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.