Is it BLASPHEMY?

Because of this man-

        I haven't listened to Dancehall or Reggae in weeks! 




                                What! 

This may have something to do with.....I'll um...explain.

IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL

Continuing my online community service-

A big shout out to the BOOMRUSH PRODUCTION crew of GERMANY. Find them here in the mean time.

www.boomrush-productions.de

A teaser...

THE SACRED BELIEF

 A few years ago VP Records dropped a batch of releases by some of my favorite heavies. I snatched up RICHIE SPICE'S Book of JOB immediately and spun it thru the week. Sadly it just didn't carve itself as deep into my memory as it should of. It still remains sorta half forgotten. 

LADY SAW'S My Way has landed in my CD player maybe a half-a-dozen times since that initial drop. I should say fall. ( I know I was feeling more optimistic in my original review.)(Wait...I review records?) Now her record from the year 1997 (aptly titled) PASSION, that one I spin like it's still fresh on the airwaves. 

Could it be that some of the Reggae Dancehall's big veterans were becoming stale? Uninspired maybe?

So with all those concerns weighing on my mind the rumour that Capleton's big disc for 2010, his long awaited I-Ternal...I should expect it to be a slight disappointment. I heard the few big teaser singles like "Acres" that preceded the initial drop date....everything sounded good but I foolishly waited till the price become more budget friendly. I mean I-Ternal didn't top any of the trusted lists. There were no reports that I-Ternal overheated stereo components and set speakers ablaze. So I waited patiently...

http://www.capletonmusic.com/ 

He goes by King Shango, The Fyahman and of course Capleton. His birth certificate reads Clifton George Bailey III but that is a degrading name from left-over colonization. Whatever you call him ...don't call I-Ternal Fire anything less than masterpiece!

I-Ternal is a different kind of fire. Quieter perhaps but no less hot. And was most definitely a top 5 drop of 2010. And another brilliant disc in a long succession of Fyah themed VP Record releases.

Nothing is ever that simple is it? Mr. Sizzla Kalonji, a professed devout Rastafarian, spews out Dutty Mouth with as much equal lust as he gives Thanks and Praise to Jah. Where as Capleton never leaves you in doubt that he loves his woman, he just does it with polite manners using tunes like "Good in her clothes!" off of MORE FIRE. He safely swerves around those dangerous curves! 
Sizzla, by virtue of his massive schedule, is bound to make a few minor mistakes! He has percentages working against him. Although it is never his skill level or his taste that betrays him. It simply that we have heard it before. Usually by him. Maybe even a multitude of times. Generic Sizzla? Say it ain't so!

Already thinking a dozen records ahead!

If ya thought that ACHIS is an over achiever check this page! 

http://thesizzlaproject.wordpress.com/

SIZZLA did commit some heartfelt sentiments to disc in order warm up the cold world of plastic coated digital recordings.

A Kalonji / VP Records joint effort.

http://www.afro-jam.com/

I guess following on the heels of his spectacular SCRIPTURES these two discs entered the world with a little less fanfare. Both are truly strong foundation statements. IN GAMBIA and THE CHANT deserve your full attention. Give it! Both these discs are an aural snapshot of his "return" to Mama Africa. 

I came across a handful of Sizzla tracks on SOUNDCLOUD before AFRO-JAM dropped THE CHANT.  Production by Kemson Macgyver Fenton's ICE REIGN RECORDS. These tunes ended up being my most played Sizzla tracks of 2012. Period. Amazing stuff from out of nowhere! Well from Harare Zimbabwe actually. Do check this link out...and do your ears a favor. 

https://soundcloud.com/user7268296

Anthony B- I don't know what to say. Is it his voice? Could be. Is it his lyrics? Not sure. So what makes Anthony B so incredible? Damn good question. Is it that in a career that officially stretches back to 1996... in all those years...that he has never dropped a bad disc! Not a single one. 
Even the always dubious Penitentiary Records and their (Anthony B probably doesn't paid one shiny penny in royalties!) GATHER and COME collection of early random tunes is a massive disc. 

Is this release a less-than-lagal affair?

It is what it is and this disc melted my car stereo. The car's stock little unit couldn't handle the truth!

He knows

http://www.anthonybmusic.net/

Anthony B's FREEDOM FIGHTER is most definitely a top drop of 2012.  A great production from the IRIE VIBRATIONS crew. 

I am planning on doing a "spotlight"write up FREEDOM FIGHTER in the near future. Or I could get lazy and wait for ACHIS to do a much more thorough job. 

Again...if I compiled this short list of favorites ten years ago...BUJU BANTON would of topped it at number one. Period. 

BELIEVE ME...

When the mood strikes me to spin something that is happening right now, I sorta have my top unholy three must listens. And on the flip side I have my guilt free top three righteous choices. 

Modern Dancehall is sort of split between two mentalities with a bit of fuzzy thinking in between. Those two mentalities are the sacred and the secular. The turban Dreads versus the barbered fades and braids.

                                   AN UN-HOLY TRIO!

 MAVADO started out as my absolute fave of slack talk and gun play. His tunes stank of gritty and dark realities. Mavado is pure evil! But with only two brilliant long players to his credit and several fistfuls of hit singles, ranging from pure genius (produced by the DiGenius of course) too being merely average. Of course "average" Mavado is still far superior to most radio airplay. So Mavado slid down to third on my list. Besides spending to many studio hours stateside with Lil' Wayne's crew has gotten me nervous.

Please prove me wrong.

And in the beginning...

VYBZ on the other hand...well I must admit...I think he gets better and better as he continues too sell out! Well...past tense anyway since he traded his posh trimmings and plushy punnany for a room with iron bars and a boyfriend named Bubba. Don't drop the soap Adi. 

Vybz is a persistent fame whore. The network may of cancelled his TV show the "TEACHA'S PET." His brand of rum may of went dry. So has he failed stardom? I think he'll be around for a long time.

In need of some serious JAH GUIDANCE!

I played this all summer long. Then thru the fall. Then thru the winter.

BUSY SIGNAL has blown up from Gully apprentice to Jamaican supernova. The man can effortless shift between genres as seemingly opposite as Country to Dancehall.(Kenny Rodger's "The Gambler" on VP's REGGAE GONE COUNTRY fer instance.) Words like gifted and blessed are often used to describe him. Words usually used to describe the BOBO chanters. 

If I posted this list ten years ago, Bounty Killer most certainly would of occupied the top spot. But after years of being behind the scenes. Alright, he does on occasion poke his head out from behind the curtain to drop a guest vocal or tease us with glimpse of that hungry miser-rebel youth grown older.

Gifted and immensely talented.

Why does BUSY earn one of the top spots in my bad minded trio if he is all big heart and tender soul? This...

These tunes are as filthy as the soiled sheets from a LA porn set!

One of 2012's best if not the single best release of last year!

Part II coming very soon....

FREE is GOOD

BABY DANTE here again...just a quick note...stop by http://www.reggaeville.com/ for a FREE 2012 yearbook in downloadable PDF and a bonus MP3 EP of the REGGAEVILLE RIDDIM!

                         That mi friend is a win win situation! 

Curiosities

Perfect Giddimani is...well a perfect example of a singer who likes too a ride a riddim his own way. But compared to Marie-Claire he still sounds steeped in roots traditions. Okay...you say how about that brother from another planet...you know...Sizzla Kalonji? Sizzla whose recorded output probably equals half of Jamaica's gross capital exports has dropped a track covering just about every genre except maybe Norwegian Death Metal.

But this is truly different. This will please the aperitif sipping bourgeois who most assuredly knows that drum driven music is made by uncivilised barbarians. What am I talking about? 

Classical music, especially that acquired taste Opera. Wait don't cringe. Now Sizzla may hit a few notes that only dogs can hear but as for as I know he has never rocked Puccini. 

                                         She can. 

Here is a brief version of the official press release...

marie-claire’s passion to seamlessly blend her classically trained voice with hip-hop, reggae, dancehall, jazz, rock and any other genre is a result of her love of the lands that birthed these sounds as well as the power of the genres themselves. It only takes one listen to her amazing voice on DJ Logic’s The Anomaly, or her songs “red” and “desperation” to know that power. Now this blend of Opera, Hip-Hop and Reggae has been condensed into a mature, sexy, and delightful EP- a fitting description of marie-claire herself. the dreamland project boasts five songs each unique in their own right. “constellation”, is a beautiful balled written by celebrated Reggae singer / songwriter Bob Andy; “charcoal”, written by marie-claire herself, has a definite rock influence and showcases her range; a remake of the El Tempo’s classic “dreamland” made famous by Bunny Wailer shines through on the album as well.

“summertime” is an ode to hip-hopera and features Drezion. Her version of Bob Marley’s “rastaman chant” features an appearance by Dancehall veteran Spragga Benz. Apart from Paul Bailey’s contribution to the “dreamland” track, all tracks and vocals were recorded at Champagne International Studios by in-house producer Dre (Tenament Yard).

A mix of reggae and funk with operatic influences flavored throughout, it illustrates her growth as an artist and is sure to be a staple in every music lover’s collection. This ‘girlfullofgold’ is a treasure you don’t want to miss!

Some links...check 'em out heathen!

www.reverbnation.com/marieclairemusic

www.facebook.com/marieclairemusic

Notice SPRAGGA BENZ shows up to share a tune with her! He is every where lately. Making cameos in videos. Mr. Lex's Swag Dag Diggy comes to mind. Also generously lending his vocal skill when and where needed. Yeah...he is every where but on his own records! Spragga is long over due with his own drop.

THE TEACHERS BARRED

My three day old son has shamed me into dusting off a stack of old drafts....
Here is post written way back during the first stages of VYBZ KARTEL'S incarceration...

I once asked myself the proverbial, "name your top ten artists of all time question." I personally couldn't narrow my favorite Reggae talents down so easily. I go through too many wild music mood swings. One week my body will feign for heavy doses of window rattling King Tubby Dubs...

This man tortures my woofers!

...and the next week I'll go through a Gully versus Gaza war on my turntable. No clear winner. You get the idea. Speaking of the Gully vs Gaza conflict...

Image "borrowed" from MTV.UK

Now that Vybz is behind bars for crimes he probably did commit, the time is ripe ( Claims he was framed! Granted the whole payback theory for not performing at last year's STING by promoter Isaiah Laing is an interesting spin probably dreamed up by his lawyers!) Oh yeah...the time is ripe for a reevaluation of his work. 

Image "borrowed" from theislandvibes

                           GAZA vs BIG BUSINESS!

The record company's that represent his catalogue will probably scramble to release a collection of "newly" discovered tracks. Usually those tracks that were considered inferior or a miss fit to whatever release they were slated for and then wisely garbage binned. As of 1.1.13 Tad's records has. Maybe VP Records will do a domestic release of The Teachers Back. 

Prices start around $35

A disc considered one of Vybz single best releases made accessible to those fans with tight budgets. As of 1.1.13 they haven't. I almost feel bad that I had to downloaded a pirated version. 

Has anybody read this yet? Drop me some feed-back.

DANTE'S First Post

My name is DANTE

Sorry to say...but my Dad has been slacking big with this blog!  Regrettably, I had to get drastic and put the knit booties to my Dad's lazy butt. His last post was before I was even conceived for crying out loud. I might be only three days old...but I been soaking up last years Big Tunes and Riddims for the past 9 months. 

Unbelievable acoustics in here! 

Dad checked the stats on his YouTube page and discovered that SHAKIRA'S Waka Waka was his most ever played video,(Dad usually mumbles to Mom's pumpkin belly something like, "Pay attention son cause someday your gonna be a big star football forward like MESSI and buy me and your mum a house).

All right...my Dad might be a living fossil...but he does have  good ears for great beats.This video is a sun drenched summer blast. Sweet Jamaica by Dancehall favorite, MR. VEGAS side by side with SHAGGY and JOSEY WALES. 

JOSEY dresses a lot like my Dad's Italian uncles. Wink wink. Ya know from the old country. Director extraordinaire JAY WILL re shot an All-star extravaganza version in celebration of Jamaica's Fiftieth! My Dad is 48. 

My Dad plays this video an awful lot. I don't get it...but hey I'm just a nursing infant. Dad plays this when I get cranky. I will admit that it is a soothing tune to wake up to. It is GOLDEE'S Chaque Jour. Another one that's goes back at least 4 long years into the fossil record. 

Obviously being three days old makes me a modern guy and I like things current. My favorite video pick of the day is Why Yuh Mad from SPICE and TIFA. I think it rides the DOG BITE RIDDIM. Now this....!

         All yuh can nurse boobie buffet! 

Mom makes faces of disapproval when she catches my Dad watching this.

                        I want mi Reggae Dancehall! 

                          Or I keep yuh up all night...