I've Been Waiting. . .
Achis | Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM | 12/29/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Throughout my yeas of listening to music and specifically buying albums, I've noticed more than a few situations when there were albums which were delayed MORE than just a bit. Of course, its something that, as a fan of any musical genre you'll probably experience (like I'm sure the hip hop heads are currently experiencing waiting for super producer/rapper Dr. Dre's seemingly never coming album Detox) to some degree, but for reggae music, where certain artists NEVER seem to reach with albums while others ALWAYS seem to reach with several releases, a relatively big release can get shelved and literally NO ONE will notice it. For example, for me personally two of the most unusual cases which I can recall in particular just happen to be with two of the biggest named female artists in reggae today, Lady Saw and Ce'Cile. There was an ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS span of six years between the release of Lady Saw's album 99 Ways in 1998 and its follow-up, Strip Tease in 2004. I wouldn't dare bother to do such a bit of research, but reggae heads can just imagine how many albums were released by artists like Luciano, Anthony B and ESPECIALLY Sizzla in that same time frame. For Ce'Cile's part, she may have had a similar amount of time, but her situation sticks out to a great degree because she was one of the dancehall artists who signed international deals with labels (Delicious Vinyl in her case) to release albums for them. Ce'Cile would ultimately part with Delicious Vinyl still very much albumless, this despite the fact that the label, at the same time was working with Mr. Vegas (for whom they have since release two studio albums) and had previously worked with soca superstar Machel Montano & his band Xtatik. Ce'Cile would ultimately return home and sign with the up and coming Danger Zone crew and has since released three albums in approximately a year. Buju Banton also had/has a similar situation (by his own doing, definitely) with his now MYTHICAL album Rasta Got Soul which was reportedly set to topple his own classic `til Shiloh upon its release. That album was apparently ditched (again, by Buju himself) last minute in favour of the far more HARSH Too Bad in 2006, which in retrospect was probably a pretty good idea at the time. There have also been cases with the likes of Capleton (working on five years now since his last release Reign Of Fire), Bounty Killer (seven years in his case) and currently we're wondering if Bonty Killer's infamous Alliance crew, whose album was set for 2008, will EVER arrive at all. For a musical genre which SO doesn't build itself for the concept of releasing albums, yet really does release so many of them, there have been some really ODD occurrences over the years.
I can also remember a few years back when, near the peak of their 'life', UK giant reggae label Greensleeves signed (ALMOST ANYBODY!) to contracts once hot dancehall DJ Predator and (never hot) Kid Kurrupt for albums. To date, those albums have never materialized and to be perfectly honest I was expecting the same to be true in this case of Norris Man who, unlike Predator and Kurrupt, certainly hasn't had any problem getting his releases out to the masses. Around that very same time I stumbled upon what has become perhaps my favourite non-Caribbean reggae music label, Lustre Kings Productions due to their EXCELLENT Culture Dem compilation. Besides that compilation, the label apparently forecasted releases from the likes of Turbulence, Lutan Fyah, Al Pancho and Norris Man. And now, around five years later, remaining true to their word, having already delivered releases from Turbulence (The Future, released through Jet Star), Lutan Fyah (the EXCELLENT Time & Place) and Al Pancho (just a couple of months ago with Joy Bells Ringing), Lustre Kings releases Norris Man's album, Know The Road. I have to admit that, although through the years I've flipped and flopped on my own tastes of Norris Man's vibes and had reached one point, not too long ago, where I just wouldn't listen to ANYTHING he did, I have ALWAYS kept an eye out for any album he may have done with the Lustre Kings name on it. Generally, the LK names mean QUALITY roots reggae music. Even in spite of the artist perhaps, you can still be sure that what you're getting from them is about as well produced piece that it can be and Know The Road, unsurprisingly winds up being absolutely true to that rule. Know The Road (by my count) is Norris Man's eighth studio album release to date. His catalogue began way back in 2000 when he was still pretty much the `house artist' at the reputable Kings Of Kings label (ran by Colin `Iley Dread' Levy and so was Ce`Cile) when he released (on VP Records), his debut album and still one of his best to date, Persistence, built on the strength of the title track, arguably his biggest hit to date. Of particular note, there was also Home & Away released in 2006 which maybe his most complete release, again, built on the strength of the title track, definitely Norris Man's biggest hit to date if it isn't Persistence. However, besides those two very good albums, there have also been pieces like 2004's Hey Woman (Jet Star) and most recently, his last album, the very unimpressive The Heat Is On. Truth be told, his entire career and his style actually is somewhat hot and cold, which makes such an album as Know The Road all the more anticipated by me because, the one thing you can be sure of with it is that the production will be on point. Norris Man's style is at its best when he is basically given room to just flow that STRANGE chant he has into a downright DAZZLING display of roots power which is SO unique in the landscape of modern reggae (the closest would probably be what Fantan Mojah does at his best). Does Lustre Kings let Norris Man go free and do his best on Know The Road? Almost.
Further respect has to go to Lustre Kings and Norris Man as even though I had seen a cover AND a tracklist (and what a nice tracklist it was) I STILL didn't think 2008 would see the release of Know The Road as the label has proven to be MOST active in 2008 with besides releasing this piece and the aforementioned Joy Bells Ringing, it also delivered an album from UK group Nobel Society and a nice dubbed out version of Midnite's Infinite Quality which they released in 2007. Proving me wrong (again) and getting things started on Know The Road is Norris Man with the tune Sign of the Times which I think is the official first single for the album. I don't really like this song and I'll tell you why. If you REALLY listen to the tune, the sound of it are FANTASTIC, Norris sounds almost PERFECT with it and the music (like I said) is top notch, I love that swaying one drop. But the tune is BUILT on clichéd type of lyrics like if you've heard one-hundred modern reggae tunes, you could have wrote it. Its not bad, but it should have been better. Up next is Blessing Is All Yours, which also isn't he best written tune Norris Man has ever done (for that distinction, check We Are The Creators, Home & Away album), but I'd put it a notch above the opener lyrically, it doesn't sound as good as Sign of the Times, however, this one started to grow on me after awhile and I can ALMOST say that I really enjoy the sweet tune. Completing the opener of Know The Road from Norris Man and steering it back on its proper course is the MOVING Power Of Love which is EASILY one of the album's finest efforts overall. All in all, the beginning could be better but, the good stuff doesn't come until later on.
That good stuff would be a few high profile combinations alongside top notch VI chanters Pressure Busspipe and Ras Attitude and LKP favourites (and my own firstly) Lutan Fyah and Jah Dan. For all intent and purpose When Your Time Is Up is the best song on Know The Road altogether. The tune, however, has been altered a bit from the version I originally knew (over Itation's brilliant Show Love riddim) and it doesn't have the SPICE that it originally did, make no mistake about it though, the tune is still absolutely AMAZING. Nah Pollute, which features Lutan Fyah is also very good as it carries the WONDERFUL message to the people (the youths especially) to not be dragged down by the negativity and thus not `polluting' yourself and definitely to respect oneself. The tune is at least the duo's second combination together having already proven their high chemistry on the tune After All for In The Streetz. Having already heard When Your Time Is Up is having an overstanding how a Lutan Fyah/Norris Man combination might sound, the tune here I was most looking forward to was definitely We Try which features WICKED Cruzan chanter Ras Attitude. The tune doesn't disappoint AT ALL and is amongst the very best material you'll find on Know The Road altogether! WICKED WICKED tune definitely! And to end things, Jah Dan joins Norris Man on the somewhat overstated titled King of Kings of Kings, but the tune is MAGIC. It took about a half a full listen to REALLY grow on me thoroughly, but when it did, that slow paced vibe just got to the core! it's a HUGE song and in that sense credit has to go to LKP for making some nice selections on who to voice with Norris Man because in al four instances, they produced some of the album's best material which is what combinations should do ultimately. All that being said, if I weren't going to call When Your Time Is Up the best tune on Know The Road, the tune I would then point to would be the solo effort, the SCATHING No Boys Without Girls. This tune is HEAVY and it really snuck up on me as I was expecting some kind gimmicky sounding vibes but Norris Man bears down and releases a shot which will definitely reach reggae heads worldwide! Definitely! Not far behind it is a tune which literally perplexed me in its sound a bit (which isn't exactly rare when listening to Norris Man), When Babylon A Burn. This tune is VINTAGE Norris Man as its on a slower pace, but time and time again, Norris ERUPTS and goes into that somewhat wailing chant which is his and his alone (he even downright screams at points). The tune speaks to the coming of the destruction of corrupt and oppressive society under His Majesty and it's a living and breathing education in why ANYONE would love Norris Man's vibes at his absolute best. Also of particular interest of mine was (DUH!) the title track. I always tend to pay more attention lyrically to the title track of an album, assuming it to be the artist's or the producer's idea of what direction they thought the album ended up going in. in Know The Road you get a building tune (took a few times through to grow on me) which develops into such a ROYAL vibes which calls upon the masses to come into the might of His Imperial Majesty and in doing so become that much aware (thus, "know the road, see the code"). Live Yuh Life Clean is another very nice tune here (there are some VERY average tunes on Know The Road, but none which I would ultimately call BAD) with a bit more harsh lyrics built behind a more straight forward delivery from Norris Man. Wish You Were There brought back old memories as it comes floating in over (I THINK) the Time & Place riddim, that SWEET SWEET Arabian vibed piece I know from way back (check Lutan Fyah's She's Like The Rainbow). You'd have to try REALLY hard to put a bad vibes on that riddim and Wish They Were There certainly isn't a bad vibes. The tune King's Son is also very nicely done (there's an even BETTER Lutan Fyah tune of the same title check that out and that's saying A LOT because Norris Man's tune is very good) and it happens to contain what is probably the signature line of the entire album for me when Norris says on the chorus, "Every Rasta is a King's son and we got to have wisdom", DEFINITELY! The two later lover's tunes Got To Let You Know and Just Can't Get Over You both really fail to impress (although the vibes on the former are very STRONG). And lastly I'll mention Where The Wind Blows over the ultra familiar Red Razor riddim which is a decent track. The beginning isn't all the way at the top class, neither is the ending, but the MIDDLE of Know The Road is nearly magic.
Overall, in terms of quality of Norris Man's albums you can ranks Know The Road behind Persistence, Home & Away and maybe even the overlooked Captura album but probably on equal footing with the World Crisis and Better Your Soul albums. Having waited so (PATIENTLY) long for what became Know The Road, I can't actually say I'm so disappointed because I wasn't expecting much and I know Norris Man's hot and cold style. So, therefore, I'm actually quite pleased with Know The Road's results. I love the way Lustre Kings put the entire project together (as always) and especially the artists they hauled in to join Norris Man (would have loved to hear a female on the album, like Fiona maybe. . .). Like most of Norris Man's work, this one is almost exclusively recommended to the roots heads (if you happen to be a newer fan I would probably tell you to start at Home & Away) who will definitely have the best shot at enjoying it. Knowing The Road is yet another somewhat spicy entry from one of the true enigmas of modern reggae music. Much like the artist himself, when it's on, its ON but when it isn't, it. . . just isn't."
Track Listings (17) - Disc #1