Search - Sly & Robbie :: Rhythm Doubles

MIX UP

Locks Lion | Blue Mountain Peak | 11/11/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"RHYTHM DOUBLES: Sly and Robbie, the legendary Rhythm Twins, have been in the business for over thirty years now, first pairing up to form the rock solid foundation of the mighty Revolutionaries band back in the mid seventies. They moved on in the following decade to build a reputation as a first class production team, not only with some of the biggest names in reggae - Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Black Uhuru, Ini Kamoze - but in just about every musical category imaginable, perhaps most famously with Grace Jones, but also the Rolling Stones, and even Bob Dylan. Their output over the years could certainly be described as eclectic, as could this latest collection of recent singles and other odds-and-ends, RHYTHM DOUBLES.



Kicking off with the mad mariachi instrumental EL CUBANCHERIO, RHYTHM DOUBLES is actually at its best when the producers stick with a more or less straight reggae sound: Abijah's nice HEAVY LOAD, on the old-time KEEP THAT LIGHT rhythm, is an obvious highlight. Alaine and Beres Hammond light a genuine spark on the very traditional lovers number, LOVE SOUND, and Beres is even better in combination with Taxi favourite Annette Brissett on the sweet THERE FOR YOU. Luciano and Ali Campbell do a fine job with the classic MILK & HONEY, though they can't match either Clive Hunt's original or Dennis Brown's storming nineties do-over. Speaking of do-overs, Chakademus and Pliers' revisit the chartbusting MURDER SHE WROTE (a.k.a. BAM BAM) rhythm on MY GIRL, which is decent, as is T.O.K.'s take on SUN SHINE. Their STAR is pretty good, too.



It's the more adventurous material here that yields mixed results. Elephant Man somehow manages to lock onto the crazy EL CUBANCHERIO rhythm and walks away in pretty good shape, but the same can't be said for Bounty Killer who's wasted on the weak club track BOUNCE. He does better with BLACK PEOPLE, but the strange, sort-of Miami bass-style MOBY DICK rhythm is an obvious handicap. Respect is definitely due to King Yellowman, whose way-too brief cameo on the throwaway PARTY HOT is a highlight. Wayne Marshall's BIG UP is just alright, but Maxi Priest's crummy synth-funk JUST TO KNOW just isn't. Marginal contributions from Lady Saw, Wyclef Jean (on the previously mentioned BOUNCE), Mitch and Scantana, and Trini don't add up to much, but I did like the closing instrumental MANGO TONGO, which features Cameroon's renowned Manu Dibango blowing some scorching saxophone.



RHYTHM DOUBLES is a real mix-up. There's sure to be something to whet most appetites here, but it's definitely spread a little thin, and I found myself hitting the skip button more than once. There's no doubting the pedigree of the artists involved, least of all the mighty Rhythm Twins, but what this project lacks is focus.

"