Bambu Station 's "One Day": Review by Laze
LAZE SAYS ONE DAY IS "ONE OF THE TOP CONTENDERS FOR
ALBUM OF THE YEAR."
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
CONTACT: C.D.
ELLISON
MONDAY, JUNE 16,
2003
866.290.6032
pr@mtneborecords.com
LAZE
SAYS ONE DAY IS "ONE OF THE TOP CONTENDERS FOR ALBUM OF THE
YEAR."
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Ryan
MacMichael, a.k.a. Laze, noted music scholar and Publisher of Urban Ambience
Journal, an authoritative archive of reggae music reviews and articles
(www.uajournal.com),
recently wrote this about Bambu Station's "ONE DAY" at
http://www.uajournal.com/?rev=279:
"In
2002, Maryland-based Mt. Nebo Records released one of the best reggae
compilations of the year, Talkin' Roots I. One of the highlights of the disc was
the contribution of the Virgin Islands-based Bambú Station. Following their
strong showing on Talkin' Roots I comes One Day, 70-minutes of roots reggae that
will give something new to even the most wisened reggae
fan.
Bambú Station kicks off the disc with
the strong "Humanity Bawlin'."
My initial
impression was that vocalist R. Jalani Horton sounds similar to St. Vincent-born
Ossie Dellimore, a comparison I made with singer Iba on the Talkin' Roots I
compilation. It's a smooth, genuine sound that's not touched up heavily by
studio effects and it's perfect for this brand of reggae. His vocal style is not
as reliant on the rhythm as some singers, making him
more
of a cross of a dub poet and the standard
roots vocalist.
One Day is a refreshing
diversion from the heavy, intense dancehall sound. The instrumentation on tracks
like "Even Man Cry" provides just enough to groove to, but is more comtemplative
in nature than a lot of modern reggae (even roots). Horton sums up the vibe on
"Gunsmoke:" "Simmer down, youth man... hold
on."
Horton's voice isn't his only asset.
He's also a talented lyricist, not afraid to shake things up, like on the
aforementioned "Gunsmoke," a track that compares the violent youth on the
islands to the Ku Klux Klan:
Gangsta is
what dem want to be,
Might as well wear a white
sheet,
Blood shed on our
islands,
Armageddeon clouds of
dismay,
But the gangsta, wouldn't last a day in
Vietnam,
Where were they when Gredana got
invade?
Strong, conscious lyrics like
this make the lyric sheet as essential reading as the album itself is essential
listening.
Even if you've been listening to
reggae for decades, you'll be pleasantly surprised with what Bambú Station
brings to the table. Their mellow vibe is about as far from aggressive as you
can get, just letting the goodness bubble over slow riddims, with a talented
singer providing you with spiritual lyricism. Good stuff and well worth checking
for. One Day will clearly one of the top contenders for album of the year in
2003. It's exciting to see another stateside reggae label producing positive
music and
I look forward to whatever's next
from these guys."
ONE DAY was
recorded and produced by Bambú Station, mixed by Tuff Lion and mastered by
Highro Studios.
Bambú Station is a
roots reggae band from the Virgin Islands whose focus and productions have
endeared them to many fans around the world. Consisting of lead singer Jalani
Horton, bassist/percussionist André Llanos, and Multi-Instrumentalist and
legendary guitarist Tuff Lion, the group was formed to showcase itself and other
artists who are steadfast in their conviction to create and perform heartical
and conscious sounds.
Mt. Nebo artists
are readily available for press interviews and public engagements. For more
information call 866.290.6032 or email
pr@mtneborecords.com.
The
Urban Ambience Journal
(www.UAJournal.com)
is an archive of music reviews and articles maintained by Publisher Ryan
MacMichael (a.k.a. Laze).
Posted: Tue - June 17, 2003 at 02:46 PM