I've Been Expecting You. . .
Achis | Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM | 07/01/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"(3.5stars)
While the reggae world shall continue to search and search for an artist who can eventually succeed in replacing the legendary Bob Marley by taking pure roots reggae to the forefront internationally, things on the local level are much much simpler. Names such as Capleton, Luciano, Buju Banton, Anthony B and even the younger Sizzla and Richie Spice will eventually have to vacate their roles and places in the game as the undisputed leading faces and names in Jamaican roots reggae music and exactly who will be there to take up there causes gets clearer and clearer everyday. Someday, names such as Lutan Fyah, Jah Cure, Turbulence and I-Wayne will be every bit as household names in reggae as their aforementioned elder stars (with the possible exception of Buju, who, at least to a certain degree has managed to limit the gap between himself and `mainstream' more so than anyone mentioned here) and roots reggae music will be there's to identify, to promote and to constantly give to the masses (even more than they are all doing now). And while there will surely be newer names there to take their places as well (and we're already seeing those in the form of `neo-roots' artists such as Tyrical, I-Octane and the well WICKED Erup as artists who almost equally combine dancehall and roots in their vibes), that is just the way it has always been. For their parts, the artists currently dominating the scene will take somewhat of a different role in the business (can you really imagine Capleton jumping up and down on stage in his fifties or Sizzla gluing himself to the studio long enough to crank out 4 albums a year in his forties after already having achieved a ridiculously high level of success???) and they will be respected and lauded as the legends they are. The one thing in question, however, is which direction the vibes will go. In dancehall, where the passing of the guard is already more and more pronounced, its already apparent that the dancehall will be an even more violent return of the war zone it was in the days when people like Supercat, Ninjaman and Mad Cobra partially dominated the scene and names such as Bounty Killer and Merciless were at their starts. In the roots arena, if what is going on now is any indication (and it should be) fans of the music can look forward to what may be an even overall MORE talented landscape of artists five to ten years from now dominating the scene.
One such wickedly MORE talented name is that of Tarrus Riley, an individual who has come off of one of the most wonderfully productive spans of time for a young artist in recent memory (incidentally, as comparison, Riley's ultra beautiful and serene rise to prominence in roots can be compared, time-wise, to that of demonically violent dancehall singer Mavado). The chanter/singer is a EXTRAORDINARILY talented and has even had many place the future of roots reggae on his shoulders alone. Riley has had hits of all degrees in nearly all varieties and spectrums in roots music over the past year or so and has rather easily made himself one of Jamaica's most recognizable and prominent reggae artists in the very short span of time. While it remains to be seen whether or not he can continue his good fortunes (I'm willing to bet that he can) what is certain is that the start that he has gotten may give him a `head start' over his younger peers in eventually leading younger fans to his vibes (when the fan who grew listening to tracks like She's Royal becomes the primary consumer, Riley will probably even go higher). At this early stage of his career Riley has made two very fine decisions in who he aligned himself with. As the son of well known reggae singer Jimmy Riley, Tarrus could have very well either put himself in care of his father as he had, of course, well proven himself worthy and competent on how to develop a young artist (having developed himself), instead (perhaps maybe even due to his father's advice) the younger Riley linked up with Dean `Cannon' Fraser which was wonderful move number one. The same Dean Fraser was once (and may actually still be), the musical director for Xterminator Records (which is the same label who brought us Luciano, Sizzla and Turbulence) and along with label head Philip `Fattis' Burrell was in charge of developing several artists who now dominate the roots scene (and still is quite involved with Luciano having produced his last album, Jah Is My Navigator, and touring with the Messenjah at times still these days). Smart move number two for the young Riley was aligning himself with the largest Caribbean music label in the world, VP Records for the release of his (VP) debut album, the shockingly popular Parables. Parables was an album which really took the artist to the next level as many had been unaware of him up until that point and while VP will continue to draw criticisms from many for things which they do, even the label's staunchest and harshest critic would have to admit the job they did with pushing Parables to the masses was nothing short of BRILLIANT. The greatest piece of evidence of the label's excellent moving of the album is that the tunes on it which became hits did so in the way that it normally happens internationally in that they reached Jamaica AFTER they were on the album. You may have heard She's Royal playing somewhere, but it definitely did not BOOM until after Parables reached shelves. Now, perhaps as an even further (unnecessary at this point, but I'm sure they have a plan) push to the Parables album, VP has unsurprisingly dug in the crates and found Riley's seemingly forgotten actual debut album, Challenges, from 2003. The album was originally released for the just as forgotten Yaman Music and was produced by Fraser as well. The move is very similar to VP's 2006 re-release of Richie Spice's big album, the then two years old Spice In Your Life, just after the big singer had signed with the label and before he would make his debut for VP, ultimately with In the Streets to Africa (they should've kept digging and redone both forgotten Spice albums, Living Ain't Easy and his debut Out of the Blue as well). VP, I'm sure, is hoping that the same fans who were hypnotized by Parables return and pick up Challenges in anticipation of Riley's forthcoming third album.
The most interesting thing about Challenges is that, musically speaking, it sounds like the type of album which would have come after Parables sequentially. Meaning it has MUCH more experimental style of vibes than the rather reggae-straight Parables. Challenges was an album which, besides showing Riley's eclectic interests (at least at that time) was also a very solid debut album from an artist who would obviously go on to big success in a relatively short time. Challenges begins with the VERY heavy Larger Than Life which sounds VERY familiar to me (and not just because I've had the original for about three years). Whatever the cause of that notwithstanding, Larger Than Life is an EXCELLENT tune and definitely a tune which could have fit on the all-around more impressive Parables set and the MUSIC, to Fraser's credit is just wonderful, I'd really like an instrumental. The tune also fully displays (in case you weren't paying attention on Parables) Riley's rather clever story-telling style and is really one of Challenges overall best efforts. Next up is the lyrically nice but musically perplexing Jah Will. Jah Will is the first sign on Challenges that you've just picked up something a bit more than your average straight forward one-drop reggae roots album as it flows on a vibes which I THINK I could describe as pop or maybe even alternative (were you to take Riley off the riddim and place. . . Someone like Alanis Morissette on it, she would sound not out of place over it and I hesitate to even call it a `riddim'). While I don't like the tune (musically speaking) I don't grudge Riley for his tastes AT ALL and as I mentioned, speaking strictly from a lyrical standpoint, Jah Will is quite impressive as the young Riley delivers a message that the will of His Majesty must be done and will be done, definitely. Completing the opening is the wholeheartedly more familiar It's Better This Way. The tune isn't actually amongst my favourite on Challenges but it stuck with me because I consider it to be a sign of Riley's overall development as an artist. Were he to re-write the tune and re-vibe it and re-record it, the tune (which isn't BAD) would be SO MUCH better and I can definitely hear that in the vibes of the still very well produced and well backed tune.
For my opinion, much in the same fashion as Parables would, the real strength of Challenges comes down to two very very strong tracks (although in the case of Parables it was surrounded by strong material throughout as well. Check Barber Chair, the `real' closer of this album (more on that in a bit), which is a tune telling about the many difficulties one faces in Jamaica (and probably all over the world) when sighting up Rastafari as his/her destined journey in this life. The song just hit me on so many levels with a story which, while not very close to mine personally, is one which I've seen in person so many times and seen so many people going through. I just all around appreciate and love tunes like Barber Chair and Etana's Roots which (at least in my opinion) are modernized versions or 'descendants' of the legendary Bunny Wailer's peerless class Blackheart Man. Barber Chair is BRILLIANT and the imagery and metaphors he uses are truly top notch. On Challenges, Barber Chair is ONLY topped by the uplifting, soul reassuring high stepper Take Me Higher. Take Me Higher JUST MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD, if you really like reggae music and as you listen a bit of the balance of Challenges you'll see that it is a quality which isn't exactly at a surplus here. And it is definitely worth mentioning that were there ever a tune which lived up to its title, it would be Take Me Higher complete with Riley's wonderful chant throughout of, "Lift me up, lift me up, lift me up!". BEAUTIFUL! I also have to recommend the VERY familiar All Is Vanity which flows over Fraser's lovely Take Up the Cross riddim (which you know from having backed Morgan Heritage's tune of the same name or To-Isis' big hit Ghetto Pain). Riley doesn't hit quite as hard as the Morgans or To-Isis, but he doesn't fall far from that level and that riddim was actually one of my favourite for quite awhile and it was also CRIMINALLY under-recorded as well. As I mentioned, Challenges is an album which encompassed several different styles and I don't really like the tunes that do that, but maybe you will. Such a song is Don't Give Up, which is essentially the title track. Lyrically speaking, again, the tune is well on point as Riley tells all that despite the undoubtedly difficult challenges you may face, it is important to not give up, but its backed by another pop style backing and it in particular is a tune which would have BOOMED on a one-drop in my opinion. The Other Half is another such tune which has somewhat of an R&B style of vibes in it and it is to be the real lover's tune here, but again, its not on my vibes, although in an R&B scope, its actually pretty good. Ego and the downright odd Rasta At the Control are two other songs which contain elements of reggae (or dancehall in Rasta At the Control's case) but also have big vibes from pop and it kind of further steers away from reggae. Oh and I have to mention Who Can Stand It, definitely one of Challenges biggest tunes once it gets going and besides Take Me Higher is probably the tune here I've played most.
In an effort to bolster Challenges a bit, VP has also taken the liberty of adding two newer `bonus' tracks from Riley. And while that word `BONUS' on an album usually doesn't attract me at all, the BONUS here (at least half of it) is quite good. The first of the two tracks, Love Created I is well POWERFUL and easily one of Challenges' biggest tunes altogether (if not one of the biggest for Riley altogether as well) on a tune with which Riley more than casually details where and with whom his allegiances FIRMY lie. B Big big Rastaman tune! The album closes with the solid Save the Children which warns all to do just that in the face of horrible and sneaky `challenges' which may face the youth. The tune is a very nice REGGAE track and a nice way to end Challenges the second time around (speaking of reggae, would have loved if they could have mixed in a little more spice, in the form of Marcus Live, the big combination with Lutan Fyah). And I will say that the two bonus tracks add a nice vibes to the album: Challenges with bonus tracks is better than Challenges without bonus tracks.
Overall, this one is recommended to all of those (and there are so many) who got COMPLETELY caught up and lost in the power express which was Parables. And while it is so obviously an attempt at VP to cash in on Riley's popularity, it also does a great deal of service to his fans as well: You go out and try tracking down a copy of the original version of Challenges nowadays (actually RIGHT NOW, that would be even harder, but say six months ago, it would have even been very hard to find then) and see what a difficult time you'll have. I will say that for the somewhat hardened roots head who wasn't exactly captivated by Riley's work in recent times that this DEFINITELY isn't for you as all the different vibes won't leave you with best feel for the artist. The re-release of Tarrus Riley's debut album, Challenges, is a nice holdover for those finding themselves having a particularly difficult time waiting for Riley's potentially MAMMOTH third album.
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