LITTLE ROY
Children Of The Most High
CD: |
Tracklisting: |
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| 01 | Bongo Nyah | |
| 02 | Children Of The Most High | |
| 03 | Christopher Columbus | |
| 04 | False Talk | |
| 05 | Heat | |
| 06 | Membership Card | |
| 07 | Bomazee | |
| 08 | My Sweet Lord | |
| 09 | Stay (A Little Bit Longer) | |
| 10 | Our Day Will Come |
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REVIEW IN ENGLISH: SOURCE: ROOTS MUSIC Reggae & Dancehall AUTHOR: Teacha Dan 
Every few years a new album by veteran singer Little Roy appears out of the blue. It has been seven years since his last album release, More From A Little in 1999. That very nice set was produced by Ronnie Lion for his Lion Inc. label. Multi-talented producer, composer and arranger Ronnie Lion is also the bass player for UK roots outfit the Amharic. Their last release has been Descendants (2002) on the then new Pharos label, the same label which is now responsible for Little Roy's latest. This release was preceded by the cd-single of Stay A Little Bit Longer (Pharos, PHR 016), a swaying, shuffling cover version of Delano Stewart’s 1969 rocksteady hit record. Little Roy's 2005 version did pretty good in the UK charts and it paved the way for the release of this album on which the tune of course is included. Children Of The Most High kicks off with a beautiful new rendition of 'Bongo Nyah'. The Bongo Nyah riddim has recently been reused for a release of singles on the Joe Fraser label in February of 2004. On the Fraser riddim set Little Roy's original was covered by Lloyd Brown and now Roy publishes his own new rendition of his ancient 1969 gem. 'Bongo Nyah' is not the only retake on Children Of The Most High, there also updated versions of the brilliant tune 'Christopher Columbus' and of 'False Talk', a song Little Roy recorded with Willi Williams some years back. The album lacks new and fresh material because it finishes with three more cover versions. 'Our Day Will Come' is a cover of the 1963 US soul hit by Ruby & the Romantics, the above mentioned Delano Stewart cover is present and the somewhat awkward 'My Sweet Lord' is a reworking of ex-Beatle George Harrison's 1970 Hare Krishna praising world hit. Little Roy omits the "Hallelujah", "Hare Krishna" and "Hare Rama" utterances and replaces them with "Rastafari", "Lion of Judah" and "King of kings". Of the few new songs on the disc, the deliciously melodic herb-anthem 'Bomazee' sticks out. Terrific backing vocals, thumping bass, straight forward and uncomplicated riddimtrack, nice! Other fresh material is present in the form of 'Heat' and in the rock influenced 'Membership Card', which was released on a 7-inch 45rpm record. For it's intro Little Roy overstretches his voice to Junior Byles-esque proportions. The song is pretty good but I really feel that Little Roy's voice and his audience benefit more from an easier, more emotional vocal approach to his songs. The Pharos label works with some big names on their recordings. On keyboard they have On-U stalwart Bubblers Ogilvie and on guitars they boast Ariwa multi-instrumentalist Black Steel and Roots Radic Sowell Bailey. Most of the tracks are mixed by Albert Chemist Thompson, Peter Chemist's brother. Both brothers used to work as engineers at the Channel One recording studio and so the sound of the recording is as heavy and crisp as you might expect. Not all songs are strong on Children Of The Most High. The best tracks for me are 'Bomazee' and the reworkings of 'Bongo Nyah' and 'Christopher Columbus'. Because the best part is the first part and because the set finishes with three reggae covers of non-reggae sixties songs the album leaves you slightly out of balance. But then you press play again and let the music take you away again. (Teacha Dan, April 2006) |
