Spider Ranks' Johnson, they've done nothing (outside of a few spells of inactivity, but nothing too severe) to remove themselves. So even the thought of Love Injection doing a full record for Everton Blender, on paper, was appetizing. For the singer, himself, 2014 was also a very good time as it had been three years following his previous effort, the very respectable, "Higher Heights Revolution" for Island Splash Entertainment. Regrettably, "Where Is The Love" remains his latest studio album, but just in April of this year, the artist himself did re-release "Live At The White River Reggae Bash", which was an excellent live Roots Reggae project originating back at the turn of the century. He's also stayed active with a relatively steady stream of singles, particularly as of late as 2021 was a productive and fruitful year for the Blender (peaking with 'Brain Food', a big ganja tune combination with fellow Star Trail alum, Anthony B). If you've at all followed his career throughout the years, you know that he's also been one of Reggae's most consistent of champions as well and not only have recent years not been exceptions in that regard, but neither was 2014 as, whether you realize it or not (or even if I did), "Where Is The Love" was a yet another fine addition to the catalogue of the Blender. Not doing anything else at the moment? I'd love to tell you about it.
In retrospect, I'm not very surprised on what became of "Where Is The Love". It wasn't very well promoted (not even when compared to other albums from Love Injection) and I don't think very many people knew it existed in its day (we did mention, however) (biggup us!) (and, like I said, I had put it down for quite awhile), and certainly not eight years on, but if you dig into the album just a bit what you find, unsurprisingly, is that, although it was not a great album by any stretch of the word, it was yet another very, VERY solid release from Everton Blender. Setting the stage for "Where Is The Love" is the fine opener, 'Stand Your Ground'. The Blender is telling us all to show a bit more bottle (absolutely love that word used like that) (biggup the UK) and backbone and does so on a piece which has a very unique quality: 'Stand Your Ground' truly seems much longer than its three minutes and forty-six seconds length. I don't know if I've ever said that about a tune (I'm sure I've said it about an album), but the singer manages to pack a bit of vibes in the space. This wasn't a great song and it ranks on the fringes of best songs on the album, but 'Stand Your Ground' was very pleasant and, again, had some very distinct qualities to my ear. Next up was most certainly a great one and, at least for the moment, I'm calling it the peak of "Where Is The Love", the beautifully poignant 'Where Is Your Culture'. I'd like to think that, along with the title track of course, Everton Blender intended 'Where Is Your Culture' to be one of the 'foundational' (do not know if that is an actual word) (do not care either) tracks on the album, as they both kind of ruminate on something absent, or absent in large part, in the world today.
"I've seen you've lost your roots
Now tell me where is your culture
You're portraying such bad behaviour
I've seen you've lost your roots
Now tell me where is your culture
You're portraying such bad behaviour
The leaf and the stem is a part of the root
Be patient and don't eat up the fruit
I see you're not grounded-
Straying from your surrounding
Get what you want and you still want more
How you come so - mi nah know
How you come so - mi nah know
Don't forget where you're coming from
Don't forget the first love for Jah
Hold tight, don't falter
Memba di ancient Nyahbinghi order
Why you keep on running up and down?
Running away from Jah love
Why you keep on running up and down?
Running away from Jah love
But if you lose your culture - you're like a dog without a bone and a king without a town
Whatever you're after, don't forget the love of The Father
Don't lose your way, where is your honour?
And I know you can do much better"
The word "portraying", for me, kind of personalizes it in Blender's sense. I think there's an excellent chance that this song is about some of his peers who are singing certain types of songs but not living the life they're speaking and writing about them. It almost pushes the singer into a type of conscience for the music (a position, seemingly, typically occupied by the likes of Luciano and Mutabaruka) and does so with a simply sweet offering. 'Great Man' is next and if you wanted to call it the album's second best (or best altogether, actually) (it is VERY good), you wouldn't get too much of a fight out of me. Somewhat reminiscent of 'Nah Build Great Man', a big combination from Fantan Mojah and Jah Cure (ridiculously now a decade and a half old), Everton Blender kind of deals with this one in two ways; on the first and far more straight forward side, he speaks about how people doing positive work -- particularly (but not exclusively) in music -- have a tendency to not stick around on the planet for a very long time and he mentions people ranging from Tosh, Marley and Garnet Silk, all the way to Michael Jackson and he also takes that into just how much we've lost in losing those champions along the way. It isn't just the person it's the fact that they've left us and what we've missed out on, potentially, in them having long lives. Fittingly, however, in the latter stages of 'Great Man', the Blender makes sure to let us know one person who isn't going anywhere any time soon.
"Great man never live too long
But Blender ahgo live so long
Great man never live too long
But Blender ahgo live so long"
Hopefully that is true (I'm sure it is) and he'll give us another thirty or forty years of big material like this! Though a little on the generic side, 'More Fire' is a NICE song! It is about as basic of a call to action as you're likely to find, but it works in this setting. 'More Fire' also has elements of continuing to look at individuals who may be saying one thing, but doing something entirely different and it should also be said that the riddim on that song is GLORIOUS! I'm going to tie the next two selections, 'Nobody no Business' and 'Knowledge', together because if you listen to the digital version of "Where Is The Love", you'll probably notice that the songs are named for each other (I don't have the disc but they're also listed in that way on it as well). In any case, however, both are excellent. It has taken me a minute or two to arrive at the conclusion that the golden latter of the two is the better of them and that is definitely to the credit of the former. For its part, the delightfully melodica heavy 'Nobody no Business' finds Blender taking the words of Marcus Garvey and building a tune around them (not the first time that has happened in Reggae music, will not (it wasn't) be the last). I like the vibe of this one as well as it's more on the laidback side, but it is calm to make a point - you do not get the sense of RELAXATION here. 'Knowledge' sounds good as well and it also has a shout as being amongst the better written pieces on "Where Is The Love" in my opinion.
"Don't you ever speak without a knowledge
A NUH EVERY EDUCATION COME OUTTA COLLEGE
Words that you say, mighta cause a damage
IF WE SPOIL THE CHILDREN, HOW WI AHGO MANAGE?"
'Knowledge' has an obvious tie in to a couple of the songs that I've already mentioned for its direction (which I think that I should probably go back into in closing, because it is not the last of that type) and it is, again, one of the very best that you will find here.
And it isn't the final winner on the album... literally each of the remaining four selections are at least pretty good. Definitely check the title track, which will SOUND like a candy bar to heavier fans of the genre. The song itself isn't necessary a critique on the state of the times and the Blender does not seem to be longing for the 'good ole days', 'Where Is The Love' is just a call to make today better by doing simple things like looking after and taking care of one another better. That is what I took from this one: It isn't a restoration project, it's about doing very small thing, for the most part, and making things better in actual, attainable ways. Everton Blender goes all Richie Spice on the people with 'Youth Dem so Cold'. This song doesn't come off as very judgmental either, he's not saying that you have a just miserable group of young people who're, for whatever reason, just not behaving; instead he's saying that this is the way that things are and we need to be careful and aware of our surroundings. Surely it goes deeper than that but, again, I enjoy when a point can be made by our elders and it isn't pointing a finger and being judgmental but is just a sagacious reminder of the state of the times that we live in (and such people have always existed). The closer, 'Why Should I' taps a classic vibe (whose name I don't feel like trying to figure out) (if you ever see that term, or something like it -- "classic vibe" -- it means that it is an older riddim that's familiar to me but whose name is outside of my reach at the moment) and it is built upon the theme of personal responsibility. Ultimately we all are responsible for our own actions and making good choices, on the whole, is a help to the health of the world.
"Every man shoulda know to chant and plant
Cause when di bredrin did ah sow, you didn't want to go
Now you si di good vibes ah flow and di good things ah grow
Same seed weh yuh sow, a it ahgo go grow
Why should I fight - 'gainst my black brother?
Why should I fight - 'gainst men of any colour?
Why should I - tear down my black brother?
Why should I fight - 'gainst men of any colour?
Sometimes you si some people working so hard
They work in the rain and the snow to achieve their goals
Don't follow lazy bone
Go and try something of your own"
Finally, do not forget 'Nah Stop Try', a VERY COOL love style of song. It's kind of Dancehall-ish and, on pure sonic appeal, it may just be the easiest listen on the entire album. Songs like this are relatively easy to overlook (getting overlooked on an overlooked album is.... a terrible fate for such a nice piece of work and something which many people CLEARLY worked very hard on), but you won't make that mistake, 'Nah Stop Try' is sure you get your attention if you just give it half of a spin even.
I do want to briefly go back to a running theme present throughout "Where Is The Love". In the instances I mentioned/alluded to and others still where I didn't (like on the title track ["Dem ah talk bout piece and love, but nuffa dem nah live it"], Everton Blender seems to be readily speaking to many of his peers who are spreading a message which they aren't living at home. It's very crucial to enjoying the full experience of this release (at least to an overthinker such as myself) and a curious little note looking back at at this one ("at least to an over.....).
Overall, there is probably more than an excellent chance that you didn't pay much attention to "Where Is The Love". Maybe you knew it existed (most likely you did not) around its release date and you forgot, but you never ever got around to listening to it and you now have a good opportunity to go back and make up for that. "Where Is The Love" is not a great album and I wouldn't even say it's relatively close. What it is, however, is extremely SOLID and just an entertaining modern Roots Reggae album. Going through it for the sake of this review was FUN and you don't often say that about a Roots album (not that it isn't often the case, but you're usually thinking about other qualities to highlight and many of those qualities are also found in this release) and, now that I think about it, I think that its also a trait that is possessed by Everton Blender's music, in general. When he's at/near his best he's probably one of the most captivating singers the genre has ever seen. Perhaps that's why I've found his music to be so comforting and soothing throughout the years. Whatever the case, while "Where Is The Love" is not his greatest work to date, it does feature Everton Blender in a fine form and is sure to do a lot of good on the senses of anyone who gives it a chance, even after all this time.
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