Buju Banton - Rasta Got Soul

Buju Banton - Rasta Got Soul - Album Review

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Buju Banton - Rasta Got Soul

“With remarkable ease, Buju Banton flips the switch between hard-banging dancehall and breezy, smooth roots reggae. The new “Rasta Got Soul” is a showcase for the latter, primed for the summer reggae festival circuit. Three tracks—the anthemic “Magic City,” “I Rise” and “Lend a Hand” (the last driven by Studio One bassist Lloyd Parkes)—should become immediate additions to his live sets, each as spirited and inspiring as those performances. Wyclef Jean racks up another winning collaboration on the radio-ready, bittersweet “Bedtime Story,” while fellow guest Third World eerily recalls Kim Wilde’s “Keep Me Hangin’ On” on “Sense of Purpose.” (”Mary” also seems to borrow a key line from Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is.”) All told, Banton cut one of his most consistent albums, a worthy yin to the yang of 2006’s “Too Bad.”—Wes Orshoski”

Easy Star All-Stars - Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub

Easy Star All-Stars - Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub - Album Review

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Easy Star All-Stars - Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub

“The reggae collective Easy Star’s third tribute album (after the acclaimed “Dub Side of the Moon” and the adventurous remake of “OK Computer” called “Radiodread”) is its most ambitious yet. The Pink Floyd and Radiohead classics lend themselves naturally to dub electronic exploration; the Beatles’ 1967 classic not so much. But producer/ multi-instrumentalist Michael Goldwasser and keyboardist Victor Axelrod (aka Ticklah) lead a large tribe of reggae stars in a rousing rendition of “Sgt. Pepper” that is loyal to the original yet inventive enough to stand alone. The enlistment of a dozen top reggae singers, toasters and bands is crucial. Among the endless stream of highlights are Frankie Paul’s lush take on “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” Max Romeo’s delightful “Fixing a Hole” and Bunny Rugs’ and U Roy’s profession of unyielding adoration to “Lovely Rita Meter Maid.” On the spiritual side, Goldwasser couldn’t have found a better match than the Hasidic rapper/singer Matisyahu delivering George Harrison’s yearning mystical “Within You, Without You.” The basic tracks are reminiscent enough of the originals that a “no samples were used anywhere” disclaimer appears on the package, yet there are enough tiny eruptions of Caribbean spirit (the carnival sound of “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” and the dub extension to “When I’m 64″) to enrich this euphoric effort.”

Sean Paul - So Fine

Sean Paul - So Fine - Glad to hear Sean Paul back with another Reggae-Pop track. Looking forward to more singles like this. 7/10

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Mavado - Mr Brooks - A Better Tomorrow

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Mavado - Mr Brooks - A Better Tomorrow

“Mavado has been acclaimed as one of reggae music’s most influential new artists since 2006, when his street single “Weh Dem a Do” gained major airplay worldwide. On his sophomore album, the MC continues to prove he is on top of his game. For the street anthem “Life of a G,” Mavado delivers hardcore lyrics like, “Dis is wat the gangster life is like . . . me hay [hide] mi gun since mi inna classroom,” over a violin-based, theatrical beat. While he continues to boost his street cred on tracks like “Gangster Don’t Play” and “Real Killer,” he balances the set with the regretful “Jailhouse,” which finds him whining about not wanting to go back to jail, and “Overcome,” which samples the protest song “We Shall Overcome.” —Mariel Concepcion”

Mavado - So Special

Mavado - So Special - I’m not a huge fan of Reggae, but this track isn’t too bad. 7/10

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Don Corleon feat Sean Paul - Sweat

If you dig reggae, you should be hearing about this track soon. 7/10

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