VARIOUS ARTISTS

Pharos Frontline

(p) 2006-feb-20

CD:

Tracklisting:

 
01 Come Together - Anthony John  
02 Don't Be Resentful - Empress Ayeola  
03 Forces - Fred Locks  
04 Membership Card - Little Roy  
05 Why Oh Why - The Amharic  
06 Worries Of Life - Easy Wayne  
07 Rastaman Fight - Fred Locks  
08 Survivor - The Amharic  
09 Armagiddeon Thing - Easy Wayne  
10 African Teaching - Earl 16  
11 Thank You Jah - Yaashanti Kemai  
12 Fancy Words - Gregory Isaacs  
13 Dance With Me - Ruddy Thomas  
14 Stay A Little Bit Longer - Little Roy  
PHAROS / PINNACLE / NOVA, PHR 015 CD

REVIEW IN ENGLISH:
SOURCE: ROOTS MUSIC Reggae & Dancehall
AUTHOR: Teacha Dan



How many superlatives can fit into one review? I hope you can forgive me for the following raving review. It has to be because this album will blow any listener away. It is beautiful, fragile, powerful, mystic, heartfelt, true, and above all real. In danger of being overlooked as just a simple fourteen track label compilation album, it is so much more. It features sizzling veteran singers like Earl 16, Gregory Isaacs, Little Roy and Fred Locks alongside unfamiliar but very strong and convincing vocal talents like Empress Ayeola, Yaashanti Kemai and a host of others.

The first tune immediately delivers well crafted lyrics over a fragile yet stunningly powerful riddimtrack which reminds me of the great songs of Bunny Wailer. A mystic and intangible melody, a vocal delivery that demands good listening, open ears and minds, a cleansing of the soul to get you in the right groove, a tip of what is to come.

All tunes will make you itchy and easy at the same time. Who are these unknowns, why are they unknown? All of them made me want to hold my breath so that I would not miss the subtleties of their deliveries. The settled artists get the deep Pharos shine like they shone in their days of old. Earl 16 satisfies again, Little Roy is grand and I cannot wait for a full Fred Locks album on Pharos records. This superb disc contains two of his songs and both could very well be reworkings of songs omitted from his 1977 Black Star Liner set.

Pharos Frontline is a brilliantly versatile collection of some of the best reggae tunes of today. It is not a collection of mediocre hits. It touches all reggae bases and settles straight into your heart.

If you think that this review holds too many superlatives I suggest you get your own copy. Listen to it five times in a row and then read this piece again. If you find me wrong, let me know. I do not expect many reactions. There is just no downside to this cd, at least not one I can think of. Maybe that I already knew some of the songs from previous Pharos releases like those by the Amharic and Little Roy, but then again, here they again sound as fresh as ever. Maybe there should have been more tracks? No, it should not have more, that would undoubtedly unbalance perfection.

(Teacha Dan, May 2006)