Search - Natural Black :: Cool Nuh Black

Logical Duo. . .

Achis | Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM | 03/20/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The ridiculously high level of roots reggae emanating from outside of Jamaica continues to grow and grow. With such networks as Trinidad and Tobago, the US (and British for that matter) Virgin Islands and even St. Vincy getting involved in pushing some of the finest current roots material, the rest of the Caribbean is serving notice to Jamaica that the message is being heard and followed. Another venue bubbling nicely with hardcore roots talents over the past decade is often overlooke Guyana in South America. Artists such as Yahadanai from the I-Grade camp (who needs a new album like yesterday), Ras Mac Bean and up and coming group act First Born are slowly putting Guyana on the map as a force to be reckoned with in the reggae world. Generally, every single artist, as it has been to date to emerge from Guyana has been all about chatting conscious lyrics over the nice solid one drop riddims to which the trend has been reverting to recently in Jamaica, and no different to that vibe is easily the most successful, and unusual talent to ever come Guyana (with the exception, of course, of Eddy Grant) in the reggae arena, Natural Black. Black, who has taken his career to the home of reggae music, moving to Jamaica over a year ago. Natural Black has paved the way for a future (and reportedly wickedly deep aside from just First Born) of Guyanese roots reggae artists to follow, having attained a newly found level of popularity here in Jamaica, routinely only to natives.



Aside from representing his own homeland, Black also represents the new wave of new-age roots reggae talent absolutely brimming in Jamaica. The `new class' features a healthy mix of wicked singers, chanters as well as pure dj's and offers what will probably prove to be some of the most crucial artists to ever emerge in reggae music. Names such as I-Wayne, Jah Cure, Lutan Fyah, Fantan Mojah and Turbulence all prove to at the very least attempt to take the music to the next level, filling the shoes of such legends as Sizzla Kalonji (who is still relatively young, I.e. younger than Black), Capleton, Anthony B and Luciano. While Lutan Fyah figures to be the dominant lyricist and the soon release Cure, the dominant singer of that bunch (and Turbulence, the dominant. . . Recorder) Natural Black's place in the mix is still to be determined. Black, whose style is probably best described as a lightened up version of Buju Banton, has scored hits previously in Jamaica, including To My Bonafide, Songs With Feelings and his first #1 track Far From Reality over Vendetta's sparkling Seasons Riddim.



That brings us forth to Cool Nuh Black. The album, officially Natural Black's fourth to date (with the fifth, Jah Guide, already loaded and ready to go from Greensleeves) , finds Black rightfully linking up with one of the most underrated producers in the game, Vizion Sounds' Walter Fraser. Fraser, a Guyana native himself, has been fully responsible for pushing some of the heavier vibes coming out of Guyana. Besides being in-house producer, as well as manager for First Born, Fraser's Vizion Sounds was also responsible for recording the criminally overlooked Gideon from Luciano in 2005, which featured the Messenjah taking such a unique variation on his style, towards a more story telling vibes, including the brilliant Unsolved Mystery, was my choice for one of the most overlooked albums of that year, and a long time in reggae altogether. The marriage of Guyana's biggest producer and the country's biggest act altogether in reggae , seemed only a logical match (now if someone could just give Yahadanai the address) seemed like such a `natural' fit and the results amount to what may actually be Black's most diverse set to date. His previous albums, with the exception of his most recent, the brilliant Far Away From Reality, have been very very solid, but somewhat suffered on the production side due to a lack of imagination (not including the crazy crazy Chiguen, on his debut, World War), thankfully Fraser's work doesn't suffer from such fallout as he has spared no expense in tapping some of the finest studios and session players to back Black.



Natural Black's true skill and best talent has always been his free-wheeling nature and his ability to pull vibes from almost anywhere (pick up his second album, Spiritual Food to see exactly what I mean, some CRAZY melodies on that album) and although he can always go with the more traditional style (check the Far From Reality album), he seems far more at home when the reins are left completely off. While Fraser doesn't exactly let him do whatever crosses his mind ( I imagine that would have made Cool Nuh Black a double (and maybe even triple) album), he does give him more leeway than any of his previous 3 producers. Thus, as I mentioned the results are very diverse as `Cool' finds Black trying several different styles, seamlessly going from ruff, ganja driven DJ, straight to solemn chanting Rastaman and to (close friend and mentor) Beres Hammond style lover's rock singer without so much as batting an eye.



The best track on Cool Nuh Black is probably the rather high pulsed opener, High Grade. The song is perhaps the finest example of Black's bst talent on the entire Cool Nuh Black album, he is able to save a vibes from going sour by merely. . . being himself. Love the usage of background singers on High Grade, and although it stands as the album's obligatory herbalist track (and I challenge you to find a modern roots reggae album which doesn't have one), it is a truly powerful track which at one point finds Black turning pure singer. High Grade is also armed with one of the finest hooks on Cool Nuh Black, with again, credit going to the background singers and Fraser.



After High Grade you still have very powerful tracks. The best (and I actually go back and forth between it and High Grade as the album's standout) is the lovely Exalt His Name. The lush nyah drum backing gives it a nice power which makes it sound like something from Tarrus Riley's or Warrior King's recent catalogue. Exalt His Name is, of course, a praising track to HIM, and one of the finest styles of those tracks you'll find anywhere within the past 5 years or so, its wonderful! Exalt His Name is actually one of the tracks that makes the entire Cool Nuh Black album better (I know that sounds odd, but as a WONDERFUL example of such a phenomenon, check Health & Strength from Warrior King's debut, Virtuous Woman). So if you happen to have the fortune (as I did) of playing the album straight through, the track which immediately follows Exalt His Name, Any Means Necessary, will sound so much better! Any Means Necessary is MASSIVE! A continuance along that same vibe, and you'll arrive at Cool Nuh Black's strongest love track, the aptly titled Special Love. The song actually leads the album into a more laid back type of vibe with which you'll probably actually best remember it for, but without a doubt, Special Love is amongst Natural Black's most compelling offerings in his entire career.



Probably the single-most interesting track on Cool Nuh Black, however, is the closer, Jah Blessings with up and coming Guyanese group, First Born. Its actually a combination I've been waiting to hear (along with Black and the wicked wicked Ras Mac Bean) and its to Fraser's credit and Cool Nuh Black's benefit that it has now, exclusively (it missed First Born's most recent album, Irits) been included here. The track is amongst the album's most uptempo and bouncy and works nicely, showing the third nice combination from First Born with a major artist after the nice Uplift Yourself with Fantan Mojah, produced by Fraser for Mojah's debut Hail the King; and the even stronger Cut and Go Through combination with Luciano from the Gideon album, definitely nice works and a nicer catalogue being built by the young First Born.



There are no weak tracks here at all, however, other standouts include the rather vibrant Found my Roots bubbling nicely over one of the most complicated riddims on the album, love that track (probably armed with the greatest 'slow dance potential' on Cool Nuh Black), although it is one of the more straight forward tracks on the album. Check (speaking of complicated) I've Got Love. I've Got Love is yet another half-style from Black as he goes from his usual chant to throwing it up a pitch with virtually no warning over the high-tech one-drop Fraser riddim. Lastly, I'd recommend Heathen, sounding like something straight out of Tuff Gong studio (where at least a portion of Cool Nuh Black was recorded). Heathen captures Black in a solemn mood, but ripping one of the best tracks on the album altogether, and would actually be my choice for the first single here (if not Gideon Soldier, which I have to mention).



My only real complaint of Cool Nuh Black would be the failure to include a real dancehall vibes. Natural Black has one of the most comprehensive and raw styles out there, definitely would have loved to see Fraser take full advantage of it, so although still a very very strong album, Cool Nuh Black does have a somewhat mechanical feel to it, however, one that is easily forgivable.



Overall, definitely recommending this hard to find gem. Loved seeing it available on Amazon (now hopefully they can line up Gideon and Irits)which may mean teh label, Vizion Sounds, is putting a bigger effort into promotion. However, regardless of how you may encounter Cool Nuh Black, definitely find a way. It may someday prove to be a landmark album in Guyanese reggae, and hopefully we can see some more fine performances by Black in support of the album in Guyana (and I'm going if that happens!). Cool Nuh Black should be treated as what it is, every bit as landmark as what Midnite has done for the VI (StX), what Queen Omega did for Trinidad and what Ossie Dellimore did for St Vincy. Its the rest of the Caribbean showing that His Majesty's teachings have pierced the community as a whole and is being heard. Now YOU go hear Cool Nuh Black.

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