'Still Looking': A review of "Yah So Mi Deh" by Nereus Joseph

Rise again. Over the years we've definitely been privileged in the actual amount of truly good music that we've seen in Reggae music. Despite numerous complaints that the genre is dead and what are, reportedly, abysmal sales, if you are a music-focused fan of Reggae, you likely have very little in the way of grumbles about the quality of the music you've gotten recently (… unless you are old and crazy, in which case, just forget all of that). And in that excellent quality, you surely have your own personal highlights and standouts as far as particular projects and moments which, for one reason or another, are very difficult for you to forget. As far as albums (which is what we're doing today), I have dozens as you might imagine and what I really like are those very unexpectedly brilliant releases which just kind of slip in as something you thought to take a listen to and just dazzled you. Of course I could mention last year's all-conquering "New Name" by Jah9, but I'm thinking of something even more curious as I can't imagine Jah9 existing for a considerable amount of time and not drawing my attention. Someone like Anthony Que is an even stronger comparison as he was someone who, prior to 2012, I had known well of but was not particularly fond of as an artist. He would then go on to drop not one but a pair of GOLDEN releases pinnacled by one of the best albums I've ever heard, "Meditation Time". Under no set of circumstances would I have thought that Anthony Que would do that and it stands as a very powerful surprise in recent years for me. I also look at the work of someone like Mr. Vegas whose work, if you pay attention to Dancehall (and you do), was virtually inescapable in the past decade or so but had yet to make a fan out of me until he exercised all kinds of mighty common sense and good judgment ahead of his "Sweet Jamaica" record. And I'll also include our old favourite who should really make an album in 2014, Messenjah Selah, as well. These are artists who brought albums which really made me stop and reconsider listening to just about ALL of their output and more importantly, going forward, made themselves someone whose work I would continuously be looking for in the future.  

"Real Rebels Can't Die" [2009]

And someone else who firmly fits into that pack would be the brilliant Nereus Joseph. The St. Lucian born and UK based vocalist demanded a spot on my radar back in 2009 when he released the MAMMOTH "Real Rebels Can't Die" album which we've long ago proclaimed a modern classic on these pages and remains a diamond of an album in my opinion. In retrospect, the album was pillared with three giant qualities which it possessed in abundance - CLASS, INTELLIGENCE and CONSISTENCY. Those things are not, at all, foreign or infrequently found in the genre of Roots Reggae music -- essentially every remotely decent album you hear will have some of them all -- and that also adds to the remarkability album. It wasn't terribly out of the ordinary and it wouldn't impress you greatly immediately, but when you took it in, entirely, as a release, it was fantastic and, again, it made Nereus Joseph's name one which I would keep an eye and ear tuned in on for the future. 

Welcome to the future… finally. It took half a decade but returning with his latest brand new album is Nereus Joseph with "Yah So Mi Deh". Though it has been five years from the last time we welcomed him in an album form, Joseph certainly hasn't remained inactive and while we would have loved more tunes, if you follow his career you know how much he does behind the scenes (and you also know that he probably does more than you know about). So while we have had tunes and he has appeared along the likes of Lloyd Brown and Gappy Ranks, Nereus Joseph has done production work through the years, including but not limited to working on the most recent release from King Lorenzo, "Stronger", back in late 2012. The veteran of more than three decades of making Reggae music has also well kept busy performing and doing various things on the UK scene, but I've always just wanted him to end the small drought and followup on "Real Rebels Can't Die" and 2014 has seen him do just that. It's also seen a shift of a type as well. "Real Rebels Can't Die" was a record done for a label called Sirius Records and was produced by Joseph, himself. "Yah So Mi Deh", on the other hand, comes via Cannawi Productions, which is Joseph's very own imprint now. Last year he put out a tune on the label which would subsequently prove to be the first single from "Yah So Mi Deh" (more on that in a second) and it got my attention, hoping that a new project was on its way, but I had no idea that it actually was, so it was a damn happy surprise when Bredz told me that it existed and that he had just picked this one up (and he always tells me that DAYS ahead of sending it to me… which is ridiculous) [WHAT!] (biggup Bredz). So, for me at least and I'm sure I'm not the only one, the new album becomes one of the biggest early gifts that 2014 has to offer Reggae fans and although I'm not expecting another full classic out of Nereus Joseph this time around, I am expecting a big album and one which will resonate well past its release date. Is it? Let's find out. 

"Yah So Mi Deh" (which may be Joseph's fourth or fifth full release to date) is a very solid offering which serves as a delightful followup to its giant predecessor and one which more than fulfills on any expectations that I may've had in this instance. The album, like the one before it is Roots Reggae music from head to tail and everyone in between and is sure to please not only fans of Joseph's, but fans of the genre in general. Things get started with what is, basically, the title track, 'Yah So We Deh'. The song is one which deals with the longstanding ways of people and certain aspects of life, despite such a large change in many other areas of life. It also sounds amazing with a classic track underpinning the tune and an excellent way to begin. Next is the peculiar, yet very lively and nice, 'Real Revolution' which sounds exactly like a later tune, 'Nuff Love', alongside Donavon KingJay. It does seem as if someone may've made a mistake in this case, but the song is a nice one, nevertheless, where Nereus Joseph speaks on the strength of love in overcoming all things.

"Man has got enough love to get him by

Devil doesn't want him to even try

Man has got enough love to get him by

Love over and over and over

I seen some man suffering and I just don't overstand it

It seems that it was part of a plan to keep the sufferer down yeah

Cause anytime we try in night we always get that fight

No, that ain't right, ain't right, no no

Say with the wicked little tricks and the schemes they try

They still can't get wi out

See The Father has wiped every tear out of my eye 

Love is what I am about yeah

Though it seems that evil's lurking everywhere

don't be afraid no no

Father's giving them so much love that they can share

They don't know, let them know!"

I really did enjoy this tune and marked it as one of the album's best. And there's also the somewhat old-school R&B-ish lover's piece, 'Always Love You'. This one is another decent piece which doesn't leave much to the imagination. A very straight forward and well done piece of Lover's Rock music (with excellent backing singing on this particular composition). Along with Donavon Kingjay, Nereus Joseph taps a pair of really big names to join him on "Yah So Mi Deh" in veterans Leroy Sibbles and Anthony B, respectively. For his part, Sibbles links on the stirring remake 'Book of Rules'. I won't spoil this one for you, but it is definitive highlight on this album for one glaring reason and while typically songs like this may not excite me, I was very happy with 'Book of Rules'. I was also very happy, in general, just to see Anthony b associated with this album and he helps Joseph end things with the album's closer and big social commentary, 'Vampire' and neither he nor Joseph disappoint here. 

"So we haffi get up, stand up and get up, stand up and get up, stand up and fight

Get up, stand up and get up, stand up and learn your rights

Get up, stand up and get up, stand up and get up, stand up and fight

In this dark world become a shining light

So it no matta bout yuh sex, yuh race, class, nor creed

Wi fed up wid di false leader dem weh ah lead

Fed up fi si di innocent blood ah bleed

TIME FI TALK NOW FOR WHAT PEOPLE NEED"

This song has no equal on this album to my opinion. It is a BIG tune and while I haven't been too high on Anthony B's output in recent times, big credit goes to him here because he is in a fine form. Back on his own, Nereus Joseph carries "Yah So Mi Deh" with all of this class and niceness you knew he would. Things get no nicer, however, than on what is my second favourite selection on the album, 'This Ghetto'. This tune speaks of the ills of growing and living in poverty and some of the under-spoken of 'side effects' of destitution on people. Simultaneously, he doesn't paint a picture which is completely bleak and he does offer a silver-lining which, along with the SWEET riddim on this song, makes for a piece of magic. There's also the previously alluded to first single of the album, 'Things in Life' which I, thankfully, remembered. A title perhaps has never been more fitting than here. 'Things in Life' is a song about the… things that happen in life. That's it! There isn't an especially negative connotation to the tune, there isn't a positive one, it is literally about the proverbial ups and downs of day-to-day life and it sounds pretty good here.  

'Tings In Life' single [2013]

'In Loving You' and 'So Slow' are two more love songs on "Yah So Mi Deh" and while the former is a very strong and straight-forward composition which sounds so nice (it sounds a lot like something you might here from Freddie McGregor, who Nereus Joseph does resemble vocally), the latter is divine. It is a STELLAR effort aimed at packing the dance floor and it will not experience the slightest of difficulties in doing exactly that if and when it is given the opportunity. 'Creep Up' is a very cleverly written about the importance of being self-sufficient in hard times. I recently heard a portion of an interview Joseph gave and he spoke of a similar topic in terms of music and his new label, so I know that it is a very crucial piece of ideology to him and I'm not at all surprised to hear a song like this one on the album (and they could have let that riddim play on just a bit longer on its own because it is so nice) and it may do well as a future single because it is very infectious also.

"Wi hear di bear and di dragon and di harlot -

Come together, alla dem inna di same pot

Bun dem out - they have no love

They're multinational and dem products 

Man ah eat food that is made by robots

Hear the shout!

Diseases all about"

And lastly, check the sublime and serene 'Riding' which is surely going to command a whole heap of attention for its own as it is another remake which I also won't spoil for you, but in this time, it comes from the absolute highest source as far as Reggae music. 

Nereus Joseph

Overall, I do give this one a slightly conditional recommendation but if I thought about it enough, I'd probably give a similar stipulation in regards to almost all of Nereus Joseph's work: The album is suggested to fans of Roots Reggae music, but particularly those with an ear pointed towards the old school. It is a modern album and the presence of someone like Anthony B fully supports that, but if you're a modern fan who enjoys the old school sound, "Yah So Mi Deh" is for you. It's also for you if you're one of the people who, like me, really caught on at "Real Rebels Can't Die" because this album not only follows that one well, but it doesn't deviate much at all from that type of sound and I'm sure that Joseph's longtime fans are going to be very pleased. "Yah So Mi Deh" is the first opportunity I get to test the 'theory' that I developed five years ago when a big album would lead me to the conclusion that Nereus Joseph was a fantastic artist and someone who I need to be a fan of and pay attention to: Theory further confirmed. Well done. 

Rated: 4/5

Cannawi Productions

2014

CD [I THINK] + Digital

Review #488

Come Again!

Near the end of each and every year we do a list which demonstrates the low standards of people in general, because it is both horrible and very popular, by the name of 'Most Wanted'. That is a list which generally describes who we hope to hear from on an album in the coming twelve months (and just in case you're interested, of the ten mentioned on the list for 2013, only one, Kalash, has made an appearance and at least to my knowledge, none of the other nine have anything completely planned). People who could musically make the year a better one for me and today we kind of expand on that idea. Along with the Kabaka Pyramids and Damian Marleys of the world who're more obvious selections, there is another group who for one reason or another, I'd really LOVE to hear from some time in the not too distant future. To them we say COME AGAIN. Here are ten not so apparent names who could really make a giant impact with their next release.  

Queen Omega

With the single best two albums that I've heard this year coming from Jah9 and Etana, respectively, and solid pieces coming from both Jah Defender and Khari Kill, in terms of albums, 2013 has already been a very good one for both women in Reggae music as well as Reggae from out of Trinidad. HOWEVER, as the years go by we move further and further away from the last time the most talented of either going today in my opinion, the amazing Queen Omega, has been able to do an album of her own and that is ridiculous and I mean that in a very, VERY bad way. Furthermore, it's been even longer than the half-decade from her actual last release that we've really seen her celebrated on a grand scale. That hasn't happened from 2005's "Destiny", which was sublime. Those details shouldn't really belong to anyone with talent and certainly not one as supremely gifted as Queen Omega who continues to record and tour quite often, but this is someone who shouldn't such a long patch of being absent from album shelves in her career unless she's retired but…

"Mi have to bun di fyah and mi nah go retire

Full time now di wicked expire!" 

Maikal X

Maikal X's name is an interesting addition to a list like this because he has constantly been making new music to my knowledge and may or may not actually be working on an eventual album release at some point. However, he's been doing all of that as part of his once former (now current again) group, The Postmen. I haven’t followed them very much, but that's fine, he's a musician and musicians make music. However, Reggae fans do await the talented vocalists return to his more Reggae-centric solo career and if/when he does return, it'll be a fascinating comeback. Over the last year or two the label which brought his debut set, "Genesis" has actually lost its biggest name, Ziggi Recado and one would wonder if the imprint, which has an excellent history of making big music, would continue to do the work with Maikal X as well. Of course only time will tell that, but if X could fine the TIME to re-pursue his solo career in the next year or two, that would be nice and even nicer if he could do it with the label that brought out the 'best in' him. 

Yami Bolo

I recently came to the very unfortunate theory (and I hate that word - I HATE it) that it was very likely that the album whose praises I had been singing for so long now, "Rebelution", just may be the last studio release that the WICKED veteran vocalist, Yami Bolo, had ever done. That is an album which dates back to 2003, at least, and we're now in a place where he has not had a new one in over a decade or so (an interesting thing about that album also - it may've been the very first on its label, Zion High Productions). This is terrible and is particularly so as a fan of Bolo's who came to be so relatively recently, as I've gotten older, a new album from him, or even a new ACTIVE recording schedule would be more than welcomed. The Zion I Kings are currently turning their attention to another veteran in Lloyd Brown, reportedly, and if they could find the time to do so again with Bolo, the results would be a guaranteed huge project. 

Fay-Ann Lyons

Soca star Fay-Ann Lyons is the first of a couple of names on this list who have yet to ever release an album. In Soca music that isn't… well yes it is. Even for a genre such as Soca which doesn't receive very much in the way of promotion consistently, for someone to have reached Lyons' level and not had at least one is very, very strange. The three time Trinidad Road March champion, and perennial contender (she actually won her very first a decade ago, which is remarkable to think of) has very little in the way of peers, but if you do examine what little she does have, the absolute top of the genre - and even just women: The likes of Alison Hinds, Destra Garcia and others have all done multiple albums (as has her husband) and the large possibility exists that she may never do one. If she doesn't, that's fine, it doesn't diminish her at all. But in 2013, not to have an album from a bonafide superstar in any genre of music, well within the digital age, is... unique to be mild. And to have a full and current project from the human child of Energy and Brilliance would be spectacular… oh and okay, maybe I just want it because you KNOW the pictures inside would be divine (biggup a completely nude Destra in the liners for her own debut album, "Red, White & Black"). 

Reemah

Reemah stands out mightily on this list because it is 2013 and… she just had a big album, which she is still promoting to my knowledge, about a year ago, "Check Your Words". She has a place here, however, because of just how big that album was and, potentially, what may happen to her if she doesn't return rather quickly. If you look at some of her peers, women from out of the Virgin Islands, as I've said in the past, even at the head of their class is a distinct level of inactivity. If it could happen to someone like Dezarie, then Reemah potentially could have the same fate, where her fans can go a year or two without even hearing a single new song. She's not only too talented for that, in my opinion, but she's also far too marketable to a more 'mainstream' brand of fan to just kind of do an album once every four of five years. 

Bushman

Technically the last time we got an album from Bushman was just a couple of years ago in "Bushman Sings The Bush Doctor”, which was a collection of the singer doing songs from the immortal Peter Tosh. His last regular studio album was "Get It In Your Mind" from 2008. That self-produced record was nowhere near being his best work, so his last GREAT studio album was actually "Signs" from nine years ago now. Again, that is too long. It was last year [I THINK] when the news reached that the Bushman was once again preparing to do an entirely new set and it even had a name which sounded great, "Conquering Lion", and a very colourful single called 'Somewhere'. I have a nice feeling about how all of this is playing out, but I'd feel even better about it if it did wrap up and ship out some time during the next four months remaining in 2013. 

Arkaingelle

Stirring Guyanese chanter, Arkaingelle, definitely made a big impression on me back in 2008 when he dropped his first and only album to date, "O'Pen". All of these years later, I probably underrate that album to a degree, because every time I think about it, what comes immediately to mind is the MAMMOTH track #6, 'Manifess Joy', which was rather easily one of the best songs I have ever heard in my entire life. From that time, while the Arkaingelle hasn't been overly active, he has managed to remain current, particularly with producer Blaak Lung, but also with a few others, including the aforementioned Zion I Kings and Zion High Productions. I should also say that someone told us earlier this year that a new album was in the works and should it arrive next year, it'll quietly carve out a place as one of the most anticipated for me as he'll hopefully be able to manifest previous heights once again. 

Revalation

I was wrong about Revalation. I was just wrong. To my opinion, the skills that he showed himself to possess throughout his excellent debut album, "Serious Matters" from back in 2008, combined with the fact that the St. Thomas native had already gotten the attention of one of the finest producers in the genre, Dean Pond, would see him become the proverbial 'next big thing' from out of the Virgin Islands (and I hope that it is not years from now and I'm saying the same thing about Reemah). This didn't happen at all and five years later, we're wondering if he'll ever even get around to doing another album (or if they'll do a digital release for the one he actually did do), and not whether or not he'll someday follow the route of Pressure Busspipe (whom he vocally resembles to a degree) (and who also had a debut album produced by Pond) (and who also appeared on "Serious Matters") to superstardom. The latter seems HIGHLY unlikely and nearly full impossible at this point, but damn if he could take care of the former sometime soon, his would be a more than welcomed return to album shelves. 

Skinny Fabulous

Though we're coming off what was, arguably, the single finest year of his career, I don't know that we've moved any closer to the release date of that once highly rumoured (maybe three years ago now) debut album from St. Vincy Soca supernova, Skinny Fabulous. 2013 would see 'Da General' take up his second consecutive and fifth in six years Soca Monarch crown as well as his very first (and probably not last) Road March. What would likely be a sort of compilation of greatest hits of an album would be a very nice ribbon on such an outstanding year, but you could have said the same thing last year and you'll probably be able to say the same thing next year as well. Skinny has a nearly unrivaled ability to consistently bring ultra-intense Soca music with an edge and, as a long time contributor to my workout playlists, I've probably lost quite a few pounds directly as a result to the euphoria his music can cause. Hopefully one of these years they'll get it right and push out an album with years and years worth of big tunes such as 'Da General', 'Head Bad', 'Monster', my personal favourite 'Scary' and many, many others. 

Nereus Joseph

And finally is someone who didn't really enter my mind until rather late in building this list (and I'm not going  to tell you who I took off of it to make room for him), the sensational sweet singing Nereus Joseph. The Lucian born vocalist has made a career which can be best described as literally being saturated in CLASS and he has enthused quite a bit of it in nearly everything and everyone who he has touched. Most recently the esteemed vocalist set the "Real Rebels Can't Die" album from four years ago now, a classic here, but he's also been doing well in production, including working on "Stronger" the most recent album from King Lorenzo late last year. Joseph has also worked diligently as a singer still (he actually sang on a song on "Stronger" also) and just a few short weeks ago released his latest single, the big big 'Tings In Life'. Hopefully 2014 sees more of this and he FINALLY returns with yet another big project of his own… and I actually think he will. 

Modern Classics Vol. XXVI: "Real Rebels Can't Die" by Nereus Joseph

"Real Rebels Can't Die" by Nereus Joseph [Sirius Records - 2009]

Simplicity definitely does have its place. Just a couple of years back now, in the midst of clear and obvious winners from the likes of Sizzla Kalonji, Tarrus Riley, Queen Ifrica, Lutan Fyah, Buju Banton, Jah Cure, Ras Attitude, Pressure Busspipe, Lloyd Brown, Gramps Morgan, Anthony B. and others, there was an album from an unexpected source which didn’t have the gleam or the buzz surrounded it that the efforts from those very popular artists generated - But it was better than all of them in my opinion. The St. Lucian born Nereus Joseph isn’t one who has sought out the spotlight very much in his career (at least not any more than his chosen profession inherently offers) and he didn’t seem to do that here, yet he managed to, VERY straightforwardly, serve up one of the most FULL and FULFILLING, heavy Roots Reggae albums of the past twenty years or so. And when you look into his history - Thirty years spent on the UK scene, not being the most active of names, but well being one of the most SOLID and dependable to push quality vibes - Perhaps his arrival on a project like this wasn’t to be so unexpected after all and perhaps it was his peers who released albums amongst his and not the other way around. On this album he didn’t do anything which was ‘groundbreaking’ and he certainly didn’t go about revolutionizing a genre or anything like such and the album would, ultimately, fit into the category of ‘less is more’. What Joseph did do, however, was to, maybe forever, place his name on the radars of people like you and me with a project which, although it went largely underappreciated, is truly a classic. ”Real Rebels Can’t Die”.

The Music

1. ‘Real Rebels Can’t Die’

The title track for ”Real Rebels Can’t Die” is one which has intrigued me from ever since I first heard it. On one hand, the vibes here are somewhat strange with a heavy old school R&B type of sound with the saxophone and everything and it’s the type of thing people like me throw around the word “soulful” in reference to (slowly discovering that I hate that word) - But if you actually listen to what is being said, it’s CLEARLY a very Afro-centric and Reggae-centric type of song with Joseph calling upon the works of the likes of Bob Marley, Marcus Garvey and His Imperial Majesty as THE role models to be followed. That’s no R&B song I know, none at all.

Best Lyrics: “Moses was a rebel who lead the children out of Pharaoh’s land. Bob Marley used the music, yes, to elevate our minds. Marcus Garvey, he is the elder who prophesized the coming of the King - Jah Rastafari”

2. ‘Fundamental Principles of Life’

The title of this STUNNING tune pretty much sums it up excellently. The song finds Nereus Joseph speaking amongst the ideas of living which should just be NORMAL to most people, but are some which seem to have a hard time being followed and adhered to (I.e. of the ‘live and let live’ variety). Wrapped up in here somewhere, also, is the idea of bringing people together which almost seems to be a kind of ‘side-effect’ to what will happen if people just begin to live upright (and mind their own damn business) (I added that last part).

Best Lyrics: “Some would say I’m an extremist in my views. Living in this universe, it’s love I choose. So live as one and let love flow in harmony. Try to tell them, but they don’t overstand”

3. ‘Make A Stand’

To my ears (and maybe only mind) ‘Make A Stand’ does a very fine job of following the tune which precedes it because what it does, lyrically, is to begin to take the concepts of ‘Fundamental Principles of Life’ and put them into action. This very powerful tune (one of my personal favourites, particularly these days) brings many of these things together and then takes them to “the streets” and into the faces of the oppressors, wherever they may hide.

Best Lyrics: “Will you stand for justice? Will you stand for human rights? If your heart is willing, like a soldier, join the fight”

Dennis Alcapone

4. ‘No Peace’ featuring Dennis Alcapone

Joseph taps old school Dancehall DJ on the antiviolence track, ‘No Peace’ and listening back, while I’m not too surprised at how well it worked, I think that it worked better that I even gave it credit to previously. On one of the simpler selections on an album not short on very straight forward numbers, the two make a pair which, again, although not surprising at this point, is just so well done. Alcapone’s mere presence also gives the tune a nice bit of a classic ‘feel’ on its on and you’re left with the feeling that, had this one arrived thirty or even forty years before it did, they’d still be singing this one in the streets.

Best Lyrics: Nereus Joseph - “We need a unity so love could last eternally. So everyone could live in peace and love and harmony. Cause every family deserve a chance to see the children growing not war and poverty”

5. ‘Send Them A Message'

What really stands out to me on ‘Send Them A Message’ is definitely the lyrics of the song. The acoustic-highlighted riddim works on a very minimal level (meaning that it almost is just kind of there to direct attention towards the words). Joseph paints a somewhat sad picture, but he brightens it up, unsurprisingly, by adding Jah to the equation - There’s a point near the middle of the tune where he begins to sing about His Majesty and the song just kind of EXPLODES right behind him and you can well see him pushing the song with big lyrics and emotion well intact (always a damaging pair).

Best Lyrics: “There must be something wrong when, in their hearts, no love is found. They try to fake it. Soldiers all around trying to stop this spiritual war, they just can’t control it. No. Trying to test my patience, keeping me under surveillance right here. Jah He is my guide, always by my side, so I will have no fear”

6. ‘Kultural Herb’

Nereus Joseph essentially reaches the levels of people such as Luciano and Ras Batch on ‘Kultural Herb’ - As artists who sing ganja song with a nearly overwhelming sense of commitment of emotion to it. This definitely isn’t your standard and ‘obligatory’ herb song by itself, it’s much much more. It’s kind of a rub-a-dub type of song also as the riddim here (a remake) is downright syrupy and I can well see dance floors packed (with very little space in between people) when it drops.

Best Lyrics: “Well youth man - No follow Johnny example. No. Mek babylon turn you inna sample. With dignity and principle, RASTAFARI IS MY ROLE MODEL”

7. ‘Africa For Africans’

This tune begins a WONDERFUL two tune stretch (actually it continues what turns out to be a WONDERFUL 16 tune stretch, to be completely honest) and it does so by giving honour to the most Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey and one of his famous quotes, ‘Africa For Africans’. I won’t dwell on this too much in the synopsis (at least I don’t think that I will), but I think this song is THE one which kind of crystallizes what I feel is the prevailing message here because it just kind plops topics such as PRIDE and STRENGTH and REPATRIATION right in the listeners lap and forces you to deal with them if you hadn’t caught on to what was going on with the previous six selections.

Best Lyrics: “Oh mothers of the Gambia, mothers in Kenya too - Bringing forth the youths of the future, may Jah smile on you”

Jah Mirikle

8. 'Rastafari Lives' featuring Jah Mirikle

Although 'Rastafari Lives' isn’t my absolute favourite tune ”Real Rebels” has to offer anymore, listening to it for the first time in quite some time I definitely got a small rush and taste of what I originally (and still do) heard in it. ‘Rastafari Lives’ is a total St. Lucia mash up as it features Joseph alongside the up and coming Jah Mirikle (who, at last check, was working with Curtis Lynch, Jr. and the boys and girls at Necessary Mayhem these days, to my knowledge) on a SWEET praising track. While Mirikle hasn’t gone onto the MASSIVE successes I would have hoped that he would by this point, he was WICKED on this tune, making a dominant duo with Joseph in the name of His Imperial Majesty.

Best Lyrics: “No matta what dem play, no matta who dem pay, nah put me trust inna dem system anyway. So when dem ah betray, di innocent dis way, Jah people still living up, dem nah go go astray”

9. ‘One Love Tonite’

Once again - On ‘One Love Tonite’ is a song about a rather serious and Reggae-normative topic which manages to display itself in a very sweet and slow-dance type of package. The tune is actually about unity and bringing people together and sharing things . . . But it isn’t the kind of song one would, ostensibly, imagine it to be. It doesn’t sound like that. What it is, however, is this cool and sleekly placed together piece of Roots Reggae and just a BEAUTIFUL experience of a song on the album.

Best Lyrics: “ . . . more more love, don’t you fight. Cause it’s Jah love that I’ve got in my heart, tonight”

10. ‘Grounded’

Things shift back closer to the ‘Reggae-center’ on what has become my favourite song on the whole of the ”Real Rebels Can’t Die” album, ‘Grounded’. This tune, along with another that I’ll tell you about at #15 are the two which have stayed with me over the past two years or so, so much. In the case of this one because, very much like ‘Africa For Africans’, it just SCREAMS out pride and being proud for what you are and doing so in the name of His Imperial Majesty. But I think that it also speaks to those who may walk a different path in life, but are on the same road - Showing this GLORIOUS huge picture which is not to be missed.

Best Lyrics: “I’m grounded, as a Rasta youth, can’t be fooled by the constant doubt in babylon. Seek knowledge and know the truth. Don’t believe what you hear about the Rastaman”

11. ‘Shield & Armour’ featuring Benjamin Zephaniah

The sublime ‘Shield & Armour’ links Joseph with veteran Dub Poet, Benjamin Zephaniah on another of the album’s main attractions. This song is another which definitely makes its greatest contributions by being a very simply vibed tune and one which absolutely delights the senses in the process. What I take it from it a little while on, besides the sonic appeal, is how Joseph and Zephaniah kind of cast this wide reaching ‘umbrella’ of sorts which isn’t only Rastafari, but is the whole of Afrika and placing them together (the concepts and the artistes) makes for one MIGHTY piece of song.

Best Lyrics: Benjamin Zephaniah - “Blessed too be the singers and players of instrument who chant down colonialists and slave driver. Blessed are the conscious who nah deal wid slackness, knowing Jah is wi shield and wi armour”

12. ‘Meet You In Zion’

The lovely old school vibes of ‘Meet You In Zion’ very much follow those established on ‘Africa For Africans’ and ‘One Love Tonite’. Listen to this song and tell me what you’d think of it as an instrumental. What you’re likely to hear (you - Heavy Reggae fan) is a love song. But this song is, basically, a social commentary. Where sonic appeal meets powerful message - There you’ll find a great Roots Reggae song (and you’ll probably find a copy of this album as well).

Best Lyrics: “Meet you in Zion, we can all be there. Sharing Jah love without no fear”

13. ‘Inner City Youths’

Here we have another tune which is primarily an antiviolence track, but one which is specifically geared towards the youths. ‘Inner City Youths’ is a HEAVY track and from the first time I heard the album, I designated it as one of my favourites (and it still is) and it is so with room to spare. The tune well demonstrates something which I’m sure to speak on in closing - Nereus Joseph (or whoever writes is song) is one dynamic lyricists.

Best Lyrics: “Inner city blues has got dem head confused because nothing that is good make the headline news”

14. ‘Warn Them’ featuring Selah Collins & Afrikan Simba

The UK based Selah Collins and Afrikan Simba help to add flames to the mid-tempo sizzler that is ‘Warn Them’. The tune takes much more of a forward and aggressive approach than most of the others on the album and with the various voices, that is to be expected and I think it’s a pretty nice addition from a lyrical standpoint. As the tune goes along the vibes catch up with their vocalists as Selah, Simba and Joseph pay a word to babylon that its end soon come.

Best Lyrics: Nereus Joseph - “That’s why we haffi bun them, for Jah truth, they can’t deny. Let us run dem in dem jacket and dem tie. Satan sen dem, but we see all the tricks they try”

15. ‘Ancient Monarchy’

LOVE IT! As I alluded to, ‘Ancient Monarchy’ and ‘Grounded’ have become the class of ”Real Rebels” to my ears. This is another one which just tugs at the nerves just a bit (TEARS!) and while I do admit that it’s probably quite funny when Joseph drops in it on “through King Solomon, you’ll see the light” and I LOSE IT (!), but for me this song reaches on that level and while I may be the only one - It is SO strong and gives a MAMMOTH praise to Afrika and His Majesty.

Best Lyrics: “. . . but our hearts and minds, they cannot win. Coming out of Ethiopia, HAIL THE BLACK KING”

16. ‘Make A Plan’


'Make A Plan' live

And finally (this one didn’t take too long to write at all) (for some reason I remember it taking me like days and days to do these things) there’s ‘Make A Plan’, one of the most FULL sounding Roots pieces on the album sends us out with another BIG and mighty tune. In retrospect, this one was a very fitting way to end things, because it’s another straight forward and simple MASTERPIECE of a song. It’s a story, it’s an inspirational piece and it’s just a real winner in every way and one of the best songs on the album.

Best Lyrics: “Make your plans for tomorrow, got to have something to show. No time to waste, inna dis yah place, you reap just what you sew”

Synopsis

Okay, while I usually wrap up ‘Modern Classic’ features by summing up what I think the album is really trying to say - It’s main sentiments/messages - I thought that I’d take this one in a bit of a different direction.

Still, just to fulfill what I usually do: I think it is quite clear that the main focus of Nereus Joseph with ”Real Rebels Can’t Die” is to attempt to form some type of pride and dignity and self-esteem amongst people of Afrikan descent. I look at tunes such as the title track and ‘Africa For Africans’, in particular, I think that it’s really evident in those cases. I also look at how, as I mentioned, he places these certain figures, Marley, Garvey and Selassie, along with others, and uses them as role models. On the opener, Joseph almost seems to be saying that these are individuals who have set the standard for greatness - Their reward? Immortality - You can do that too! You won’t find more prideful and proud Afrikans than these people and look what is has gotten them. And for me that’s a very powerful statement and when you look at other tunes which speak of unity (a very consistent and active topic on the album), to my opinion that’s something which something which places a more current face on this idea. ‘Fundamental Principles of Life’ is very powerful in that regard because you see these concepts which are very old and you can still apply them today - And that’s definitely something you’d want to have in a role model.

As I said, however, I didn’t want to spend too much time on that (I could continue writing for that for a few days without ANY problem). What I do want to conclude things here with is SIMPLY by saying why I enjoy this album to the degree that I do, because while I do pick albums here which people don’t hold in as high regard as do I (and that’s no problem, everyone (THANKFULLY) has different tastes, even if they’re similar) I rarely pick an album such as this one which was widely accepted and applauded, but not as much as I have and particularly not, as I mentioned, in a year which was absolutely LOADED with powerful releases from big named artists.

For me ”Real Rebels Can’t Die” was such a powerful release for many reasons, but the greatest of them all was simply its INTELLIGENCE. This is, arguably, one of the ‘smartest’ albums I’ve ever heard and I wouldn’t be too surprised if Nereus Joseph, himself, was a gentleman who literally oozed intelligence and maturity - I’d actually be surprised if he wasn’t such a person. The way it set itself up was just so straight forward and so ‘powerfully presumptuous’ (and I mean that in a good way) that it struck me on a very high level. What I mean is that - Nereus Joseph (and rightly so, in my opinion) seems to assume his audience to already have attained a certain level of intelligence and maturity before the first track even drops in and when you take that outside of a live performance (I.e. a performer assuming the audience will react when he/she instructs them to do something or to even assume that they will be familiar with the tunes presented) I think it’s a great thing! The artist here CHALLENGES the listener -- ‘I challenge you to know that these are the fundamental principles of life’ --

“Let’s make a plan, even though we come from -
A different land
Respect your brothers -
Although we have a different culture”

In that specific instance there, the song kind of seems to offer a ’refreshers course’ of sorts before moving on to more immediate and future concerns going forward. It’s not like he’s saying it to you for the first time - He expects you to have already known that and the fact that it isn’t more constantly and consistently shown in the world is clearly distressing to Joseph. If you take that same line of thinking into a more ’colourful’ turn, you arrive at the slightly more exigent ’One Love Tonite’. The song is actually veiled as a love song or a slow dance song, but it just uses that sound and those vibes to throw in, as a said, a very “Reggae-normative topic”. The appeal here, obviously, is to just listen to the tune and appreciate its very high sonic appeal and in doing so it is ‘relegated’ to being juts a love song or another dance song, as I said, but when you listen to what is being said, this tune goes to entirely new level and does so seamlessly. It comes through with no tricks, no smoke and mirrors, and no gimmicks and Joseph clearly assumes you’ll catch on (and you should).

'Ancient Monarchy'

And finally I’d like to mention the type of general praising song that the singer does throughout the album. They’re all, for the most part, very straight forward also, but to my opinion they’re done so with a direct reason. If we look at, in particular, ‘Ancient Monarchy’ and ‘Grounded’, what you hear in those songs is education - It’s Nereus Joseph teaching the listener - Nothing more nothing less. By saying that it kind of goes against what I’ve been saying - How can I presume you know something and then teach it to you??? But watch this! The presumption in this case is the assumption of the presence of PASSION in the listener. This is a much greater type of passion than that which would lead you to pick up an album or to just grab a digital song - This is the type of passion which, when present, makes these seemingly straight forward tunes GREAT! They’re both EXCEPTIONAL songs and when passion to learn about these subjects from Joseph is present - They become even better. And, to contrast, you’ll listen to ‘Rastafari Lives’ which is less of a taught subject of a song and there is no presumption of passion because the way that tune is vibed it has no problem creating passion of its own.

”Real Rebels Can’t Die” was also very polished and well carried out and crafted, but all of those things go without saying in my opinion because of the class of the artiste. What took it to the next rank and made it truly great in my opinion was that it challenged the listener to step up his/her proverbial ‘game’. You can’t listen to this album and be able to appreciate it in the same way that you can most others (even most others of the same type). So as I said, while it wasn’t ‘groundbreaking’ or anything like such, what the album was very strong - one of the strongest from anyone in quite some time and a bona fide Modern Reggae Classic!

Real Vibes Can't Either: A Review of Real Rebels Can't Die by Nereus Joseph

Although I have to confess that I do LOVE my jump up and crazy Soca and, at my heart, I am probably 51% Dancehall head, that, in terms of an album, there is NOTHING more satisfying than a GOOD Roots Reggae release. There’s just something about that particular art form that, when someone gets its right and even better, on an album the vibes just sound so complete and can really just make you feel good definitely. And to be perfectly honest, even sometimes when they don’t get it too right, the results can be relatively fulfilling, as opposed to bad Dancehall (which can literally cause physical pain) and bad Soca, both of which, in any event translate worse to albums, thus the vast number difference between Roots Reggae and them both. Luckily, if you’ve been following a time span of roughly the end of 2008 up to now, we’ve been seeing some really FINE Roots Reggae album releases, and some from the not so usual suspects. One of the biggest albums from late last year which just jumped in at the very end was from veteran Linval Thompson who left so many people reconsidering their ‘best of the year’ awards (including your’s truly) with his return on the OUTSTANDING Ghetto Living album. The album has more than a ‘touch’ of old school vibes to it (as does Thompson himself) and just had a SWEET vibes and is currently being so well received. Around that same time, another strong release came forth from a much lesser known artist, Messenjah Selah, known as Breaking Babylon Curse. That album is currently doing a big damage as it featured an artist in Selah, who although a veteran in the game, had been obviously been spending much time out of the mainstream Reggae limelight in honing his craft and produced what is, in my opinion, one of the finest Roots releases currently available right now. The same could be said for the downright mysterious Daweh Congo who made a return of his own with his NICE Ghetto Skyline album which is one of the early frontrunners of Reggae album of the year for 2009. Want more? Try the relatively obscure King Hopeton who jumped in with the WICKED King of Kings album; Raz Bin Sam, who recently brought in his very different sounding Own This Life album as an artist from out of Australia (by way of Israel of all places); the D.A.P.P. Band from out of the Virgin Islands had the Shift The Energy album; Benaïssa from out of Holland with the DURABLE Tables Turn; and most recently Sojah stepped in with the very NEW sounding Modern Revolution. AND were that not enough, the usual likes of Sizzla, Buju Banton, Jah Cure, Anthony B, Fantan Mojah and Lutan Fyah have all dropped albums which were ALL far more than just ‘pretty good’. Truth be told, if you are REALLY a fan of Roots Reggae right now, you’re probably a little lighter in the wallet but happier in the spirit these days.

And it doesn’t figure to let up anytime soon as one of the next big things to release will be Queen Ifrica’s Montego Bay album in June and next week, at the time of this writing, Julian Marley’s third album, Awake, comes forth to the people as well. But of course, those are the ones which, backed by VP Records and having the last name Marley, are likely to have the attention WELL on them in the coming weeks and months from fans and critics alike. But as Queen Ifrica, Julian Marley and another release from Lutan Fyah establish the radar of attention for themselves, they also establish the radar for other artists to fly beneath with their own quality releases as well. Such an artist who is currently SOARING has to be Nereus Joseph. The veteran vocalist from out of the UK has spent the lion’s share of his career flying below the radars in terms of ‘mainstream’ Reggae but has attracted quite a bit of attention as even myself, someone who DEFINITELY wouldn’t describe themselves as a real fan of the singer, has heard and seen his name on various things throughout the years while never REALLY taking the next step of doing any real investigation into the attraction outside of checking one of his earlier album releases, which I honestly didn’t enjoy too much actually. So, there’s no time to make up for lost time like the present and thus Joseph’s latest release, Real Rebels Can’t Die comes as a VERY welcome addition to my catalogue. I can’t actually even say WHY I decided to pick this one up actually, as I said, the previous album of Joseph’s which I vibed, Hope Faith & Love, just didn’t stick with me for some reason (although with my tastes these days, appreciating things I didn’t AT ALL before, perhaps I should go back and give it another listen). Not that it was AT ALL a bad album, just nothing special in my opinion, at least at the time. Whatever the reason I wasn’t too keen on HF&L I do know that my subsequent decision to pick up Rebels Can’t Die was a good one! The album comes via Nereus Joseph’s own imprint Sirius Records and he himself takes credit for production (as does one Kenny Edgehill, who is apparently Joseph’s partner in the label) so credit must go to him for making one of the most CONSISTENT releases I’ve heard in quite awhile and one which distinguishes itself quite often, if not only through Joseph’s NICE voice, but through the actual music as well which has some very nice vibes throughout. Speaking of Nereus Joseph’s voice, I have to say that in terms of Reggae music, it is a bit unusual. It’s more or less the type of thing you might run into more if you are a fan of R&B or MAYBE even traditional gospel to a degree. What I mean is that its more ‘soulful’ to a degree, rather than the stereotypical Roots Reggae singer who bathes the attentions of his audiences in tones typically more ‘earthy’ than what you’ll hear from Joseph. Perhaps that’s reflective of the UK Reggae scene as it seemingly more lends itself to different styles of Reggae, most commonly lover’s rock where singers like Peter Hunnigale, Peter Spence and Bitty McLean dominate alongside others. There’s also someone like (THE WICKED) Lloyd Brown who incorporates various sounds in his (WICKED) music but you’ll hear none of that from Nereus Joseph on Real Rebels Can’t Die. What will you hear? A SERIOUS Roots Reggae album not to be ignored and one which may have a claim to being one of the year’s finest come December. Yes, its that good.

After his voice, Nereus Joseph’s pen work isn’t too bad either as he crafts some LOVELY and NECESSARY messages throughout the duration of the album. That part, just making nice messages for the people, isn’t necessary rare in Roots Reggae, it is after all, the point of the music, but the overall presentation of the project is what REALLY is the attraction here ultimately. Speaking of attractions, getting things started on Nereus Joseph’s latest album release, Real Rebels Can’t Die is the title track and most obvious attraction. This tune rolls in like some sappy sounding old school R&B tune with a heavy sax before finding a nice groovy one-drop from somewhere. The tune itself is just BIG, however, from a lyrical aspect because of all the individuals upon whom Joseph calls. The point he is trying to make that despite the fact that all of these wonderful individuals are no longer with us spiritually, they definitely LIVE on. Indeed a powerful message and a nice one to preside over the album. Another nice message emerges in the ALL ROOTS Reggae second track, Fundamental Principles of Life. This track really covers simple aspects of living that should be well known and used by us all (I.e. ‘live and let live’, ‘love thy neighbour’ etc.), particularly of a non-violence and not hate perspective, but just seem to escape so many in our society today. If you are such a person who have a hard time simply doing right instead of wrong (even though you know wrong) then I suggest you pick up Nereus Joseph’s new album Real Rebels Can’t Die and spin through track two. Closing out the opening of the album is another in a stretch of big tunes which dominate the first half of the album, Make A Stand. Make A Stand is HUGE. This is a prime example of what I mean how effective and satisfying GOOD Roots can be when it really is good. This tune really is to lift up the spirits of the oppressed and the sympathizers and empathizers of the oppressed as Joseph chants, “come rally round Babylon is falling!”. I’m on my way! Big tune, one of the album’s best and an EXCELLENT way to get things going.

Throughout Real Rebels Can’t Die Nereus Joseph pretty much tackles the common Roots Reggae topics and ideology, however, I would definitely say that he maintains a more GROUNDED and TANGIBLE approach than most of his peers. For me, he never does a finer job of this than on a two song stretch at the end of the first half of the album between the SPARKLING African For Africans and Rastafari Lives. The former is an OUTSTANDING tune inspired by the honourable Marcus Garvey’s famous saying and is delivered in a SWEET vibes. The latter is, in my opinion, the real class of the album, as Joseph is joined by the WICKED young chanter from out of St. Lucia, Jah Mirikle to deliver such a nice and RELEVANT vibes for the masses. The tune just catches a nice joy from inception which lasts throughout and really strikes a chord with the listener, at least it did with me and I’m sure if you love the vibes, it’ll do the same with you. LARGE tune (and keep an eye out for the UK based Mirikle as well). Outside of Jah Mirikle, also checking in alongside Nereus Joseph on the album is the legendary Dennis Alcapone, who joins in on the very strong antiviolence anthem, No Peace and I also love the backing singing on that one. Well respected poet Benjamin Zephaniah adds a fitting lovely touch on the tune Shield & Armour. That song definitely qualifies as something I might otherwise think missing were it not here as I just love to see someone throw in something different and Zephaniah just breaks down in the spoken word exactly that. And Joseph also taps his neighbours Selah Collins and Afrikan Simba on the very impressive Warn Them, chanting down Babylon and corruption wherever it exists, threefold, on the tune which is definitely amongst the best on the album (I think Simba steals the show here). On his own, just as he did with the opening, Joseph keeps setting the bar high throughout. Check what is in my opinion one of the real highlights on the album, the somewhat complex herbalist tune, Kultural Herb. This tune is so nicely written and vibed that you simply have to hear it and coming from someone who hears PLENTY, it’s probably one of the best ganja man tunes I’ve heard recently. The two tune patch of Africa For Africans and Rastafari Lives is but half in the nice streak of four as the following two tunes, One Love Tonite and ESPECIALLY Grounded keep the vibes just as high arguably. One Love Tonite is a tune which is kind praising the Reggae music itself and WONDERFULLY relating it to praising of His Majesty. BIG VIBE. If you wanted to call Grounded the best tune on the album, I couldn’t argue with you AT ALL. This tune, also in praise of His Imperial Majesty falls so SWEET down the closing stretch of the album and is a song that really touched me again. I mean, you just have to hear this song, should you, yourself, walk this path in life, tears! Just a sweet and uplifting vibes on that one and that one should really get a push from Sirius and company definitely. Meet You In Zion kind of has a double purpose (like several of the tunes here, like One Love Tonite) as it serves as the album’s lover’s tune to a degree but it also is a big social commentary as well. That tune leads well into Inner City Youths which is ANOTHER of my favourite on the album as is Ancient Monarchy to a degree but, really at this point I don’t know if Joseph could do any wrong on Real Rebels Can’t Die, even if he tried. The album closes with yet another high note with the very ORDINARILY vibed Make A Plan. The tune itself, however, is far from ordinary and just one that strikes chords all over the listener sending out what is an album which is all but guaranteed not to receive the attention it so easily deserves.

Overall, as I said, when you get GOOD Roots Reggae and do it well on an album, the results can be so nice and just satisfying and that’s exactly what you get here. Perhaps the best thing I can say about this one is to just simply put it as: Nereus Joseph’s Real Rebels Can’t Die album MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD! Just like that! The album is recommended to all fans of modern Roots Reggae but especially those with a bit more time listening to the music. Newer fans should also be able to appreciate it but perhaps not now as they may a little while from now as the sound is definitely very MATURE. In a year where so many big name artists are arriving with some equally big material and some more are on the way, perhaps someone flying below their radar has outdone them all. Right now I’m full confident in saying that Nereus Joseph’s Real Rebels Can’t Die is probably the best Roots Reggae album I’ve heard in 2009. Period.

Rated 5/5 stars

Sirius Records

2009

Nereus Joseph @ Myspace

Sirius Records @ Myspace