Search - Sizzla :: Waterhouse Redemption

Retro-Kalonji!. . .

Achis | Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM | 06/27/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Every year we get 3-5 releases from reggae wonder Sizzla Kalonji, and there are generally 3 pertinent questions surrounding each of his releases. The first is which label, as he records for any and everyone who can afford to pay him and put out his music; The second is what kind of music is it? Is it the roots style that he made his name off of, or the hard dancehall style which he has favored over the last few years and is still very good at. The third being, Who produced it.



Waterhouse Redemption provides as good of answers to those questions as any of Sizzla's releases over the last 2-3 years. Greensleeves is the label and they have had tons of problems getting artist's albums out (but are getting much better now) over the years, but never Sizzla's his uis guaranteed. Its a nearly complete roots styled album, and finally, producing this one is the legendary King Jammy.



The mix of the two legendary artists in their own standing is a mix well worth the wait as they haven't (at least to my knowledge) collaborated on one of Sizzla's previous 40 or so studio albums. The result is one of Sizzla's finest efforts since 2002's Da Real Thing release.



Jammy's didn't turn up the new material or turn Sizzla to protege's Ward 21 (as he had done previously with a Bushman release), instead he opened one of the most packed vaults to one of the wickedest lyricists JA has ever seen.



Waterhouse Redemption is a fine fine album! The best tune here is probably the opener, the wicked One Love. Pure vintage Kalonji, you could take it off this one and drop it one of his earlier releases seamlessly, such as Royal Son of Ethiopia or Freedom Cry. Also check Someone Loves You, which is Sizzla riding the immortal Sleng Teng riddim. Its more of a typical Kalonji basic love tune, but it spreads very well and just hearing the artist tackle the Sleng Teng is wonderful enough.



Also have to recommend some of the various beautiful love songs here. The best of which is probably the fine Lately I've Been Thinking, also love Love is the Way and Let Me Love You, over an old Frankie Paul riddim from Sarah. Love the tunes! They all have the old school feel giving Waterhouse Redemption a clear feeling of the better half of its most immediate predecessor, Ain't Gonna See Us Fall. Also really really love the Commandment tune, powerful track.



Basically the entire album is might powerful with only the combinations feeling a little out of place. The r&b feel of Ganja in My Brain with Tony Curtis and the nearly pure hip hop Street be Calling with Fahrenheit. But besides those (and neither is actually bad) Waterhouse Redemption is a real winner.



Overall, DEFINITELY pick this one up. With the current swing of reggae music being to redo and rebirth the older riddims, having one of its greatest champions with one of its greatest trainers combining on nearly a complete retro album is huge! Should this swing continue, in a few years we may look back and call Waterhouse Redemption the crowning jewel of that movement. Yes, its that good."