Happy New Year!

If you are reading this right now, chances are better-than-average that you're still alive and have made it to see another year. Hopefully your 2022 was at least pretty good and hopefully your 2023 is 10x better. 

If not (or if so).... HERE! Have some Soca!

"I've been patient and I've been waiting......"

Stuff: The End?!

No. Not really. Well, kind of. Maybe. But, perhaps not. Somewhat. Eh?

Time to go!

Yow!

Longtime since we do one of these and I specifically waited until I was at least 65% unconscious before I began to write it, so I wouldn't write too much. I'm thinking that's a pretty good idea at this point. So before I tell you what's going on around here, two things on the top of my mind.

• First of all, I haven't checked the messages today, so I hope she didn't link us again, which will make this seem . . . Kind of late I suppose. But we have a really nice person who deals with us occasionally by the name of Susan. I'm not going to tell you who she is exactly, but she's a . . . Reggae business . . . Type of person. She always has good information and observations and I just wanted to say that she's REALLY the type of person I'm happy to have met in doing this. Just a top class individual! So biggup yourself Susan, we really appreciate everything you do and, like I said, you're such a nice person and I definitely love nice people! And thank you and I do agree about that album cover! But perhaps they were thinking 'less is more'.

Completely Random Picture

• Secondly, and this is totally random. Am I so completely socially awkward that I'm the only person who has EVER done this? I recently heard from a friend of mine who I met back in University and she reminded me of an 'incident'. Have you ever talked about someone . . . To that same person without knowing it? I remember sitting in a class once and watching some film or something and this guy next to me had his mouth wide open the entire time and he was breathing like he'd just ran four or five marathons. So I'd lost touch of what I was supposed to be watching and tuned in, almost exclusively, to the noise emanating from the area of this gentleman's face. After the class was over we were walking out, everything got shuffled around a bit and 'someone' asked me how I enjoyed the film and of course I said something along the lines of "it was nice, but I couldn't focus because the man sitting next to me was breathing like he was exhausted" . . . And "someone" was that same guy, with the loud face. So please keep that in mind if you're ever trying to get my attention: Sometimes "my attention" just does not exist!

Wonderful!

Still with us? If not, here's a picture of Lenora Crichlow.

Doing a great job of being human

Okay! Speaking of Lenora Crichlow! The second series of the Canadian version of her wonderful show, "Being Human" is back on the air. It, of course, features the also lovely Meghan Rath. I don't know how many episodes have shown thus far, but Bredz sent us one and . . . Yeah, Rath is a very very attractive human being and I don't really like TV, but "Being Human", either one of them, work for me. And I think that the UK version of the show is back on in March.

And speaking of stuff with vampires in it, I did see a little bit of a new film called "Underworld: Awakening" and I'll have to see the rest of it someday in a theatre, because it looked absolutely outstanding and I did like the first 2-3 movies from that as well. And I saw all of the new "Conan" movie also, but I didn't like it.

Is that all??? No!

Messages. I know we haven't been answering a lot of messages lately, I've been feeling a bit anti-social and I do hope to get to those sometime and we actually did a few. Oh! A looooooooong time ago someone from Canada sent a message asking where they could get the EP for Sara Lugo's new single, 'Locked Away'. They said that it wasn't available in their area, but I believe it's gone global now, so everyone, everywhere pick that up. And biggup Lugo because we did some press releases for her a few weeks ago and we haven't heard back (at least I don't think we have), so apparently they liked the work and everybody also pick up her album, "What About Love" - it is stupid not to.

Now available in your region . . . probably

Is that it??? Fortunately I've forgotten what else I had to say, so here we go: What's going on?

I like this place. Writing this blog is pretty much a form of therapy for me and I need pretty much every drop of therapy I can get, particularly when it's free. But! I have stuff to do and, shockingly, I'm still young enough to try and do a few things - accomplish a few dreams that I've had. And I've never wanted this place to become the type of blog which was kind of randomly updated. I think I distinguish myself from everyone else who writes Reggae because I normally have this MOUNTAINOUS amount of free time and, I can write all day long, and when I'm at my best, I do. So what does that mean? Well in the immediate future it means that we're going on a break, which is what we do in February anyway. I'm not at all thrilled about Soca so far in 2012, but . . . I'm looking forward to becoming thrilled. There will be no Fay-Ann and no Bunji at Soca Monarch this year (at least not competing, but can you imagine if they did a medley at the intermission) (WHAT!), but we'll jump up in their absence (Destra is coming back again, however) and I have actual work to do related to it all now and everything seems to be working out properly (finally) and I'm just looking forward to everything (and someday, hopefully, you'll be sitting in a theatre somewhere in the world, taking in the Carnival experience in 3D).

BUT! We will be back kind of . . . I don't know how it's going to work, but we were talking about perhaps making this page an archive and starting anew on another one. I don't know how that's going to work, but we'll let you know. So that means I won't be around in February, but there is SO MUCH nice music jumping up this month such as:

Coming in February

I'm still working on listening to those, but I can confidently tell you right now that, I-Octane's album is EXCEPTIONAL. It's very very good. And there's a lot more out there too, everybody check out releases from Da Professor and Midnite in 2012.

And that's it! We'll be back in March[ish] with probably a new location. Don't send me anything on a link at least for a couple of weeks because Bredz is coming down. Biggup everyone! I'm tired! Biggup my family! Get to see some people for the first time in a little while. Biggup Susan, like I said, James for sending us the new Fred Locks album (I think that's releasing in February also. Biggup Zojak Worldwide. Biggup Sherkhan, I will take a listen to that when we get back and I always wanted to write a review for Basil's album too, so we'll be doing that also! Hey Heather! Go and check out all of my friends on the sidebar over there. Biggup Dale Cooper, check out his new blog (Dale Cooper I randomly got four tunes from Aima Moses awhile back, one of them 'Don't Come Close', is pretty good. Biggup Nico. Angus the man who I want to be like when I grow up and Camille also, hopefully he'll have me back someday (he better. I'm wicked!). Everybody check out United Reggae. And blah blah blah blah (biggup Nadia Batson). I forgot people, but I'm falling asleep.

Oh! And biggup everyone who reacted to 'Album of The Year' related stuff. Actually it was quite positive. The most interesting bit of info is that someone from Macedonia or Montenegro (some European country beginning with an M) (maybe it was Moldova???) who wanted permission to reprint that madness in their own language so biggup Montenegro or Macedonia.

That's it! Go find something better to do with your time for awhile. Won't be too difficult (AT ALL!).

Here's a song. Favourite old random tune right now!

'Team Up' by Jah Mason

Have fun everyone! We'll see you new and improved when we get back.

Do not respect authority! Do not remember to take your medications! Do nothing productive with yourself! EVER!

BALANCE & No Behaviour - NONE!
RasAchis

Stuff: Up High!

"Mek ya rag dem fly like an chicken
Mek ya rag dem fly like a bird
Mek ya rag dem fly like an eagle -
Like you're ready to leave this world!"

Yow! We finally made it! It's the 29th day of July, 2011 and it's our last post for about a month because we have stuff to do and stuff to see if it's possible that we can attempt (!) to do and after having heard so much of this nice music - Really I'm so much inspired to do some of my best work and I'm going to tell you, briefly, about that in just a minute. But first, I though that we'd observe something natural and something prevalent that's really been affecting a lot people for (well, forever really) now in particular.

A lot of people have been passing on lately (duh!) and a few people in our own lives and maybe yours and if so, definitely big respect to them. Last week I mentioned Lloyd Ricketts from The Itals and surely you've heard of a English singer by the name of Amy Winehouse who also transitioned recently and there've been a whole heap of others, including Pablo McNeil earlier in the month, who was a former Olympian from Jamaica. Also, like I said, on a personal level we've lost a friends and to everyone else, I'm sure and fans of these people as well. So, quickly in their tribute, all of them, is a my favourite tune from The Itals, a song which definitely helped during a lot of DARK moments for me personally - 'Rasta Philosophy'.

'Rasta Philosophy' by The Itals

And I'm surely not going to tell anyone how to mourn and how to grieve, but just for me - There's no sadness for a natural personal act, it's only a time to say thank you and big them up! And when I'm no longer here, I hope everyone who cares to remember me at that time have a nice time! So big them up again!

"I will never hesitate to sit down and concentrate
Listen a likkle music now it help me to meditate
When I am feeling down, help me recuperate
Take my mind to all different level, take me to different state"

'Thunder Rags' by Mr. Killa @ Grenada Soca Monarch 2004 [song quoted] [both]


'Meet Super Blue' by Fay-Ann Lyons @ Trinidad Soca Monarch 2009

So! We're taking August off to just take a general break (and to actually finish painting my fucking house), but to begin to lay the foundation on a couple of other things we really wanted to do. If you've ever worked on something with someone and they say something like "okay I'll get to work on that", it's kind of an open-ended thing to say because it almost kind of says . . . "eventually" after it - like an acknowledgement that there is work to be done and they must do it, but not really anytime soon. I did that with Bredz and . . . yeah, he actually did his part, so it's my time now (biggup Fay-Ann). I'm not going to tell you exactly what it is (although I told you early this year/late last year), but if you look around, I'm sure you can get an idea of the subject matter! Certain things we should be DOCUMENTING now (can you imagine walking into a cinema and . . . !).

'Bring It On' by CP @ Antigua Soca Monarch 2008

And that's what we'll be up to. Also have a few places to go. If you are actually going to Antigua Soca Monarch tomorrow, again, I will not be there, but I will definitely be watching Tian Winter .vs. CP 2011 (and definitely hoping for a CP sweep, unless Tizzy competes)!

'Leggo De Beast' by Skinny Fabulous @ St. Vincy Soca Monarch 2009

And that's it! Biggup everybody, you know who you are (biggup Sara Lugo!) (biggup yourself Markus!) (Hey Zoe!). If you need to get in touch with me either HURRY UP (before Monday) or wait until later in the month. If you just want to send us something (like an Elijah Prophet album) then go right ahead. We're going to give this a try for a month (more like two and a half weeks), just taking the energy we focus on this place basically everyday and putting into a something else and see how it goes. We should be back the first week of September (and I'll be a DISGUSTING thirty year old man at that point), but if we don't make it back - Like we said last time, it's been a great time and this place has already been so much more successful than I ever thought it would be (and FUN too!) and blah blah blah! I'll see you in September!

New album from I-Wayne (which will probably be delayed) and the official release of the Blaze Fia Riddim (FINALLY) from Sean Paul coming in August. New Lutan Fyah in stores now. "Vibes & Tides", check it! New Ce'Cile, on Tuesday! New Ray Darwin! New Perfect! Sara Lugo! New everything!

Do absolutely nothing productive while we're away! Do not behave yourself! Do not listen when spoken to! We'll see you in September!

BALANCE & No Behaviour! NONE!
RasAchis

Stuff: Inferno

I really hope you're not looking down here to figure out who that is

Yow!
I told you not to worry! I’m back! I’m not going to be sticking around for too long, however, but you’re likely to have me for the next week if you care (and you probably don’t) and then I’ll finish up my hiatus - And return sometime in August (after I, miserably, turn 30) (I wasn't actually planning to come back writing so quickly, but something nice caught my attention and I kind of knew that it would at some point) (oh and if you do blog, you know this stuff is like therapy and I did miss it). I didn’t want to make this too long (because it's two weeks ago now), but biggup Fireman Hooper, winner of St. Vincent Soca Monarch 2011. What can I say? I had absolutely no problem with him winning. I did think Skinny Fabulous did excellent (albeit in a VERY chaotic manner), but the Fireman was top notch and although I do always lean more towards Skinny, I just have to give the man credit - Fireman is ALWAYS top notch - No exceptions and it was great this year, with a special cameo appearance from none other than Shrek. I would think that Skinny might think to take off 2012 (maybe make a song directly for TnT (just a thought) and come back in '13) because a lot of people seemed to want to see him lose this year, but I more than got what we went looking for. Skinny Fabulous is a fantastic artist and one of the greatest Soca performers of his time, so big him up - But it's all about the 'Animal' in 2011 as Fireman Hooper takes the honours in SVG for the 927th time (and biggup the oldest man in the world, Gao, for taking the road) (and keep an eye out for Fya Empress) (and biggup Jamesy P) (and Problem Child). Just more and more vibes for THE idea of all ideas which I’ll tell you about a week from now.

'Animal' by Fireman Hooper

In other Soca news, completely unrelated: Tonite (Saturday) is St. Lucia Soca Monarch 2011. I will not be there, but I will be watching (HAPPILY, because I don't give a damn who wins). Who wins??? The only way Ricky T, with 'Madd Ting', isn't taking the crown is if he doesn't perform. He could probably go on stage with no props, no band and just a record, wearing a tuxedo and still win. He could probably simultaneously HUMM his own riddim and deejay at the same time and still win. I'm not terribly fond of the tune, but Ricky T does not need a great song to take Monarch in St. Lucia.

'Madd Ting' by Ricky T

Shockingly (at least to me), he also took the Groovy Monarch competition and Ricky T is mashing up St. Lucia in 2011. However, that's not to say that he isn't without competition. There're some pretty good tunes coming out of Lucia this year. I’m loving efforts from the likes of Ricky's brother, Ambi, Alpha, Mantius (with a Jab Jab???) and a few others (like defending champion, DJ HP). In my opinion, although Qpid is mysteriously absent from the final list (at least the one we saw) (placing that phrase here is just terrible, terrible writing! It's awful, but I'm rusty, so please accept my apologies), I think the main competition comes from Pringles with 'More Mash Up' and Achis Reggae favourite, Ilah Man with 'Destruction'.

'More Mash Up' w/Mr. Killa by Superman HD [aka Pringles]

'Destruction' by Ilah Man [This song is fucked up!]

The former is interesting because should Pringles draw Mr. Killa on the stage, he may very well have a chance to pull an upset, as the two link for another season with BIG results. Ilah Man, of course, has absolutely no chance (he's been robbed before), but I LOVE that damn song! MAD! Also, it should be said that even though CLEARLY this is his tune for Monarch (he even says so in the song), everything I've seen thus far suggests that Ilah Man will be doing 'Vex'. Which is probably a better song . . . But nowhere near as INSANE.

'Vex' by Ilah Man [considerably less fucked up]

And that’s it. If you are headed to St. Lucia Monarch (starting to wish that we were joining you) (it doesn’t take much to get me excited) [your joke here] tonite, definitely have a great time.

So this week, just look forward to a pretty FULL (but strange) week. A couple of reviews (one of which I’m currently half done with) and a “Check It” DEFINITELY (so much nice things around now) and blah blah blah. I’ll probably finish on Saturday and let you know about what we’re working on (even though I kind of told you already).

Bredz, answer your fucking phone! Biggup everyone I don’t feel like naming [Hey Elena!] [biggup yourself Dale Cooper] and yeah! It’s Achis Reggae - Common Sense Deficiency.

BALANCE & No Behaviour
RasAchis

{Note: Biggup the World Cup. We watched a couple of games - Very impressive!}
{Note 2: Tomorrow we pay tribute to . . . A very attractive person who sent us a lot of nice stuff!}

Stuff: No Behaviour . . . In The Cave

Yow!
We haven't done a "Stuff" post in a while (because they're really really terribly written generally) , but here's a new one and with good reason (and it, too, shall be awful).

Vincy Mas 2K11 and (farrrrrrrr more importantly) St. Vincent Soca Monarch 2011 is upon us! What does that mean? That means Skinny Fabulous (!) is going for a fourth consecutive Vincy Soca Monarch crown and, on a strictly musical level, you can go ahead and pass the man win right now and we'll be there to see it, like last year. Over the past few years with 'Head Bad', 'Leggo Di Beast' and 'Charge Up', Skinny has advanced St. Vincent Soca music on an international level and, seriously is in the prime of his career and is establishing a legacy which will last WELL beyond his days of walking the planet. So, if you can attend - This coming weekend [Victoria Park!], it's truly one of the greatest spectacles the entire Caribbean has to offer and, even if he doesn't win, you’re likely witnessing history in the making.

'Animal' by Fireman Hooper

As far as the actual competition, there's of course there's the Fireman who has won the competition seventeen billion times and who . . . Should likely come in second with his big tune, 'Animal'. There's Problem Child who has a line of people thinking he'll now never winner the biggest crown. And others still such as veteran Jamesy P, last year's Road March King, Maddzart, Skarpyon who won Ragga Soca a few days back and Fire Empress as well (no ICON, curiously).

'The Cave' by Skinny Fabulous

Still . . . I mean . . . My favourite Skinny Fabulous song for the last year has been 'Scary', his entry this year 'The Cave', may have just outdone that one in my opinion. It is absolutely BRILLIANT! It’s dark and bright and happy and ANGRY - It’s just magical moody, carnage and chaos inducing Soca music and I love it and if the man hauls a big cave on the stage, or does a Fred Flintstone show, I’d have problems with myself if we missed that. He’ll have to fuck it up mightily to lose (the young people are saying "caveman nyam animal") (which is cool).

Okay I’d written all of this stuff which was just ridiculous. But that’s it! I write too damn much anyway (no! My reviews won’t be shortened for anything) (don’t even ask) (because if you do, I’ll make them longer). Biggup everyone we biggup, but especially LeClaire, biggup Linya, Dale Cooper biggup yourself and biggup Camille for UnitedReggae.com. And everybody else, you know who are, I mention you all the time - Biggup Nico The Mighty and everybody at Zojak, present & past. Hey Heather! And everyone over there on the side. Biggup the guy from the T-shirt company who I was supposed to mention but forgot about.


Biggup Cheick Kongo (DAMN!), biggup DeMario for showing me. WWC??? Uhmmm - Okay I’m wanting one of the Afrikan teams to win, so we’re going for Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea - But as far as who I think WILL win? Germany (I know VERY little about women’s football, so forgive my ignorance if that’s ridiculous and definitely feel free to make fun of me when I am wrong).

Oh and speaking of Germany, everyone go and check Da Ville’s guide - Festiville 2011 - on Reggaeville.com. Biggup yourself Markus and Julian.

Oh (!) and according to a reader (biggup Nat), Sara Lugo said my name on a radio interview last week. I haven’t heard it myself, but we’re waiting for that.

Remember me??? New album from Black Dillinger, "Better Tomorrow" - In stores now -
Isn't Reggae media just wonderful???

I won't be paying attention to anything onlinish so don't send me anything, but if you have to Bredz can get it until Thursday and after Monday, because he’s joining us - and I'll be back writing in a few weeks (a healthy break from writing (every fucking day, like I'm getting paid for it) (and I'm not) is GOOD), unless I find something better to do (and I might), so if we never make it back - We had a great run and a greater time and know that I lov . . . Kind of like . . . Some of you . . . Sometimes. And it's Achis Reggae!

Completely Random Song Here -

No common sense! No manners! No respect for authority!

And NO BEHAVIOUR!

“Achis! Not even a little???”

No! None!

Say it proudly!

BALANCE & No Behaviour
RasAchis

Stuff: Bipolar

Nnika Francis . . . Andallofherhipsandass

Yow!
You know - Each and every month I write these things and I have some fun and look back at the previous month and look ahead to the present one and while I’m going to do a bit of that in just a second, I will say that I am in a THOROUGLY FUCKED UP type of mood and my main reason for writing this right now is to attempt to add some levity to what has been a TRULY ridiculous day (and ridiculous for no reason).

Okay! March. I don’t know that this horrible, horrible blog has received more attention in any given span of a single month or even a single month’s time in its history. Some form of attention is good and when we write something nice and the people like it or, more importantly, they check out what I’m writing about, that’s definitely a good thing. BUT (ass), with attention comes . . . Attention. So, I’ve gotten so much stuff, so much new music, so many people who want to talk about nonsense and everything that, I just can’t respond to it all. I do have Bredz, of course, the greatest assistant in the world and it’s really like I’m his assistant and he’s far too good to me because I’m incredibly jaded at this point and don’t want to do anything unless I want to do it! SO! I want to apologize if you sent me something, especially in the past two weeks or so and I paid it no attention. I’m busy and I’m moody. Thank you.

Also, March, on a personal level, featured me doing A TON of really stupid stuff, as usual. So I’d like to thank my lovely Wife (who’s currently visiting her family) and the little one (who is currently busying herself with my Wife’s most uninterested dog) for putting up with my intelligence-deficiency which is guaranteed to continue in April. And speaking of my Wife and DUMB (that’ll surely get me in trouble later, even though it was clearly innocent) (I love you), we recently did watch a movie called “Machete” which was a dumb movie, but I think it was intentionally dumb, and thus, GOLDEN! So check out that film which I think released either last year or in 2009, so it is pretty new.

OKAY that’s the bad stuff and the bad side of attention (I actually got a review request from someone who wanted me to REVIEW THEIR WEBSITE!) (as if we can’t find anything better to do). The good side? I wrote a review not very long ago for ”Skyfiya”, the new album from The Uprising Roots Band (actually have to write another one for the big site now) (hopefully can start doing that after this). That was EASILY one of the best reviews that I’ve written and we’ve received SO MUCH response for it as well and apparently it’s been linked all over the place - So thank you and do check out that album. JP asked me about the CD and I’ll try to find out something more direct about where everyone can get it if I can (biggup JP every time). Oh and I also spoke to someone really significant to us and our readers, but I won’t drop that bomb for a little bit.

And we also got a great deal of attention from the Soca community, particularly from the Bunji Garlin Lyrics feature and even Bunji himself tweeted about that. HOWEVER, the most interesting bit of recognition we received in March altogether, but definitely in Soca was from Nnika Francis (who I keep calling ‘Nnika Bostic’) (biggup Onika Bostic) who tweeted with all of her sexy hips and ass about an oooooooooooooooold list we did from March 2009, “The Top 10 Sexiest Caribbean Artists”, on which she appeared at #7 and looking up and down the list now - Perhaps its time for an update because Fay-Ann got her figure back and then some, she looks amazing and she’d rank no lower than three these days. And I think Nadia Batson tweeted our review too - Biggup Bredz for monitoring EVERYTHING and a couple of readers also.

Dance & Dingolay by Saucy Wow - No reason, just because

So what have we determined? I’m in a bad mood. I’m a sad and poor excuse of a human being and Nnika Francis is sexy. Now to April! I’m keeping it simple this time because I ALWAYS write this big long list of shit that I NEVER get around to doing so in a bit of reverse psychology to anyone FLAWED enough to read all of this - I’m going to tell you to expect nothing and then deliver SOMETHING.

• Reviews. If I pull this off correctly then Friday we’re going to hit a wonderful milestone (and then celebrate on Saturday). But in general, you can expect reviews for the likes of Danny I, Machel Montano (next week is actually Soca week) (again), a nice surprise on Friday. Ziggi! Tiwony! Maybe Takana Zion! A few riddims, maybe the Massanto, maybe the Sweet Corn, maybe the Step By Step and blah blah blah.
  

• And just generally speaking, I’m looking at doing more challenging pieces this month and I got the first thing about to start later today and FINALLY something I’ve been speaking about from . . . ~December.

That’s it! I’m not doing a damn thing else in all of April. Sorry! (NOT REALLY!).

Biggup everybody. Biggup Zojak (hey Zoe!) for just going mad with the new releases (one of which is “Skyfiya” another of which is Danny I’s new album (and another of which is Junior X’s album)) (they’re also doing the digital distribution for Anthony B’s most recent album in April as well). Biggup Camille for serving NICENESS in March, just got back to writing over there with a HUGE string of stuff (he even let me write some Soca, so go check out UnitedReggae.com). Biggup Zacheous Jackson who I need to reply to after I finish this. Biggup Dale Cooper every time, coolest man on the planet. Biggup Remmy. Biggup Jalena with the new tunes (how does it take me A WEEK to figure out that was the OMG Riddim). Biggup HEATHER just new stuff everyday. Biggup Susan (big stuff from Perfect coming 2011). Biggup Nat. Biggup Nico The Mighty. Biggup Bredz!

Oh and speaking of Bredz! My two favourite television shows - Being Human and . . . Being Human!

Lenora Crichlow from "Being Human" UK

The first - "Being Human" UK (which features the lovely Lenora Crichlow) wrapped up its third string of shows in March and although I didn’t like the final episode, that show is SUPERB! And I think you can get every episode on iTunes so check it out (or you can just watch it on Youtube like everyone else, I’m sure).

Meaghan Rath from "Being Human" Canada

And the other - "Being Human" Canada (which features the lovely Meaghan Rath) wraps up in April with just two more shows to go. I missed a few of them and Bredz sent us four episodes to catch up and it’s gotten really good. Also it got renewed for a next season so hopefully, 2012 features a double dosage of new Being Human and I can’t wait.

I think that’s it! OH! If you want Soca, I guess TrinidadMusicStore.com has collapsed into Trinidadtunes.com, which now apparently handles digital and physical tunes. And I think it’s probably THE best retail site for Soca and legal so definitely check them out for whatever you need, they even have clips now and it looks spectacular. Now, I’m pretty sure that’s it! No big tunes tomorrow because I didn’t get enough trash. Send all your horrible tunes to AchisReggae@hotmail.com and we’ll have that going next week definitely for #50. We’ll be back on Monday with something lacking common sense and decency andddddddddddddd. Yep. Here’s a tune from the lovely Ms. Nnika Francis . . . And all her hips and ass.

See. I do feel better. And I think you do too. Probably won't last, however.

'Wine On You'

{Note: I probably should have put links in this post, but I didn't feel like it}
{Note 2: Biggup my Grannie GWS}
{Note 3: Thank You}

Stuff: The Return

Yow!
I’m back! “And I feeeeeeeeeeel like I just win a million dolluzzzzzzzzzzzzz”!

So yeah, that was that, that was a very refreshing and INTERESTING few days in Trinidad. Trinidad is always so interesting because basically half of my family lives there and we go to meet and it always seems to be a few more family members to meet. Like I’m almost 30 years old (as shit) and I feel like I’ve probably met about a third of my family (and that’s just on my Father’s side) (biggup Mama, whose family has spread everywhere - I’ll never meet all of them). But, in particular of course, biggup my Grannie, biggup my Uncles and biggup the man himself because, just as 'expected', my Father did show up (although I kind of knew he would) and biggup my Mother with whom he, ‘allegedly’, stayed on the phone with his entire trip (married 30+ years and still act like newlyweds).

So that’s that. Now, there was also the matter of a certain Soca Monarch competition and there was the matter, in that matter, that we had two new winners as Machel Montano HD took the biggest title of the night in Power and matching his fete in Groovy was Kes.

Even more impressive than that (not really) was the fact that out of the top eight positions (top four in both), I got seven correct in my predictions and because I predicted Bunji coming in third, I got actual position correct also. So I thought that I’d give my thoughts briefly on both and then tell you what to look forward to around here in March.

So, the top four in Groovy were:

Kes Groovy Soca Monarch 'Wotless'

1. Kes
2. Benjai
3. Destra
4. Blaxx

My Thoughts

Kes did one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in my life and outside of calling up Lord Nelson, he didn’t really do anything too special. He just had a HUGE tune, ’Wotless’ (which I underestimated) (never again) and huge energy as well. When you do that, it’s pretty hard to lose. But Benjai did manage to do just that with ’Trini’, his performance was excellent as well, but he had neither the tune nor the energy of Kes. Destra didn’t do her best, but she still managed to come in third. Like I said, I’m picking Destra for EVERYTHING (and if they wanted to cancel the entire event and just give her everything, I’d go home with a smile), unless there was a WALL and Kes was definitely a wall, but Benjai was not and I think she could’ve beaten him with that tune, so hopefully she’ll play again next year (especially in Groovy, I think she can win Groovy). Blaxx also did very good with 'Tanti Woi', but Blaxx barely said two damn words his entire time on stage.

Other Stuff

• I don’t know what happened to Shurwayne Winchester with his ‘we are the world’ song.
  
• Biggup All-Rounder who is like 200 years old, had a blond thing on his head and gold spandex (which my Wife claimed was so tight she spotted male camel-toe) (what a lucky girl). NO ONE had a better time on stage than All-Rounder so DEFINITELY big him up!
  
• Biggup Saucy who did excellently with half a voice as did Patrice, but no one seemed to notice (I did!).
• Ras Star won the Digicel Rising Synergy Soca Trinidad Idol competition and it apparently earned him a spot in Groovy Soca Monarch . . . Ras Star (to my opinion) makes Reggae and hopefully he’ll be steered in that direction because he is well talented (and he looks almost exactly like Revalation) (biggup Revalation).
  
  
  In Power, the tops were:
  
  
  
  Machel Montano Power Soca Monarch 'Advantage'
  
  
  1. Machel
  2. Iwer George
  3. Bunji Garlin
  4. Fay-Ann Lyons
  

My Thoughts

As usual (with the exception of a couple of years ago in recent memory) there was controversy here, but if I’m trying to be COMPLETELY impartial (and I am), the top four, completely expected, were in the correct order. The main source of debate here was that a great deal of people thought Iwer deserved to win. He did absolutely AMAZING with ‘Come To Meh’ (although that performance was probably 2 weeks long), but for me Machel’s performance was on the greatest . . . Anythings I’ve ever seen in my entire life. It was Soca in the Matrix and he did what he needed to do to win and then some. If you take that same performance, with the exception of 2009 when we met Superblue, he wins any of the competitions in recent memory in my opinion. I remember reading an article with Bunji saying that he was going to move out of his house to prepare his show away from Fay-Ann and everything and while the performance was good, eventually he relied upon his main skill (more on that on Thursday) (I think) which are lyrics and with a bit of ‘gamesmanship’ towards Machel (which Machel, somewhat surprisingly, started in response to Bunji taking swipes at him in events prior to the show), he did what Bunji Garlin does best and although Machel‘s performance, like I said, was absolutely amazing and he pretty much FUCKED UP everything with that display (and I mean that in a great way), Bunji gave me my own personal height of excitement for the evening (can we just take Bunji and . . . I don’t know pick a fight with someone to get him at Sting this year???) (Kiprich will do it) (Merciless will too (Oooh! Does anyone else think Merciless looks a little like Benjai????).

Merciless & Benjai

I digress. Fay-Ann looked amazing and her performance. Fay-Ann gave Soca Monarch blue balls with all of the pausing, but eventually everyone did what you usually do in such a case and took matters into our hands. Fay-Ann doesn’t even have to approach doing her best to thrill and after watching her performance - That song is LIVING in my brain and it isn’t going anywhere - ‘Consider It Done’.

Faya-Ann Lyons At Soca Monarch 'Consider It Done'

Other Stuff

• Shal Marshall did EXCELLENTLY with ‘Doh Drag De Flag’.
• JW & Blaze clearly had no chance of a repeat, but everybody warmed up to them throughout their performance (especially when they admitted that they wished they had ‘Palance’ again this year) (‘Wild & Frisky’ was their tune).
  
• Also doing pretty well, to me, was Patrice & Nadia Batson (they even called up Roy Cape) and even Tian Winter.
• After having watched the song presented, I think ‘Fetting For Days’ may’ve been more of a Groovy song actually.
• Skinny Fabulous didn’t do great (didn‘t do bad either) with his tune ‘Charge Up‘ in a third Soca Monarch competition, but if they keep allowing him to participate in the competition (and they are, because he’s NEVER going to lose in Vincy), one of these years he’s going to figure out how to win.
• Destra did a song, ‘We Own It’, which I didn’t expect her to do (was looking forward to ‘Welcome Me Back’), and she didn’t do too well and just stopped all of a sudden . . . BUT! Destra wins cutie of the night (with the greatest respect to Mrs. Achis who looked exquisite as she always does) because she looked damn delicious laying in that bed and she looked nice in the second half of her Groovy performance also.
  
• Three years running now (four actually, because Fay-Ann should have won with ‘Get On’ in 2008) that the tune that wins Road March also wins Soca Monarch (presumably, of course, but no way in hell Machel doesn’t take the road at this point).
  
• Biggup Daddy Chess who repeated as Dominica Soca Monarch as well.
  

And I think that’s it. Blood also did pretty good and Cassi did too in Groovy, but I’m all Soca Monarch-ed out and that will be it. It is in our plans to reach Soca Monarch in St. Vincent again this year (I believe that’s in July) and that’ll wrap it up for us as far as traveling away, although if I get the same offer to go to Spice Mas this year that we did last year . . . Doing that! And I just want to say that we had an EXCELLENT time and biggup everybody who even performed because I couldn’t do that shit. Oh! And this call of ‘anybody from Grenada. Anybody from Alaska. Anybody from Nebraska. Anybody from Pluto . . . ‘ - And saving Trinidad for last because you think it’s going to make the crowd remember where most of them are from - That shit is evil and it needs to stop, I swear ten people had to have done that bullshit and I fucking HATE it.

ALRIGHT! It’s a new month - What’s going on? Let’s see!

The Message Riddim

• Tomorrow I’m catching up with a big ‘Coming Soon’ post because obviously no one else is doing that for you.
  

• Reviews! Where else in the world can you get hard hitting (not really) thoughts on Soca Monarch and a review of Paille’s new album ”Inflammable”? We also have a review of Anthony B’s new album, “Rasta Love” on its way. And you can also look forward to reviews for albums from the likes of the aforementioned Kes. Maybe Singing U, maybe Ed Robinson and maybe even Machel Montano as well. Oh and maybe a double dip from Don Corleon also. And definitely look forward to the next 'Modern Classic' coming pretty soon.
  

• I’ve been in a pretty good mood as of late, so that means random shit. Look forward to a few, hopefully funny, ‘Completely Random Thoughts’.

• A lot of stuff I meant to do last month (which I won’t mention specifically because I don’t want to sound like a broken record) (again), hopefully we can get to in March).

• I alluded to this earlier - Thursday - If you don’t too much listen to Bunji Garlin, definitely find your way back here because I’m going to show you wait (some of) the fuss is about.
  

• I think I have to do a ‘Video Drop’ and I have a few other ideas I’m looking at and of course you can expect the general ridiculousness from Achis Reggae.
  

TUNE?!
Easy one yeah.



{Biggup Bredz who is a SCIENTIST on the computer}

So . . . Yeah

So - We stay away for a day or so and come back to see a literally overwhelming amount of messages from people saying 'congratulations' and 'thank you' for the two year anniversary and that's beautiful. I have shit to do so I won't name you all by name, but . . . Yeah, it was more than 20 messages in just a day so biggup everyone of them, biggup the comments on the pages, Dale Cooper, biggup yourself and everybody, Nico The Mighty.

We thank you my friends,

Veteran: Second Anniversary!

It’s pretty fucked up that on the same day that is the two year anniversary from when we first start a Reggae blog that a Reggae legend is convicted of a drug crime (three of them), but that’s exactly what has happened because, as you well know, Buju Banton was convicted of drug charges in the States and is reportedly looking at serving some serious time. And while I didn’t follow things too closely, you know where my allegiances are - I hope the man can get back to making good music as soon as possible.

So, with the rain well pouring on my most ridiculous of parades - Yeah, yesterday was the second anniversary of the first day, February 22, 2009 that we started blogging. This post is number 738 and in 2 years (by my most assuredly incorrect math), there’re 712 days and that’s a lot of fucking blogging and I’ve probably missed about a month of days worth of posting in there (surely that number is swelled by that night I lost my damn mind and posted lyrics upon lyrics from Messenjah Selah) (because I really wanted to finish that damn project). There are 288 reviews, which is approximately 40% and, again, that means a lot of fucking writing. I think that makes me pretty prolific and I think that when I’m long gone and this thing is sticking around here as a very nice source of reference (which I know that it already is according to some of my readers and my peers even), then the work will be most fulfilling . . . When I’m not doing it.

Biggup all the wonderful people we’ve met over the past two years. Definitely biggup Bredz for doing almost everything besides the writing and biggup the wonderful people, current and former, at Zojak Worldwide (hey Zoe!) and all of the labels and managers and people who talk about me on Twitter (hey Heather!) (thanks Heather!) and Facebook and everywhere. I don’t promote this thing AT ALL, so biggup all of those people for reading and passing the word on because we’re still getting new readers (who message us) like every week - biggup Matthew from wherever Matthew is from. Biggup the actual artists and producers who link us as well. Most recently there was a piece from Alpheus who enjoyed my review of his brilliant brand new album, ”From Creation” (in stores now) (although I don’t know if it’s online, so maybe Alpheus can link Zojak to get that done yeah). And of course Toussaint’s always around and Sherkhan and Flava and Shelly G (and Terry Gajraj everyday) (I don’t know how he did at Chutney Monarch, but biggup Rikki Jai who won . . . I don’t know how many times that is for him now) (okay actually it’s six for him now, but he hasn’t won from 2003) (his song wasssssss . . . I don’t know what it was, it was probably ‘High High’) (I hope he didn’t take CSM with that damn texting song). Biggup Tippy - and I just said that I wasn’t going to name person after person so . . . I’m stopping.

'High High' [may or may not have won Chutney Soca Monarch for Rikki Jai]

Biggup everybody!

There’s no way in hell I’m doing two more years and I’m still planning on stopping sometime in the next 10 months, but it’s been so fun. Biggup all the people who occasionally link me to tell me I overrated something or my album of the year choice was wrong (it wasn’t), I LOVE passion and I don’t even care if it’s calling me stupid (because I’m right) (unless I’m wrong).

To celebrate, I will not be posting tomorrow. I will see you back on Friday for a review of Stephen McGregor’s new riddim, The Peppa. Saturday we’ll (HOPEFULLY) have Artist of The Month, Sunday there will be Big Tunes and Monday I’ll be saying goodbye for about a week and giving my sure to be wrong and hilarious predictions for Soca Monarch as well.

Tanya St. Val [no reason. Just felt like including her]

Thanks again everyone for sticking around for 2 years or shorter and we hope you continue to find something around here that you enjoy reading or looking at or listening to . . . Because you are INCREDIBLY easy to please and have no standards AT ALL.

BALANCE & Absolutely No Behaviour
RasAchis

Song for the day - Don’t mean anything by it . . . I’m just saying

14 Almost Completely Random Things I Love

Okay so, I'm 'historically' (like I'm a religion or something) pretty bad with dates in general, but I finally got one right! So I thought that I'd dazzle and devastate you on this, this most romantic of days with what? A list of my favourite Lover's Rock tunes of the past decade? No (although now that I write it, that's a pretty good idea)! Another list of really attractive singers??? No (another good idea)! I submit for your approval (but I don't care if you like it) an almost completely random 'list', in an almost completely random order, of . . . Stuff that I love.

#1. I Love Nice Pictures!

Although I’ve been running around here for almost two years now and the most you’ve ever (and will ever) see of me are my morbidly obese hands, I do like looking at nice pictures - I’m a visual creature in some respects. And thankfully, with doing lists and general randomness like this here post, we get an opportunity to search for pictures quite often and even when I’m not looking for something in particular, I’ll save one or two just for future usage perhaps (I have a really nice one of Tiwony that I’ve had for almost two years now that I’m dying to use - May get a chance soon because apparently he has a new album coming out in April). I like sexy pictures, I like different pictures (you get a little of both here from Ms. Stevy Mahy, more on her in a bit) and just general eye-grabbing shots (especially on album covers).

#2. I Love Apples!

I fancy myself to be somewhat of a pretty good cook. I can make a very nice menu of stuff (I was once told by my Mother’s sister, who is a chef, that you know you can cook really well when you can make good food which you don’t like and I can do that), but BY FAR my favourite food are apples. Just about whatever you can do with an apple - The apple itself, apple juice, apple cider, apple accentuated dishes - Red apples, green apples, yellow apples. APPLE. APPLE. APPLE.

#3. I Love “Being Human”!

While I have no direct complaints with the actual state itself (aside from that whole pain thing . . . And mental illness and . . . Aging . . . Actually I do have a lot of complaints about literally being human, but that isn’t going anywhere so why complain), what I’m specifically talking about here is the television program, “Being Human” which originates in the UK and is quickly flooded online around the world. I’m pretty sure I love it - That or I really just like staring at one of the co-stars of the show, Lenora Crichlow, who I mentioned a couple of weeks ago is SERIOUSLY a stunning creature (I have no complaints to her being human), but having caught up on it over the past couple of weeks or so, it is an EXCELLENT program and while I HATE TV in general, but this thing is nice!

#4. I Love To Watch People Fight!

In the sporting sense of course. I LOVE football, but I don’t follow it as closely as I should (although I did see Wayne Rooney and his . . . Madness a couple of days ago). The only sports I do regularly follow with any type of regularity are Boxing and MMA. Something about that kind of physical chess match and strategy of it all is just intoxicating to me. Currently, my favourite boxers are Jean Pascal from Haiti, Glen Johnson from Jamaica (who has been fighting FOREVER) and definitely Andre Ward from California (who may fight Johnson later this year). I also like Manny Pacquiao (of course), Andre Berto and Nonito Donaire. In MMA, I don’t have too many favourites. I did used to really like Gary Goodridge and Carlos Newton (DUH!) and I did see that one of the old fighters that I used to like, Fedor Emelianenko, just lost and is retiring so big him up and congratulations and I do actually like people such as Rampage, of course Anderson Silva and Roger Gracie.

#5. I Love Passion!

I don’t consider myself as a person with a great range of interests and I’m not terribly difficult to get to know in that respect, but while I may not have ANY tangible interest in something I always admire people who CLEARLY do. For example, somewhere out there is a blog for Hip-Hop music and there’s some guy going crazy writing ridiculous articles and big reviews and just generally delivering madness on something that I know absolutely nothing about - And I love that! Just when people have certain interests that they take to an extreme level and it’s present in so many or such big platforms in their lives. I love that kind of passion.

#6. I Love Old Lady Saw!

One of the greatest losses of the current age of Dancehall music and even the one before it (from maybe ~2001-04) is the ‘loss’ of one of the greatest Dancehall artists of all time, Lady Saw. Stop! I know what you’re thinking - Yes, she’s still around, but she’s not what she used to be. If you should ever be so inclined to go back and vibe songs from before the turn of the century from Lady Saw, what you hear is nearly PERFECT Dancehall and that’s something you can’t even say about some of her slightly more well known peers. When Lady Saw was at her absolute peak, she had very few ‘rivals’ who could literally dig their claws into a riddim and WRECK it!

#7. "I Love Everything About You!"

#8. I Love This Fucking Album!

I typically wait until the beginning of the month to let you know “What I’m Listening To”, but I’m going to give you an ‘advance’ of sorts right here - ”The Beautiful Side of A Kreyol Folk Trip” has been running on my players from the beginning of the month and doesn’t seem prepared to vacate its position anytime soon. I was almost tempted to write a ‘modern classic’ feature for this one at the end of 2010 (for special circumstances) also and there’s no way in the world I’ll still be writing next year, but if I am, you won’t have to wait too long for it. The album just so perfectly fulfilled on its main attraction and its title as well and these days I find myself giving a ‘second life’ to big tunes such as ‘Yenki Pou Vou’, definitely ‘Divine Magic Joy’ and as of late, ‘Fame Is Gone’ and they were still big when we first spun through - even bigger now. The album PERMANENTLY put Stevy Mahy on my own personal map and hopefully yours also as she QUIETLY made love to our ears in 2010 and beyond.

#9. I Love Lyrics!

Thankfully I don’t get them as much anymore, but I did receive quite a few in 2009 and the first half of last year and such - Messages from people who say that I post(ed) lyrics entirely too much. I don’t care! Not even a tiny bit. I’ve always thought that when you can actually see the words to a song printed and be able to read them, that they have more of an impact and you can very well appreciate what is being said, whether it’s something socially significant or just absolute GENIUS rubbish such as what Beenie Man does here. And when you take that and combine it with the slight language gap that exists, I have no intention on even kind of slowing down.

#10. I Love Clashes!

Perhaps as an extension to the previous entry on this post, I do have to say that probably my favourite display of #9 is when two SKILLED Dancehall artists put their respective bests against one another’s. Now, it doesn’t have to be like that either, you can take the word ’clash’ and apply it over different surfaces, but I love the back-and-forth style from lyricists, particularly live and in person, but even if it is spread out over tune and counteraction style, isn’t it still so nice. These days the ’art’ has essentially become a dinosaur of sorts really, but it’s still never too far off and hopefully someone will remember that despite the mantra of “it’s a mission not a competition”, prevailing - Is there really anything wrong with competing??? Of course not (oh and you love it too!).

#11. I Love Sara Lugo’s Music!

Seriously, can May 6 come in any slower now? With Reggae music SHORTLY set to take over the entire world, we’ll declare Sara Lugo: Minister of Defense. Should you make any sort of threat in ANY way at all, she’ll promptly proceed to drop a bomb of love on your house. In the meantime, however, I’d settle for an album drop (and we also love Da Ville from where Bredz stole this picture).

#12. I Love The Pepper Riddim!

Stephen ‘Di Genius’ McGregor has impressed me to the heights with his very first offering of 2011, the RIDICULOUS Pepper Riddim. When I heard this piece it actually got me to thinking about some of his 2010 pieces and how McGregor has definitely been following an impressive course over the past 18 months or so. When you think of pieces such as the ChampionShip, the Winnings, the Catalog, the Bad People and a few others, McGregor has been making AUTHENTIC Dancehall music and he’s probably just outdone himself in recent memory with the Pepper and it’s crazy dynamic sound, one which is going to be hard to beat in 2011 I predict. Also, in terms of making genuine Dancehall music, I think that I’d have to say that ‘Di Genius’ is number one at this point.

#13. I Love Madness!

If ever you get to thinking that I deal with Soca music entirely too much - Just remind yourself of something - I DON’T CARE! As I sit here now, I’m currently watching Destra Garcia mash up a Groovy Soca Semifinal Monarch stage (not going to even attempt to speak on this gentleman who has now followed her) an d for me this (in theory, not literally) is simply one of the BEST moments in music. There is a certain theatre which comes with Soca, even in the purely audio-sense which does not come with any other type of music in the world. There is something almost overwhelming about it and not to mention that some of the actual music is GOLD! I try to make the distinction that when you “vibe” other genres, you “vibe” them or you “listen” to them. Soca, when at its highest level, is different - It is an experience and I’m not stopping!

#14. I Love To Sleep!

Blessed night everyone! Biggup Buju for winning the Grammy this year and biggup Destra and everybody else who ran Monarch, definitely looking towards the finals. See you tomorrow with Ele’s review.