"Just Giving Thanks" by Glen Washington [Tad's Records]
1. 'Sweet Loving and Affection'
2. 'Love Will Never Run Away'
3. 'Better Than Before'
4. 'Goodness and Mercy'
5. 'Heart Attack'
6. 'Chant Them Down'
7. 'Oh, To Be Like H.I.M.'
8. 'Loving You Forever'
9. 'Square One'
10. 'Love Knows No Shame'
11. 'Dreadlocks Conqueror'
12. 'Seeking Jah Love'
13. 'A Change Is Gonna Come'
14. 'Are You Ready?'
Okay so, today we have a few problems, a few issues, that we really need to talk about. Venerable veteran singer from out of Clarendon, Glen Washington, is back with a new album this week. That, in and of itself, is pretty big news but he has been quite active in recent times has Washington. Just last year, he released "Feeling Irie" and the year before that was "Mr. Washington" (for the fine folks at Love Injection) and there was a re-release the year prior to that as well for "Wandering Stranger". As I said, the man's been at work (there was also "Jah Children", a strong EP for the Zion I Kings, in 2023). This time, however, things seem a bit different.
On the 30th of May -- this forthcoming Friday -- the singer is set to release yet another album, "Just Giving Thanks" for the always so damn welcomed Tad's Records and I have heard quite a bit of it (courtesy of that wonderful site with the... entire song-long clips) and.... it... it's kinda excellent. I mean it is REALLY GOOD! You're going to hear it and think it pretty much standard fare for Glen Washington. It's fourteen songs about love & Jah across a heap of classic/classic sounding riddims. That's it. That's all it is. He's been doing the exact same thing for the best part of a half a century (literally all of it), but I'm under the impression that, in 2025, he' s mining gold with this latest set.
Highlights are in abundance but particularly highpoints include the all kinds of interesting 'Square One', 'Goodness and Mercy', 'Heart Attack', 'Better Than Before' (which, I THINK, is the first single), 'Chant Them Down', 'Dreadlocks Conqueror'.... I should stop there before I end up naming the entire album.
Sometimes I get these things wrong but I am DAMN confident on this one. What I believe to be a potentially special release from Glen Washington, "Just Giving Thanks" on Tad's Records, is available later this week - but you knew that already.
Snap back. As much as I have belaboured and will, very committedly, continue to belabour the fact that one channel of this amazing music has undergone such a significant shift that it is no longer recognizable as what it is still, ridiculously, being referred to as; another area, delightfully, has remained largely and wonderfully unchanged, by comparison. Dancehall may not be Dancehall anymore but for anyone who is even remotely in looking for it, Roots Reggae music is alive and well and, again, should not sound particularly dissimilar in 2024 from what you've known it for being over the past few decades. That doesn't mean the sound has not involved. I have always been damn curious as to what Bob Marley may've thought about what I consider to be that last giant shift in Roots music which was marked by the arrival of the likes of Capleton, Sizzla Kalonji and Anthony B who would find a stunning common ground between the type of sound Marley and his peers created and what was to be heard in the Dancehall. You could also trace the foundation work of what they did and push it into avenues where the likes of Lutan Fyah is found - someone who, for the most part, makes a brand of Roots not as inherently aggressive as the aforementioned trio, but also not ery different from that sound either. Evolution on that front has been intoxicatingly slow (and I mean that in a good way) and is, at least to my opinion, usually demonstrated by someone adopting a different vocal style as opposed to a glaring shift in actual sound. Going a step further, when you think about what it means to be "throwback' or "old school" in terms of Roots Reggae these days, generally when you hear something like that said, what you're going to expect to hear are older riddims, maybe some direct (or indirect) remakes and that may be it. The themes and ideology are still very much the same and they always will be. There are certain producers and labels who have acquired a reputation for mining an older type of vibes within their work (biggup Irie Ites) but what I'd suggest you to do, for the sake of contrast, is to think about the music made by... the Zion I Kings, for example, and ask yourself if that which is wholly modern is really THAT different.
So, with all of that being said, I was VERY intrigued when I heard the early word on a forthcoming release from a sitting favourite of mine, Norris Man, and not just because... it was a new release... from Norris Man. It was said that Norris had been working on the album for a decade and that it was on an older type of vibes. He was talking about working with the likes of Sly & Robbie, Steven Stanley, Dean Fraser, Dwight Pinkney, Nambo Robinson, Flabba Holt and others. Norris Man was making an old school Roots Reggae album which, although it SURELY took longer than he was anticipating (there is no way he started work on a project with the intent that it was a DECADE away), "Free Man" was set. It had a cover and a tracklist (literally months ago we saw those things) and it was set to go.
2023
Helming the project was Tad Dawkins Jr. for Tad's Records which is always a plus and I was excited as all hell. I've spent quite a bit of time stressing exactly why the Trenchtown native has emerged a recent favourite of mine, so I'll spare you that again, but it hasn't been very much time at all from the last time we heard from him. Just late last year, the artist pushed the well solid "Life" via Danish imprint, E.Turn.A.T. That set did absolutely nothing to douse my appreciation of his work and probably not too long after that (yep. It's been THAT long), I saw that "Free Man" was forthcoming. Norris Man has also made albums covering a variety of different styles. Having been so prolific, his fans have been treated to doses of him attempting several things to, perhaps [CERTAINLY], a mixed bag of success at times, but he's given them a shot and he's done works for labels as un-connected as Stingray on one end, to someone like Knatural on the complete opposite. To my opinion, unsurprisingly, his best material comes on the definitively Roots side. While his most popular drops are tied to his biggest tunes -- "Persistence" and "Home & Away" -- I'd also steer your attention in the direction of other pieces such as "Captura", "Better Your Soul" (which also has a pretty nice following), "Know The Road" ["WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP DON'T CRY TO ME! YOU WERE WARNED ABOUT THIS!"] and a personal favourite of mine, "World Crisis", from way back in 2003 (I'd also mention the fresh "Deep Conversations" from just a couple of years ago now) (really god album). I think that his style which is kind of 'raggedy' (and I mean that with the highest of respect. Norris Man's wail, to my opinion, is PERFECTLY IMPERFECT and, at his best, is GORGEOUS especially for the type of music he makes) is at his highest level of efficacy within that lovely, DUSTY Roots sound and when you put it within the type of themes that he sings about (typical Roots Reggae ideology) it truly makes for, as I said, some of the most captivating music currently being made in the genre in my opinion. But what of this supposedly throwback sound being touted for "Free Man", specifically?? My thought, as I alluded to, was that what the album might be full of redone older tracks and that was FINE BY ME! The song titles and the producer and the form Norris Man had been in all told me that "Free Man" had the potential to be something really strong and it instantly became one of the most anticipated projects of 2024 for me.
You won't get very far at all into the new album before realizing exactly what the talk was all about ahead of "Free Man". It definitely brings in a sound from an older generation. I also, specifically, recall Norris Man saying something along the lines of it being something that you'd come across in the 90's and I think you're more likely to have run into an album like this -- with so many relicked older riddims -- during that time, so while the actual SOUND isn't one which originated in the 90's, it was certainly more prolific during that time so I would also even agree with that. So, on your way through it, "Free Man" will likely deliver a few moments which will hit the memory (and maybe 'the feels' as well). If you want an example of that, check 'Righteous', the opener of Norris Man's brand new album for Tad's Records, "Free Man". This won't be the first time you've encountered this classic composition and Norris well puts it through its proverbial paces with an EXCELLENT offering which ranks amongst the album's very finest. The tune is a remake (I guess) of another which the artist did (but, given how long this album has been in the planning stages, who knows which one he actually recorded first) by the name of 'Know Jah Law' for one of the many redos of the Police In Helicopter Riddim. It was a winner in that slightly harsher form and, softening the blow just a hair or two, it still rises to the top. Have to give a big credit to the backing singer/s here (credited as Nikki Bolt) (not the first time I've ran into her name) (won't be the last) as well who add a major dimension to the vibes as well and Norris Man, himself who, at times, gives us some of the best vocals you'll find here in dealing with those who have either lost their way or never found it in the first place {"Binghi set a fyah. Apologize to none"]. Despite its title and the absence of the basic aggression it may've lead you to expect (did that for me, at least), 'Burn Babylon' is nearly SWEET.... SWEET in dealing with corruption and, clocking in at an appetizingly album-leading five minutes and twenty-six seconds, it is a TOWER on "Free Man".
"When I seh burn babylon, I mean seh dun dem to ash
Mi bun dem more than a million times
I seh equal rights and justice for one and all
Babylon mi bun yuh evil device"
The vibes of the tune naturally paint a very serene picture -- even more so than the lyrics at times -- which suggests that once THAT corruption is done (which isn't far off or unattainable), what lingers is far more beautiful and desirable. Again, given the length of the track (more on that later), Norris Man is allowed to do so many different things as is the music and they both shine on a huge tune. I'm a nerd so I'll also mention something that I found really cool: You see the lyrics I typed; that, repeated is the chorus of 'Burn Babylon' and when he says "mi bun dem more than a million times", that number GROWS and by tune's end, it's up to a TRILLION! I'll go into more later, like I said, but what a nice touch that is. 'Ahead A Dem' does bring in the flames that you may have been expecting on 'Burn Babylon' and does so in a very free and almost adventurous way. This is the type of song where, had it not been here, I probably would have said that "Free Man" could have used a drop exactly like it. It would have needed a little more direct KICK and someone to get a little pissed off and here it is. Here, we find Norris Man a little angry that babylon has apparently forgotten the natural order of things and that its rightful place is behind, not at the forefront. Given its title, 'Going Out on You' had me curious about its direction, I was thinking it may've been something of a love song but it proves to be something far more clever. This one finds the artist saying that certain things that you do in your life just don't go away and they catch up to you and things that were once going in your favour (LIGHTS) are now.... going out on you because you've failed to live in a positive way. "SHAME ON YOU!" The album's actual love song is 'Baby's Mom' and it is, far and away, my least favourite tune on "Free Man", though I don't think it's necessarily a bad one (it most certainly is not GOOD, however). About twenty years ago Norris Man released a laidback album which carried several love songs by the name of "Hey Woman".... for whatever it is worth, 'Baby's Mom' is leagues ahead of the absolute best of "Hey Woman", without question (and even it will help me make my concluding critique of this album).
Ridiculously, despite having a glowing birth, "Free Man" only gets stronger as it 'matures'. The eponymous selection plays out much more of a MUSICAL PERFORMANCE than it does a SONG. It's dramatic and layered (there's singing and chanting and almost Spoken Word style poetry at times) with the core of 'Free Man' being a celebration of freedom and liberty and all that goes along with it (such as education and rights). If you're able to go into this one not expecting something that is going to necessarily get you moving with its melody and, instead, going to maybe tap into other types of pleasing senses, You, like Me, will have a very healthy appreciation for 'Free Man'. Even if you approach it in a way which doesn't place in its best position to succeed with you, a patient ear will surely make it grow on you as well. There's something very 'vintage' Norris Man about 'Fighting For My Rights'. Another tune which features more of a bite to it, 'Fighting For My Rights' is also an excellent lyrical performance and something tells me Peter Tosh would have been a fan.
"You see I'm fighting for my rights and my liberty
BLACK IS MY COLOUR AND FORVER WILL BE
Now I'm a slave in my own country
Politician keep on using me
The suffering comes, there is nowhere to turn
Then you pick up a gun and you go shoot yuh brother down
RIGHT THERE: I can see your future drown!
You're so far away from wearing that good crown
Babylon have it set because you're not around
Di system goes on and your days are at waste
If you only know what this life have prepared-
Then you wouldn't be caught in dem snare
Economically, things are so confusing and hard
How wi fi juggle fi food when you know seh nuttin nah gwan
Life is so precious but wah, times are hard
That's why everybody waah straight go abroad
Yes. Too much corruption mi si full up dung a yard
Inna di house of parliament a pure john crow and dog
Mi si di people wid dem pitiful talk
But wi ah build fi wiself now
Set fi wiself yo
Don't you know that we've got to help ourself"
Both 'Free Man' and 'Fighting For My Rights' go to set a nearly perfect 'intro' for the two songs chasing them, representing (at least in my opinion) the absolute pinnacle of "Free Man", 'Jah Is The Almighty' & 'Jah Love'. The former is this gorgeous powerhouse of dedication that is equal parts brains and brawn, carrying bottomless amounts of both. What I appreciated most here was the simple connection Norris Man makes of LOVE and The Almighty.
"There is always love to remind me to show that Jah is The Almighty"
Take that one step further: Think of The Almighty when you feel loved or when you feel GOOD in general. Specifically, you could trace it to, perhaps, the formulation of this tune and maybe even to all of Norris Man's music. When he feels good he feels like writing and singing and telling all who have ears to listen the JOY of knowing His Majesty! It is a LOVELY piece and one hopefully due to find an ample audience amongst the masses. The plainly named 'Jah Love' is my single favourite song here. Building upon the sentiments expressed on 'Jah Is The Almighty', 'Jah Love' uses a paintbrush to get its point across where 'Jah Is The Almighty' was maybe more of a paint-roller (anyone who's ever painted a wall knows that it takes a little more finesse to cover the corners completely than a roller offers) (...'Jah Love' covers the corners FULLY) (TWO COATS!). 'Jah Love' is glorious and, to be fair, Norris Man has probably had several songs with this same title (you will find an excellent one on "Captura") and so have a lot of his contemporaries (like pretty much all of them). What stands this one out from the pack is just how SMOOTH it comes across on that older riddim. On this cut, Norris Man builds His Majesty as not only the HEIGHTS of all things but, specifically, as a refuge from the ills of the world. Again, going further (because that's just what I like to do), you can narrow this down to the point where you can apply it to something as simple having a bad day or being in a bad mood or in getting into an argument with someone.... it is SO APPLICABLE and just a lovely song! 'To Jah I Pray' isn't quite on the level of the four tunes just ahead of it, but it also isn't terribly far behind either. It's a little cluttered, maybe a touch messy and chaotic as well (besides the chorus which is golden), but that rough packaging works for 'To Jah I Pray'. I would presume that not a whole heap of planning went into 'To Jah I Pray' but the benefit of that, tangibly, are these very colourful moments where it almost seems like Norris Man is just giving you the next thing that pops into his mind until arriving at the point where he deems the chorus to be an appropriate next move. In that, 'To Jah I Pray' isn't very acres away from 'Free Man', the song, and is another nice musical performance. Finally is a tune that you may be familiar with directly because 'Gun Hawk', along with that title track was a single released ahead of "Free Man" and it comes out blasting.
"It's just emptiness, they've got no love for no one
Gun hawk!
Kill yuh owna brother like yourself
I hate to see this every day - corruption
Gangstas inna di street controlled by politicians
Too much a dem everyday samfi
They tell you this and that and promise you with a bag a lies
And all I see: Death and destruction
Vanity put dem inna di bed as corruption
For di cash inna di pocket, dem kill an innocent man
Don't let dem tell yuh bout their confusion
Dem know what ah gwan inna every region
A dem issue di gun and give out di instruction"
A fairly straight-forward social commentary, 'Gun Hawk' was an interesting choice to be a single in my opinion. What it does have going for it, ostensibly, is a very familiar riddim to more familiar fans of the genre, but I would think other selections might have a greater appeal to a more casual listener. That's only speaking in terms of sonics, of course, the quality of 'Gun Hawk' is beyond question. It's a great piece and a more than fine moment to end things on for "Free Man".
OKAY! I had two (technically three, but he second and third went together) points to make in closing but I forgot one of them so I'm going to wait a few minutes and see if I can remember what that was... NOPE! I can't recall, so I'm going to go with what I have which is my biggest point anyway [Note: I tend to write things like that first part to help me remember, but I usually take them out later. Not this time]. "Free Man" is carries eleven tracks and spans just over forty-eight minutes in length. By my [surely incorrect] math, that's an average song length of just over four minutes and twenty seconds and there are none less than four minutes in length. That is VERY IMPRESSIVE! To me, that is a sign that the producers and label were very confident with what they had here musically and, as I said somewhere in here, both Norris Man and the players of instrument are given an appropriate amount of time to display their talents and it really helps the quality of the album, altogether, in my opinion. Too many times Reggae songs can kind of have a 'cookie-cutter' feel to them (even when good), but this is more of an organic feel for me. The songs are played until the desired point is conveyed. FURTHERMORE, were you not convinced of Norris Man's and Tad's confidence in their work here, then you should check back in nine weeks' time when the label is set to release "Freedom Dub" - apparently an IMMEDIATE dubbed out version of this set. That'll be interesting to take a listen to in late September and, going back to the original chat around "Free Man", it makes perfect sense.... as I now recall the other point that I wanted to make here, but I will save that for closing.... here!
27 September, 2024
Overall, something else which struck me about "Free Man" is just how CLOSE the tunes are in terms of how well they're done. There isn't one that is WAYYYY ahead of the others and I would suspect that if you were to ask ten different listeners their favourite tune, you'd get at least eight or nine different responses, if not more (you know there'd be that one guy who'd name like four songs because he just couldn't pick one) (there's always THAT guy). For me, I'm completely happy with "Free Man", in full and I'm going t o place it amongst the better album releases that Norris Man has had to date which is saying a great deal. It is a FINE release and one which we have, apparently, not heard the last of just yet. Musically speaking, they can place it in the 90's or in any era for that matter but where the question of time ends and the question of quality begins, the argument ends as well. WELL DONE!
1. 'Righteous' 2. 'Burn Babylon' 3. 'Ahead A Dem' 4. 'Going Out On You' 5. 'Baby's Mom' 6. 'Free Man' 7. 'Fighting For My Rights' 8. 'Jah Is The Almighty' 9. 'Jah Love' 10. 'To Jah I Pray' 11. 'Gun Hawk'
Okay so, given the fact that it's about two and half months out, I may be going early with this one but it has been on radars from maybe as early as late last year (and I haven't finished my review yet. Although it is progressing along nicely), I thought that I'd tell you wonderful, awful taste having folks about an upcoming release that I am VERY excited about. "Free Man" becomes the latest release from the scalding veteran from out of Trenchtown, Norris Man. The album, delightfully, comes courtesy of Tad's Records (who's always in a good form) and follows, most closely, late 2023's solid "Life" album from Danish imprint, E.Turn.A.T.
....a few months ago
As I've said in the recent past, I've slotted Norris Man into a select group of veteran artists, along with the likes of Mark Wonder, Elijah Prophet, Spragga Benz and maybe just a few more as names who really have seemed to hit a level of undeniable consistency which has made it virtually impossible to ignore what they've been up to. With his style, however, Norris' case may be THE most unique of them all because it isn't something that appeals to everyone, inherently (myself included). With all of that being said, and with the brief bits I have heard of "Free Man" (which consists of clips of the title track and 'Fighting For My Rights', although a couple of the others also seem familiar - such as the ULTRA terrestrial 'Jah Love'), my expectations and anticipations have been well heightened and prime and I cannot wait to lay my ears on whatever this one turns out to be.
I'll have to though. The latest album from Norris Man, "Free Man", is set to release on the 26th of July, via Tad's Records. LET'S GO!
1. 'Leave Her Alone' by George Nooks & Josey Wales
2. 'Bald Head Jesus' by Anthony B
3. 'Magical Love' by Marcia Griffiths
4. 'Cool Jamaican Whiskey' by Hezron
5. 'Nah Back Down' by Sanchez
6. 'Dancehall Tun Up' by Screwdriver
7. 'Don't Let Me Go' by Etana
8. 'Booster' by Dean Fraser
9. 'Love Doesn't Ask Why' by Terry Linen
10. 'Can't Fade Away' by Glen Washington
11. 'Mi Want More' by I-Octane
12. 'Baseball Girl' by Richie Spice
13. 'Who Kill Mi Dollar' by Perfect
14. 'You Are Beautiful' by Singer J
15. 'Rasta Government' by Anthony Cruz
16. 'That's Alright' by Freddie McGregor
17. 'Marijuana Prior' by Chezidek
18. 'Roots Wine' by Lutan Fyah
19. 'Spandex' by Vahriie
20. 'Virus Dub' by Tad's Allstars
Okay so, given its May release date, I'm surely jumping the proverbial gun with this one (but I really liked what I heard and I haven't finished my next review yet because I'm having entirely too much fun just listening to that album) (it'll probably be up this weekend - whatever it is), but just to give an early shout to a very nice project which is just about four months (A QUARTER OF A YEAR) out, here we go. A couple of years ago the venerable Tad's Records released a riddim compilation by the name of "Raggae Virus: First Dose". Of course, looking at the title - the word "First" vividly stands up at it would seemingly suggest that there would be at least a second dosage (although that isn't always the case) and, though it's taken two years, here it is. The label now presents "Reggae Virus Booster", just in case ALL of your illnesses have yet to subside and, from early indications, this second prescription is considerably stronger than the first.... unfortunately (not really), as you very well know, there is no cure for Reggae. If you have caught it at any point in your life, you WILL die with it.... and you will LOVE it.
2021
Will you love this injection?? How should I know?! It doesn't come out until may, HOWEVER, because a certain site (named Juno) pust up samples, which're the entire song if you have patience, I have heard quite a bit and certain strains of this virus are scathingly infectious and you'll want to be careful. The two biggest 'culprits' seem to be Etana and Chezidek. The former's cleverly kind of dirty 'Don't Let Me Go' finds her enjoying... the work being put in by her man, while the latter's dazzling 'Marijuana Prior' is yet another testament to someone CONSISTENTLY making some of the best music in all of Reggae, in my opinion. Also, jumping around a bit, potentially solid tracks also come from the likes of Screwdriver, ANTHONY B, Vahriie, veterans Freddie McGregor and Glen Washington and a possibly golden combination, 'Leave Her Alone' featuring George Nooks & Josey Wales.
Yeah, I know... too much while still so far away but, as it stands, I have a REALLY good feeling about this one. Am I right (am I ever??)? Find out when "Reggae Virus: Booster" reaches on the 12th of May, 2023 courtesy of Tad's Records.
Sharpened. I've always heard people say that there were two different types of intelligence: Book smarts and street smarts. Having much of the former is documentable; you probably have degrees and other accolades in honour of just how much studying you have done. In terms of street smarts, while actual, tangible PROOF of your 'research' likely does not exist, your lifestyle may as individuals who are resourceful and truly know how to 'hustle' generally lead pretty nice lives as far I've seen. Both sets obviously have their pros and cons when taken in their purest forms but, in the best case scenario, you'd hope to be someone who has a nice amount of them both in your life. When we take the idea of smarts and general intelligence and attempt to apply it to music, things can get [they do, 100% of the time] very complicated. If you take the idea of book smarts and apply it directly to music then we're thinking of someone who has spent a great deal of time, literally, in a music school and we never think of that (even when it is the case) when it comes to vocalists. It is far more the case of musicians/players of instruments (and that's interesting in its own right: The way we hardly ever call someone who is a vocalist a MUSICIAN) that we observe any type of formal education that they may've achieved. However, we have seen certain individuals who, regardless of how much literal education they've received in their time, have clearly shown themselves to be massive 'conductors' of knowledge and I -- as I am sure you have as well -- have learned a great deal from these people. They are, effectively, our teachers. That being said, however, 'BOOK SMARTS, alone, doesn't sound right. It isn't very entertaining just hearing someone teach you something with no musical appeal whatsoever - no melody, no tone, no anything! That's where a more organic and informal type of learning comes into play and, when you can find someone who is capable of blending these two aspects of information together, what you have there is someone who is truly special. I won't go too far into names (besides the one I'm about to spend the next few minutes telling you about, of course), but just to name a couple of these artists (who I typically don't refer to enough) - think of someone like Reemah. The Cruzan firebreather is capable of presenting her music in a way which is not only informative, but also expresses her opinion and do so without the results sounding clunky or overly-programmed, perhaps. I don't know how far or how seriously Reemah took her schooling (and maybe still does), but she strikes me as someone with an addiction for knowledge much like that other legendary Virgin Islands chanter who is a favourite around here. I'll also bring up someone like Kabaka Pyramid (who may just be a damn genius) ["I am a liberal opposer, practitioner of yoga"], Damian Marley and Jah Mason as examples of others who have demonstrated their ability to thrill us and challenge us mentally during their careers (again, there're others, but I constantly mention them so I wanted to change it up).
Everyone I've named this far make music which is, predominately, of the Roots Reggae variety which is a platform which makes it easier for one to show what they've learned from a book and, maybe, even what they've learned in everyday life. If you move the proverbial cursor to the Dancehall, you run into far more limitations in my opinion. Here, because of the inherent nature of the subject of the music (a lot of Dancehall music is about one of the '3 G's': Girls, Guns and Ganja) (and it has been that way for a long ass time) showing what you've may have picked up along the way in the brain region of the body is different. Still, in a genre which is basically backboned by street smarts (or a lack thereof), we do have a few examples of artists who have shown that they have a definite appetite for learning. I can recall during his early years how much people paid attention the background of one Vybz Kartel. In his earlier years we rarely heard his name without a mention of his academic pursuits and, although they were not 'lofty' at all, the idea was to attempt to explain how this lyrical wizard had come to prominence. I can also remember hearing similar things about the former Assassin (now Agent Sasco) and, to this day, Sasco is someone who ROUTINELY makes Dancehall music from an 'enlightened' point of view, pinnacling with his 2016 album, "Theory Of Reggaetivity".
2004 & 2006
Someone else who has made a far more than respectable career for themselves largely via the strength of her ability to convey a downright EXLPOSIVE wit and intelligence has been the all kinds of remarkable Tanya Stephens. To put it simply: When she's at her best, Tanya Stephens just always seems to know what to say. She can back herself into any lyrical corner and either dance out of it gracefully or crowbar her way back to center - there is always some nugget of wizardry at the other end. Stephens has the history to back it up as well, having been with us since the early 1990s'. Her style has always been loaded heavily on the street-smarts side, but Stephens has exhibited this with a level of progression which, at least from my experience, is emblematic of someone who has either spent quite a bit of time in a classroom or has otherwise a deep thirst of knowledge. During her rise, she was often compared to her contemporary, Lady Saw. In retrospect, an excellent contrast could be made between the two if you look at their more 'risque' songs, in particular. With songs such as 'Life Without Dick', If Him Lef' and probably a hundred others, Lady Saw was a battering ram of sexual energy at times (and an underrated lyricist and a FANTASTIC deliverer of the spoken word). Stephens, on the other hand was more adroit and her songs -- even the dirty ones -- provoked and required a bit more thought from her listeners. In my opinion, Tanya Stephens hit a peak in the mid 2000's on the strength of a pair of the greatest albums the Dancehall has ever produced: 2004's "Gangsta Blues" and "Rebelution" from a couple of years later (both released by VP Records). They were, collectively, GENIUS; and though much of the work that comprises those two sets features the artist at or near her best (DUH!), it wasn't out of character. It was, essentially, Tanya Stephens being Tanya Stephens. Prior to those releases her catalogue was already solid and was highlighted by an earlier pair of offerings from VP Records, "Too Hype" and "Ruff Rider" (the latter was nearly outstanding) (and, if you're interested (and you are), in 2009 VP released a lovely compilation, "Tanya Stephens: Collection Of Hits"), so there was ample reason to pay attention to Tanya Stephens, especially when she's in the album-making mood and, luckily, that is where she's at these days. Her latest drop, "Some Kinda Madness", is now out for your approval (or whatever else you want to do with it) (that's your business). In her two albums following her time with VP, Stephens has gone in two different directions. In 2010, there was "Infallible" which (was not very good) was given away freely online and you can probably still find it bouncing around somewhere and then there was "Guilty" from late 2014 for Sanctum Entertainment which I don't believe I had ever heard of prior and have not heard from since. For "Some Kinda Madness", however (THANKFULLY), things are much different as the new album finds the star teaming up with, BY FAR, one of the most trusted and reliable imprints in all of Reggae music, Tad's Records. Not too long ago at all we told you about the excellent "Two Colors" release Tad's did with the legendary Dean Fraser and Ernie Ranglin and, even recent-er (WHAT!) Tad's also did "M.O.A.M", the new album from sweet singing Hezron. It's like that. Tad's is the goods and they have been for a very long time. So given the circumstances, though the 'competition' isn't exactly the strongest, "Some Kinda Madness" became my most anticipated Tanya Stephens album in over fifteen years. Also, I've enjoyed seeing the early buzz surrounding this one as it has definitely shown just how passionate and plentiful Tanya Stephens' fanbase is after all of these years. Therefore, the only question remaining is how the album manages to deal with these lofty expectations. Let's find out.
The first thing you'll notice about "Some Kinda Madness" is probably its size. At nearly an hour and a third spread out over TWENTY tracks, with only one being less than three minutes long (strangely enough its shortest is also its strongest), the album definitely seems as if Stephens was intent on both making up for lost time and getting a lot of things off her chest. Unloading first is 'Be Who We Be', an anti-judgmental slap at those who refuse to give others their space as individuals. I took this one in a variety of different ways including maybe parents who're entirely too involved in the lives of their children (proud to say that I have never been such a father) to others just far too quick to spray the criticisms. It can have a really bad effect on people (and it's just annoying as hell also) and Stephens is sure to say what she thinks about such actions ["If you no like what you see, betta you take off on the next plane"]. 'Intervention' is almost funny, as the artist finds herself in a life-and-death struggle against... nature.
"Intervention, intervention-
Mi friend dem gather round and everybody ah mention-
Dem no like di type weh mi time ah spend pon
I guess dem forget my intention
Yuh si mi sekkle already, mi nah want another
And mi no waan meet nobody mada
That's why mi draw fi a likkle choppa wid some oil fi give
Ambition likkle but di dick still big"
Strictly looking for a good time with all of the serious things having worked themselves, Stephens is wondering what all the fuss is about. The song retains a subtle comedic edge to it throughout (strictly based on what is said) which helped to make it a favourite of mine after all was said and done from "Some Kinda Madness". Also, I'd point to a tune such as 'Intervention' as a good example of what you should expect if you haven't listened to much Tanya Stephens in the past. It is definitely a dirty song, but it is in a way requiring some level of thought on the listener; and it never threatens to dominate the tune in anyway. Next is 'Too Much Party', a tune building PRECISELY on its title. You see, Tanya's had a bit too much to drink and she had too much fun last night and today she has to pay for her actions. I'm an overthinker, of course, and I hear songs like this and I always attempt to find some greater meaning in it, but I was completely incapable of doing it here. I can't speak from experience, but I'm sure it's very relatable, but I do not get he full feeling that 'Too Much Party' is about alcoholism or anything like such, it's just about that single point of time where, maybe (CLEARLY) you overdo it and have to deal with what comes next. Like its predecessor on the album, 'Too Much Party' is also somewhat funny (considering that Stephens swears off drinking by song's end... well, at least until the weekend that is) which, again, works in its favour, ultimately. Things get really interesting with the downright intoxicating 'Zig Ziggler'. It's tempting as hell to listen to this one superficially and just enjoy the nice, tropical vibes to it, but if you choose to dig beneath that at all, you'll stumble upon a nice motivating and uplifting message. On ANY tune from Stephens, you definitely need to have the antenna up but I won't blame you should you get distracted on "Zig Ziggler' as it is also one of the easiest spins on "Some Kinda Madness". In that same discussion would be early single 'FIFTY' which places Tanya Stephens alongside Dancehall enigma, the Queen of The Pack, Patra. The infectious BOUNCE on this tune is the second strongest of its kind on the album (I'm going to tell you about THE best next) and the two veterans use it to make for such a fun time. 'FIFTY' is just VIBES! It does have kind of a bigger statement behind it, essentially saying not too overlook and underrate the elders and I also think it speaks, ever so slightly, to the longevity of its stars, but it is just a good time had and it's always nice when your typical listening routine leads you to Patra (who is in a fine form here) ["Forty good, but fifty ahgo better. Real goodas girl get tighter and wetter. Patra, di original queen, trendsetter. Have a .33 and buss it up like berretta"].
On track six of "Some Kinda Madness" is an absolute GEM of a Dancehall tune by the name of 'Aloe Vera' It sounds nothing like it at all but, for some reason, it reminds me of one 'Boom Wuk' from the aforementioned "Gangsta Blues". This Tony Kelly aided drop is the single finest moment on this release to my opinion, as it not only features a Stephens TOTALLY dialed in at her cleverest, but it also comes equipped with a soaring authentic Dancehall riddim which compliments it perfectly (DJ Sunshine's Bumpa Riddim). 'Aloe Vera' is the type of song I would have wanted to hear going into this album -- it would have been incomplete without it -- and from the very first time I heard it, it did not disappoint. The second biggest winner from this batch (biggup Batch) of songs is definitely the impressive 'Weight In Gold' which features the incomparable Nadine Sutherland. Sutherland's guest credits say that she just may be THE greatest 'featurer' in the history of Reggae music and her present can only improve what is there. 'Weight In Gold' is not an exception as the Kingston native actually 'threatens' to steal the show from Stephens, still in a good lyrical form, on a song all about instilling pride and self esteem into its listeners. A Sabrina Qureshi joins in on the jovial 'Jezebel', a tune certain to get people up and moving (my daughter absolutely loves this song) (Wife just cast her vote for it as well). I had to listen to 'Jezebel' quite a few times to get what was at the center of it and what I come away with from it now is that it's a story about a 'rule' breaking kind of heroine - a song meant to inspire people, women in particular. It's dynamic and damn pleasing to listen to as well with this inherently LARGE sound that it pulls. 'Blame It On Rock & Roll' is another big sounding selection and one I was kind of surprised to see here. There is a hint of a Reggae bounce here behind all of the other sounds you'll hear, but I don't love this song and it just may be my least favourite song on "Some Kinda Madness" altogether. By comparison (and just on its on), 'Not Today' is some damn ear candy. The song taps a version of an older riddim best known for supporting Israel Vibration's classic 'Same Song' (and you will find yourself singing 'Same Song' at times listening to 'Not Today'). This track grew on me a bit from the first few times I listened to it as I got more and more into the message of it. It's just a statement about REFUSING to feel bad and have a bad day. Sometimes you wake up and you feel entirely too good to fuck up that day and 'Not Today' is about THAT day. It isn't the most detailed that you'll ever hear Tanya Stephens and, at least as far as actually GOOD songs go, it's probably the broadest she is on this album, but it works!
Okay, for me, the first half of "Some Kinda Madness" is much better than its second. The most noticeable difference between the two is the music. The latter portions of the set features a variety of different sounds from Reggae to Rock to almost Country. There is nothing that really leaps out at me with the possible exception of the album's final offering (billed as a *Bonus Track*), by far its best in the area and one of its finest altogether. Before there, however, we do run into one or two others which did stick with me. The venerable Big Youth brings his signature joy to bejewel 'Reset' and, as always, makes it a memorable moment. Balanced by a classic composition, Big Youth and Stephens talk about that wonderful time in your life where lust and infatuation is in the process of maturing into love and how it makes you have to.... take a second and breathe sometimes to fully take in everything. Long overlooked veteran vocalist Singer J also makes an appearance on the very next tune, the well solid old school licked title track. This piece actually accompanies 'Reset' well as it deals with the wonderfully and beautifully chaotic NATURE of love and all the things that we do in the name of it. 'Some Kinda Madness' is a PERFECT way of describing and the song isn't bad either. In retrospect, it has grown on me substantially, really, and it ranks as one of the better songs on the album named for it. 'Feels Like Love' also leaves a nice impression, almost strictly on the strength of its vibes.
"There's an energy flowing through me
I don't know what it is but it feels so good, I said it feels so good
You got me bouncing up walls and tabled
Wide-eyed, bushy-tailed, up like morning wood
Like a morning wood
Hmmm, it's so good, I don't wanna reject it
I think it keeps us connected
It feels like love, so I'mma call it love
It feels like love
And so it must be love"
There is hair (a FOLLICLE) of some sort of different emotion behind 'Feels Like Love' which makes me think that maybe Stephens had a MOMENT on this song. At times it almost seems lke she's dealing with some feelings that you rarely hear from her. This one also represents one of the very few times where a Tanya Stephens PERFORMANCE threatens to overwhelm her words. Later on is a tune well worthy of attention as it jumps out on paper at you and it was probably the first song from "Some Kinda Madness" that I knew was from this album, 'Diamonds in The Sun', a combination with the also enigmatic (and utter genius) Diana King and, the king's daughter, Cedella Marley. From a strictly sonic point of view (as its title would suggest and make you hope it would be), 'Diamonds in The Sun' has a spectacular sound about it and it is a decent tune (Marley's vocals are going to make a lot of people wish she made more music), but it didn't really hit me with anything that stayed with me. You'll remember it because of the parties involved, without a doubt, but I don't know that you'll remember it for any other reason. The album's final guest, Kelly Shane, makes her appearance on a song that may stay with you for the exact opposite reason, the very interesting 'So Damaged'. You may not remember Shane's name (she's Tanya Stephenson's daughter and she has a VERY unique voice) (so maybe you should!), but you'll recall the unusual pacing of 'So Damaged'. The two sing on top of each other frequently, by design, and it sounds almost sloppy at times, but there is some quality here which has had me listening to it several times... wondering exactly what the hell am I listening to at times, but so be it. As I alluded to, the album's closer, 'Silence' is very strong. The word that first comes to mind in reference to 'Silence' is definitely "COMPREHENSIVE". What it does, it does it to a fine degree: Speaking out on the importance of speaking out. She thrills.
"Opinionate, pontificate
Replace, research and investigate
Victim-shaming, survivor-blaming
Villify the oppressed, justify the hate
How will the children ever be free-
When every time we talk about the internal enemy-
You beat them back into silence?
When I look at my people it's not too puzzlin-
To see how dem musclin and force di muzzle in
Got admitted, inna big house, free liquor guzzlin
NOW OPPRESSING EACH OTHER HAS REDEFINED HUSTLIN
And we can't even see we're into this together
KEEPS US BOUND TO THE FLOOR SO MUCH TIGHTER THAN EVER
THEY REFURBISHED THE SHIPS AND THEY ADDED SOME PLANKS
NOW WE BE PROUD TO WEAR THEIR NAME AND CHOP THE CANE
Volunteers, supervisors inflict so much pain
THEY WILL NEVER NEED TO CRACK THE WHIP AGAIN
AND THE PLANTATION SURVIVES ON SILENCE!
If we can't overcome ourselves and bounce confusion
Them I'm afraid there'll be no solution
I'm losing hope of reconciliation
Seems the train already pulled away from that station
I, never asked for a standing ovation
Just the right to speak, seated in my imagination
It's getting hard to resist in the silence"
Both extremely detailed and extremely broad at times, 'Silence' is lyrical WIZARDRY of the highest caliber and it's interesting that she chose a fairly specific social commentary for the time, making it, at least in my opinion, come through as both very organic and rehearsed (if that makes any sense at all) (and it probably does not). The song is the second longest on the whole of "Some Kinda Madness", at just north of four and a half minutes and it leaves absolutely no stone unturned.
I wish that I could say that was it but, in the name of being thorough (which is just my thing), I will mention the four remaining tracks here, 'Don't Hurt Me', 'World Goes Round', the very odd 'Serendipity' (thee longest song on the album) and 'River'. 'Don't Hurt Me' is Country-ish, it isn't terrible (none of these are), but I took nothing from it. It's break up, lovelorn... stuff. Pretty much the stereotype of Country music songs. 'World Goes Round' is Pop (???) and it sticks with me most because it has an annoying chorus. I do not like that thing at all. 'Serendipity' is strange. It masquerades as a children's song but most certainly is NOT. It's almost a parody of sorts for people who simply believe what they are told and Stephens seems to revel in playing the 'character' spinning this old weird ass tale. And for its part, 'River' is almost entirely unexceptional. I'll note it for the vocal performance from Stephens. I'm not going to sit here and call it underrated, it is not, but when she needs it, she has a solid, raspy singing voice which works for her. The album would have been better sans any of these tunes in my opinion and I hate to say that but "Some Kinda Madness" is a large project and it didn't need to be this big.
Overall, by its end, "Some Kinda Madness" does provide listeners, both new and old, with enough glimpses of the state-of-the-art processor that is the mind of its star. Sure, part of that (maybe a large part) has to do with its size. It's large enough to make a few fumbles and sweep them away (I would guess that the twenty tracks on this album were probably cut from a group of a few dozen, in deciding on what would ultimately be featured on the project). However, with that being said, it is not to the levels of the previously mentioned "Gangsta Blues" and "Rebelution", but that's fine. For me, "Some Kinda Madness" is best looked at as something of a 'catch-up' to what Tanya Stephens has been working on. Even when she was younger she was never the type to jump on every single popular riddim and, generally speaking, it has been my observation that she tends to become more active when she does have an album in the works (which is a pretty good way of operating). When you do arrive here and do begin to see what she's been up to, what you will find is that Tanya Stephens' wit remains amongst the very sharpest in the game and, again, although it may not steer her in this case to her absolute best, "Some Kinda Madness" let us into, BY FAR, one of the most calculated and damn interesting minds Reggae music has ever come across.
