Guide. There is something to be said about the concept and power of comfort in virtually all things in my opinion. We are human beings, mammals, living things and, while the unknown can certainly be exciting and bring forth a variety of other very different interesting emotions, at least at specific times I think that we all seek some level of comfort (even if "comfort" for you means discomfort) (everyone's experience is different). There is a phrase, 'comfort food', which generally denotes some type of meal that you grew up eating and gives you all type of nostalgia feelings about your childhood and your family etc. and you can surely take that and make 'comfort music'. 'Comfort music' (in this sense) for me is the Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Arrow that I grew up with and a few others - gifts from my wonderful parents and older siblings, but today we're going to take the idea of 'comfort' within music and spread it around a bit and develop it and evolve it to include music which has not only brought me a nice level of 'grounded' contentment and satisfaction, but has served as.... WASHING for me. I'm talking about the type of sound I seek out when things may not be going the way I want them to in life or when I'm overwhelmed with too much music. These are the type of vibes which tend to help me focus and bring me to back to center (and as I get older, I find that latter situation occurring more and more often). A very good example of this would be 'funky comfort', herself, Sara Lugo. Although more musically diverse than any of the other artists I'm about to name for you, Lugo's work comes with such a natural and organic refinement to it (and I've heard it SOOOOOO much over the years) that I will always come back to it before 'heading off' again. Furthermore, when she releases new music, I get this well expected sense of excitement, which is expected, along with another vibe which is optimism that I may have found yet another piece from the singer to add to my own personal vault. Someone else who fits into this category is definitely Lutan Fyah. I don't know if the Spanish Town chanter has had a greater fan in his entire career when it comes to trumpeting his lyrical prowess, specifically, than myself and I'll always find comfort in full albums of work that he's done over the years, such as "Time & Place" ["waters of many colours so wi haffi swim deep"] and, of course "Phantom War". Hearing how he puts together these highly detailed gems of tunes has been one of my greatest joys as a fan of music that I've experienced as an adult. I'd also add others such as Mark Wonder, (of course), Beres Hammond, HARRY MO and, strange as it may be, Bounty Killer (with the way Dancehall has gone these days, I've found the Killer to be an ultra-reliable source of calming when it comes to that genre). In all and at many times, I've found their output to be downright therapeutic and I am grateful to have come across these wonderful artists in my lifetime.
Someone else who would well fit within that group and do so in a very curious way would be the somewhat reclusive but not really and truly great instrumentalist Tuff Lion. I use the term 'reclusive' for him only to say that I find it so unfortunate that we don't get to hear much [enough] from him in the way of making new music (with himself as the credited artist), but as far as I know, Tuff Lion remains quite active in performing and studio work, especially on the west coast of the US. Many years ago the name 'Tuff Lion' was best known to me and most others, I would presume, as simply one of several regulars that would appear as a player of instrument on various projects. In his case, those releases predominately would be of Virgin Island artists and releases as Tuff Lion, himself, is a native of St. Croix and his handiwork would appear constantly on such sets. He was a well notable favourite of I Grade Records, the region's dominant label, but he was awfully active elsewhere as well. So much so, in fact, was Tuff Lion hard at work in the early 2000's or so and beyond (and, I'm sure, well ahead of that as well), that I'm confident that I could pick up virtually any album from a Virgin Islands artist from own collection and his work will be there... I just did that and the first three albums in the most accessible box containing my physical copies of music -- "A Different Age" by NiyoRah, "Ride Tru" by Midnite and "Matsahyel" by Ras Iba -- all feature Tuff Lion on guitar (a span of nine years between those albums, in total). In fact, with the exception of one song, he plays on every tune on "A Different Age" and I had forgotten that Tuff Lion did everything there was to be done on "Matsahyel", a classic on these pages and simply one of the greatest albums I have ever heard. While you associate Tuff Lion closest with the guitar and for good reason (more on that in a second), he's probably done every single thing imaginable behind the scenes and done it, like so many of his peers, without you knowing it and maybe even on some of your favourite songs and albums.
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| 2007 & 2008 |
And sometimes the light embraces him as we do. A shockingly brief fifteen years ago I Grade Records released a project by the name of "Ten Strings" which was their very first fully instrumental album, I believe, and it featured the brilliance of Tuff Lion in a major way. It kind of was the Lion's tune on several familiar IGR riddims (just like you'd hear from a vocalist) and it was so thoroughly well done. "Ten Strings" was brilliant and it became #twenty-seven in our Modern Classics series and for good reason. All of these years later, I still find myself going back to it on a semi-consistent basis as I've found that it helps alleviate any type of 'writer's block' that I may have (it's helping me write this review, even). The album put Tuff Lion in a class of players of instruments such as the great Dean Fraser and the great Ernest Ranglin as individuals who had reached a level behind the scenes to where their work could not be overlooked anymore and I would presume that there are many people, like myself, who began to notice the name Tuff Lion present in production credits after "Ten Strings" (side note: There was a promo video for "Ten Strings" and it has the Lion talking about his experiences coming up and how came to play the guitar and I think he mentioned that when he started, he had an older brother who was playing something and he figured he had to do something as well. He said something in that video that I will never forget: After having spent all of those years dedicated to learning to play the instrument, he says, "....and I'm STILL learning how to play it") (that is FANTASTIC! ). However, prior to "Ten Strings", Tuff Lion would actually (and fittingly) helm his own debut voyage as the sublime "Utterance" would arrive in 2007 on his very own Outpost Music Workshop label. Like "Ten Strings" which was to follow, "Utterance" was a release featuring the work of Tuff Lion, HOWEVER, the difference was that the first album actually carried material highlighting the Lion as a vocalist! He would show a fine singing voice and, to this day, I still find myself loving tunes such as 'Be Natty' ["Be natty, be natty, be natty beeeeee!"], 'Pimps & Parasites', the title track, 'Rootstafari', the mighty 'Advance' and several others (like 'Balance'). "Utterance" was another fine work of art and although it isn't as well known as its followup, we're going to use it as a springboard for our topic today, because more direct successor has just walked through the door. Since the release of "Utterance", I'm fairly confident that Tuff Lion has continued along (well... I know he has. "Matsahyel" and "Ride Tru" are younger than "Utterance") his career as a 'instrumental artist' and done so actively, but on the vocal side, he hasn't been quite as prolific. I was trying to figure it out and while I'm certain that I've missed something along the way, I was having hard time thinking of the last time I'd heard a tune that Tuff Lion had actually sang. I'd traced it back to maybe 2013's "Powerlink" from the Amandla collective. On that project Tuff Lion played guitar on every single tune and also did backing vocals on several of them as well, but "Powerlink" also carried 'Some Have', 'Ready' and 'Something To Remember', which all were songs that he was the lead singer on. So that was the last time I actually had memory of him singing songs.... until fairly recently. Back in January, Tuff Lion would release a tune that I'm about to tell you more of in just a second for a label by the name of Yard Stylee Records. I probably did not hear this song until maybe May-ish or so, but it was Tuff Lion and TUFF LION SINGING, so I was definitely interested. I was unfamiliar with the label but they are, as I assumed, from out of California (town called Salinas, to be exact) and ran by an individual by the name of Lujan, who also makes music himself. While their vault isn't the deepest just yet (it appears that the label began just a couple of years back in 2021), in April of this year, Yard Stylee released "Earl Zero Meets Yard Stylee Krew" with the venerated vocalist, a very solid EP (which featured a tune called a few nice tracks, 'Jah Morning' and 'So Much', in particular). Well, if they wanted to get my attention (and they didn't. They couldn't care less, I'm sure), lifting up a new tune from Tuff Lion was the way to go..... and an if they wanted to go even further..... I mean... why not do an entire album?! It would be difficult for me to express just how DAMN HAPPY I was when I saw the third solo set from Tuff Lion, "Harmonic Therapy", in the offering courtesy of Yard Stylee Records. In a year which FINALLY brought us a new album from the great Queen Omega, this set would immediately become yet another big surprise from 2023. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I'd like to think that I had an inclination that at some point, he'd make another album, but I did not realize how much I MISSED listening to this man make songs until I laid my ears on the most fittingly titled "Harmonic Therapy"; and if you're not doing anything at the moment, I'd LOVE to tell you all about what I heard.
I'll make a comparison that, perhaps, no has ever made and no one ever will again here: Tuff Lion's music kinda/sorta reminds me of Jah Cure's. It's not that they both make Reggae music, but when I first got into this piece I had a certain level of expectation going in at the baseline of it. I don't care what happens along with it, "Tuff Lion album" makes me think (KNOW) that I am about to hear wonderfully crafted and created music. The SOUND of it will be top notch. On the side of the Cure, I may not know what he's going to actually be singing about, but I can be assured that what I am going to hear will be a display of the single greatest voice I have ever heard in my life. The comparisons end there and maybe I went to far to make it (wouldn't be the first time and surely will not be the last), but I bring it up to make the point that you know exactly, at least at the core, what you're getting into when you hear Tuff Lion's music and "Harmonic Therapy" is not an exception. A sterling representation of that would be the fine opener, 'Lead I Guide I'. "RICH" is the word that immediately came to mind when I first heard this tune. It is just such a FULL and HEALTHY experience on the musical side and, when you get into the messages you discover what just may be Tuff Lion's greatest strength as a vocalist: Along with having a very nice and heavy (yet versatile) voice, he also injects quite a bit of MATURITY and WISDOM in his words. It's very matter-of-fact, yet clever and so unique within its simplicity (which sounds strange as hell, I'm sure, but I think it is an appropriate way of at least attempting to describe what he does ["I keep a focus and direction. Stepping straight with no distraction. Living under guidance and protection"]). Later on he does selection up a taste of what he's best known for and dazzles on his guitar which is an excellent touch in closing. What reigns as the single finest moment on the whole of "Harmonic Therapy", 'Social Expectations', is up next and this one hit me SO HARD on a lyrical side that I just could not take my ears off of it.
"I ACCEPT ANYONE CAN HAVE A BAD DAY
I EXPECT TO BE TREATED AS I TREAT PEOPLE, SAME WAY
People are people
Some good, some evil
Some of them don't love themselves
Some people agitated
Some of them frustrated
Some of them are ticking timebombs
I see peaceful interventions in tense situations-
Turning down the heat of the confrontation
Emotional control, rational response
Anything to ease up the pressure
I ACCEPT THAT NOT EVERYONE IS NICE
I EXPECT TO LIVE A HUMBLE AND PEACEFUL LIFE!"
I mean.... seriously! The song is just so mature and accepting of not only people but pure facts. Each and every person you have ever met in your entire life (including yourself) is ridiculously FLAWED. We just all are and we're also moody and have things going on and, most of all, we're DIFFERENT. What I take from 'Social Expectations', ultimately, is the acceptance that when people are involved (in ANYTHING), nothing is certain or guaranteed, but you're fine with that and you reach a point where you're capable of dealing with it the best you can. I've probably never heard a piece quite like this one and for that reason --and that it's delightful-- make it scintillating for me and the crowning jewel off "Harmonic Therapy". Immediately charged with keeping the vibes high on the album is another big winner, '2 Faces'. I actually relate this one to the track just ahead of it because what it does (in my opinion) is to personalize the experience with others we heard about in 'Social Expectations'. Just as you will meet others who you will not get along with.... someone will meet you and not like you (AND NOT LIKE YOU FOR LEGITIMATE REASONS) because, again, we all go through so many different things and maybe the day you came into contact with them wasn't one of your finest and it came through for them. I should also add here the later offering, 'Original People', which shares kind of a pacing with 'Social Expectations', but isn't necessarily related (at least not directly), but you will listen to the second of those and it will remind you of the first. The difference between the two is that the former is definitely more about our interactions with others (and ourselves), while the latter does have elements of that, but it's more steered towards the observation of people and the respect that people of all types exist, many of whom (the VAST MAJORITY OF WHOM) we will never have any contact with, but they are amongst us from all different backgrounds. 'Original People' has a more of a grinding type of vibes to it and you get to the end of that song and so many things are going on, musically, and it is not to be missed. Have to mention another fine musical display on '2 Faces' as well, something which steps even further in 'Over You'. When this one came in for the first time, I got EXCITED. The song is a very strong one and it's something that you're well familiar with (I'm not even going to tell you what it's about - but from the title you have a certain thing in your mind and that is exactly where this one goes), but the sonics on 'Over You' SOAR! It sounds SO GOOD! Later I'll tell you about a drop which gets a dubbed out version attached to the tail of "Harmonic Therapy" and had they decided to do the same with 'Over You', I would not have been opposed to that. Earlier, I alluded to what would become the first single from this project, 'Strength an'.
It's grown on me considerably from the first time I heard it and that's saying a bit because I well enjoyed it from those early days as well. Along with having a very nice vibes to it (it's another one which they could have included a dub to), 'Strength an' is another effort that really pushes such a nice simplicity in its message and does so in a way which is so straight-forward that it's UNIQUE in that transparency (you listen to enough music and enough ultra-talented lyricists and you really become accustomed to and conditioned to hearing people come up with these really cool ways of saying things; Tuff Lion doesn't do that.... he just says it for the most part). At the core of this one, 'Strength an' is a song about LOVE and how love of oneself and others can reinforce us and become "the answer to so many problems". It is an interesting choice for a single and I'd wonder if the thought back then was to do a full album (and if it was, how much of "Harmonic Therapy" was completed at that point), but if you give it a chance, like I said, regardless of how you feel about it initially, 'Strength an' is a surger. It will GROW on you, even if you love it already. Check the DELICIOUS and old school licked title track which is going to be a tune that will register in a very relatable way with You just it did for me an so many others, I'm sure. Watch this:
"I was sitting at home, all alone
Resting my bones with the spliff, medicating
Contemplating world affairs, family relations, life and its complications
Al of my thoughts were sad, not glad
I was feeling bad and-
Praying to Jah to guide and send direction
ALL IN A SUDDEN THIS RIDDIM HIT ME
I JUMPED OUT OF MY SEAT AND ONTO MY FEET AND STARTED SKANKING, SKANKING"
"THAT MUSIC CHANGED MY MOOD
Put me in a different groove
Made my body move so free, so free
A medicinal dosage, prescribed by the selector
Make i feel better, harmonic therapy
Jah know I didn't take no pill to get no thrill
Drink alcohol to stumble and fall at all
Not at all
I started dancing my troubles away
I felt a smile come to my face
Cause I was skanking!
Real skanking!"
If this situation or anything like it has NEVER happened to you, I want you to stop reading this review and never come back here again! I experience SOMETHING like this maybe two or three times a week. Literally HUNDREDS of times a year! I'm not always sad or in deep meditation on anything in particular, but it will LIFT me somewhere. The music will just make you feel better and you know what?? 'Harmonic Therapy' also did that for me and it's done it for me multiple times. The overthinker in me (which is pretty much all of me) (that's all I got) would love to believe that the idea behind making it wad to bring that experience directly to the listener RIGHT HERE and, along with describing and reliving his own time, the Lion is also basically giving a play-by-play of what the listener is going through while listening to 'Harmonic Therapy' and if that were, I can personally attest to the fact that he got at least one situation that went COMPLETELY according to plan. MINE! The album named after it does conclude with the dubbed out version of 'Harmonic Therapy' that I alluded to. This thing is downright jovial, I hear a flute (I THINK) that is not nearly as pronounced in the original and given the topic of the matter, what results in the dub is pretty close to what I would have expected. Nice and upful and just a really positive vibe. With Tuff Lion being who he is and having the history he's had, a dub tacked on the end of his album is an excellent touch (the aforementioned "Utterance" album also has a tune, 'Dreamin', which is primarily an instrumental and a golden one). Another big vibe from "Harmonic Therapy" and one with which I've had a lot of fun so far is definitely 'Cosmic Energy'. I've intentionally attempted not to take this one too deeply (I'm not even going to tell where I was on it at first), so what I take from 'Cosmic Energy' these days is looking at it, simply, as the Lion's homage to energy. Broadly, we are all energy. We are tiny bundles of energy and without it we are useless (and even after death, there begins a different type of energy). This one is giving thanks and observing ALL things as energy, itself, is something incredibly powerful; so powerful Tuff Lion made a song about it. While the album does wrap up with the aforementioned dub, its final two vocal contributions are surely not to be missed. The first is the spicy social commentary 'Amurdikka'. On paper, this one should grab a nice bit of attention because it is the sole combination here, featuring GRIZZLED veteran, Prezident Brown.
"As I am affected by the number of killings by my people in Amurdikka
I cannot be silent about the gun violence among us, killing us faster than the virus
Recod-breaking homicides make me wonder - did we decide to declare war upon ourselves?
THAT EVERYONE THAT LOOKED LIKE YOU IS NOT WORTHY TO LIVE LIKE YOU
Don't you see the homicide is fratricide, form of suicide, leading to our genocide"
"In Amurdikka, the big, bad tiger chase another
Law-makers, law-breakers and bounty-hunters
Now the whole damn place it catch a fire Jah know!
Modern day wild, wild west
It look like everybody need a bulletproof vest
Strapped up to dem chest
Silence! Down with the violence!
It's about time now for a quantum leap
Put it pon a platter
Our lives matter
Life is a stage, everyone is an actor
Our actions shows the content of character
HATRED AND ANGER: EVERYONE CAN BE A CARRIER"
I do not know if these two are well acquainted or if they've never met one another at all, but together they DEFINITELY show that they have musical chemistry in HEAPS! 'Amurdikka' is outstanding. I should also mention something which is present on more occasions than just this one but it well stands out here (and on the other song I'm about to tell you about): Though subtle, 'Amurdikka' features some really strong backing vocals. I don't know who sings them (I would actually suspect that Tuff Lion does), but it really helps to bring a lovely facet to this tune and others on "Harmonic Therapy" as well. Lastly (first long review I've written in a while, thoroughly enjoyed myself) check, 'Reset', EASILY one of the finest selections on this project and any of the work that I've heard from Tuff Lion to date. The riddim behind 'Reset' may just be the single finest on the entire album (the guitar, in particular, is STERLING. He shines!). He also doesn't let it go to waste lyrically and Tuff Lion produces another winner, this one steering closer to the tune just ahead of it in terms of being a look at society. Where 'Amuridikka' takes a look at homicide, especially, 'Reset' is more broad in its approach with the Lion, ultimately, saying that, given what we've been through and with how many things we've done, unsuccessfully, to work it out, it's time for us to "reset, recalibrate, reprogram all the parameters". When something does not work what is the first thing you try to fix it? You turn it off and turn it back on. Tuff Lion is saying maybe that works for something else besides electronics and an absolutely wonderful tune.
Overall, though it only brings eleven tunes, "Harmonic Therapy" is very THICK. It's a very dense listening experience and sifting through it is very enjoyable and satisfying and I expected it to be ("Utterance" & "Ten Strings" DEFINITELY exhibited that quality as well). Certain things, as I said, are far more than solid with the main point being the music. If you enjoy modern Roots Reggae music (and if you don't I'm shocked you've read THIS far into this review), you will be dazzled by "Harmonic Therapy" at times. I do not know if this release has a future but I would love it if, at some point, it received an instrumental push ("Eleven Fingers"???) because while I was listening to it and now, in retrospect, I found myself numerous times thinking that the riddim I was hearing was something special and I'd love to hear many of them get that time to gleam on their own. "Harmonic Therapy" is a lovely showcase for one of the most reassuring and SOOTHING talents that Reggae music has seen in.... an ever. I will also add that if you've never experienced his music, "Harmonic Therapy" is also a fine introduction to Tuff Lion. If this is actually your first time hearing him, like myself and so many others, get ready: It sticks with you. Very well done.
Rated: 4.5/5
Yard Stylee Records
2023
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