As goes their bio, Ripface Invasion’s members have a long history in the NJ/East Coast punk scene spanning back to the 90’s, and all have done time in various other punk/hardcore/metal outfits, including well-known projects like IDK and Agents of Man.  And the varied influences show.  There’s the punk lean and intensity of S.O.D., Cro-Mags, SSD, Sick of it All, and Agnostic Front, with a little bit of more straight-ahead metal and thrash stirred into the mix courtesy of Anthrax, early Metallica, and even Slayer.  At first glance, song titles like “God Fearing Mutants” and “Horrortech” seem like they could have been forgotten B-sides to Misfits’ classics like Walk Among Us or Earth A.D., and the comic book aesthetic of the Ripface Invasion album art as well as the video for the single “The Last One on Earth” are like a page taken from Scott Ian’s backstage doodling that eventually led to the S.O.D. cover art (only way better drawn in this case).

The punk and thrash roots are present and accounted for, and Ripface Invasion’s simultaneously raw and polished sound aptly carries the intensity of its predecessors.  The band is pretty crackerjack overall. Fabio Amato’s drumming is livewire and propulsive, the guitars and bass meld into one cohesive distortion unit that begs you not to pump your fist in the air, and Anthony (Red) Paladino’s vocals are rabblerousing and up to the task.  The band is pretty cohesive despite the presence of shifting guitar slots (Mike Nappi, Rey Fonseca, and Paladino) and bass duties (Tom Conti and Ron Taylor), and the sound is fairly consistent overall.

The single “Last One on Earth” rides in hard on the heels of album intro piece “Doomsday A.D.” (hints of the Misfits again), and fires straight out of the opening gate into a full-on intensity that showcases nicely what Ripface Invasion is capable of: high-flying punk overtures mixed with some pretty wicked metal moments, such as the drop change right around 2:10 out of the classic hardcore attack formation and into more unexpected territory that’s metallic with a little melody to it.  Title track “Ripface Attack” starts off as a classic club-burner that would probably bring flashbacks of sweat and mosh-pits even to those that never once set foot into a hardcore show.  In an abrupt turn of events, however, the song drops into a change around 1:54 or so that sounds a bit like a classic rock band in the club next door to the punk bar vying for airtime over the rowdy kids in the next building.  The song then picks it up a bit over the refrain of “No retreat, No surrender!”, and the brawl continues, ending with a Danzig-inspired “And we don’t care!”, ala “Teenagers From Mars”.

Keeping the Misfits theme alive, “Horrortech” is somewhere between S.O.D. and Walk Among Us, a more aggressive and classically hardcore sound, especially in the chorus chants of “Horrortech!  Horrortech!”, which reference a slight moment of Earth A.D. to these ears.  The song is upbeat and features some weird background sounds around the 1:34 mark that may or may not be screams or something similar, and finishes out with mini-solo towards the end of the track.  Good stuff.  Album closer “God Fearing Mutants” is an album stand-out, and hits all the classic marks with precision: the drums are explosive, the bass and guits attack straight on, and the lyrics are confrontational and political, just the way it should be.  The band is in fine form here, as with a lot of other places on the EP, and the result is impressive, especially when they shoot for the propulsive hardcore.

Overall, Ripface Invasion is an honest and energetic listen that channels some classic hardcore and hits you over the head with it, repeatedly, but manages to throw a few twists and turns in for good measure.  So get out and get reacquainted with your scene already!  It’s still going strong.

Review by: Reed Burnam
Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)

Made up of veterans of the famed East Coast hardcore scene, Ripface Invasion deliver five tracks of catchy yet brutal music that deftly straddles the fence between thrash metal and good old fashioned hardcore punk. The guitars are up front and in your face with a chainsaw-like metallic sound, yet the framework of these tunes is undeniably punk rock. There are plenty of singalong choruses, hooky vocal lines and even a little poppiness, but do NOT mistake Ripface Invasion for pop-punk like Blink 182 or…God forbid…emo. Nope, this stuff rages!

The EP kicks off with the deceptive “Doomsday A.D.” intro, which has low-key, mysterious guitar and garbled samples of a man muttering “Something’s not right…”. This sets the table for “The Last One on Earth.”, where those brain-smashing guitars cut into powerful riffing. The great clear sound reminds me of Cro-Mag’s Best Wishes album. The song also demonstrates another Ripface trademark, which is the switch-off between fast punk riffing and slower, more anthemic stuff. This is as good a place as any to mention the vocals of singer “Red” Paladino, which are archetypal New York Hardcore with an attitude.

The buzzsaw continues to grind with a fast and furious “Ripface Attack” and the excellent “Horrortech”. This last named song is the highlight, as it packs in more cool riffs and vocal hooks than you can easily keep track of. With their horror/SF imagery, there’s also a strong touch of the Misfits to Ripface Invasion, especially when they hit those multi-voice choruses.

The EP wraps up with “God-Fearing Mutants” and it’s more of the band delivering what they do best. During the brief course of the EP, the simple “take no prisoners” approach works very well, but if an entire 40 minute album was to use the same take, the listener would like get weary of it. Only the future will tell if these guys have the songwriting talent to escape that trap.

Add a terrific cartoony cover right out of the Ed Repka school of art and you have a nice little package of metallic punk rock.

Review by Mike Korn
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Most tracks on Until We Lose It carry influences of the 70’s coupled nicely with Mu Jazz and dashes of rock.  The album title track, which is also the lead in piece, is a good indication of what listeners can expect.  A catchy rhythm and skilled instrumentation pave the way for the smooth vocals of Tony Brewin.  Mu-Theory proves right off the bat that their skill as musicians is extraordinary, particularly with their flawless vocal harmonizing.  “Praying For The Future” and “Don’t You Ever Say Goodbye” pick up the pace a bit, adding more of a rock flavor.  The guitar work in the latter offering is worth making note of, as it is light and graceful and still able to bring elements of rock to an otherwise mellow piece.

Mu-Theory has a knack for their songwriting and offerings like “Cold Dark Night” and “New Place” are love songs with heartfelt and honest lyrics.   “Cold Dark Night” is more uplifting and carries an essence of hope, whereas “New Place” tends to have an air of deep sadness to it amid the graceful acoustic guitar work.  The electric guitar work is also done exceptionally well and this track is perhaps the most beautiful on the album.  Showcasing the elegant keyboarding work of Ian Rutherford, “Lonely Life” is a thought provoking piece dealing with addiction and the darker side of human nature that highlights the strong songwriting skills of Mu-Theory.

Artistic creativity runs rampant in “Miracles,” a slow guitar-driven piece that is the very epitome of Mu-Theory music.  Chris Birchall shows off his extraordinary skills with the six string, the rhythm section is tight, and each member of the band gets his chance to shine during the course of this epic masterpiece.  If there is one song on the album that will be a fan favorite, this is surely it.  “Ten A Penny” picks up the pace again and this track has elements of blues and rock intermingled with the classic sound of Mu-Theory jazz that we have come to know and love.

Until We Lose It closes with “Ode To Richie,” which is perhaps the jazziest piece on the album, and certainly the one with the most attitude.  Mu-Theory has a wonderful knack for mixing elements of jazz, blues and rock into a smooth blend of original and unique music that is performed with abundant skill.  Add to this the fact that the sound quality is phenomenal and the songwriting is strong, and you have winner all the way around.  This album is a testament to the talent, creative diversity and artistic vision of Mu-Theory and listeners will not be disappointed.

Review by Rhonda Readence
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

The title track, a cover of Neil Diamond’s “Hello Again,” starts things off with graceful piano playing and Townsend’s classic operatic vocals.  His music is simply classic and tracks like “I Can’t Believe I’m Losing You” and “I Have Dreamed” seem to come right out of a musical.  Townsend also does a stunning rendition of “Some Enchanted Evening” that rivals the original in skill and grace.

One of the highlights on Hello Again – The Best of Dwight Townsend is his take on the timeless “Unchained Melody.”  Townsend slows the pace down a bit and croons his way through it with confidence.  This is a voice that will melt butter and his version of this wonderful piece of music will send chills down the spine.  Another of Townsend’s attributes is his ability to create songs with vivid imagery in the lyrics.  Offerings like “Once Upon A Time” and “Wrinkles” contain such descriptive lyrics that the listener will be able to imagine the scenes with total clarity.

Most of the tracks on this double album are from a long gone era of powerful show tunes that seem familiar, even though many of the songs are Dwight Townsend originals.  Tracks such as “Paper Moon” and “When I Take My Sugar To Tea” carry a jazzy swing vibe that will get the feet tapping.  The instrumentation throughout the album is extraordinary, particularly during the latter piece.

Townsend is gifted with the ability to use his rich baritone voice in slow songs such as “I’m Old Fashioned” and “All At Once You Love Her” while on the same token, he can sing upbeat numbers like “If I Didn’t Have You” with equal ease and skill.  Another standout piece on the album is “I’m Beginning To See The Light,” which is a jazzy number with an upbeat tempo that is done with perfection.  The musicianship is absolutely stellar and the sound quality is crisp.

Hello Again – The Best of Dwight Townsend is, quite simply, one of the most extraordinary double albums to grace the music world.  Townsend has brought back a bygone age of show tunes and smooth jazzy pieces that are energetic.  Townsend also has his share of classically romantic offerings that are made even more so by his seductive voice.  With help from members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dwight Townsend has created a masterpiece that is musically intricate and lyrically impressive.  He has made sure the golden age of music is remembered and he has done it with grace and charm.

Review by Rhonda Readence
Rating:  5 stars (out of 5)

Vocally, Armitage sounds a lot like Canadian Jane Siberry at times. Siberry was popular in Canada in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, known best for her single “Mimi On The Beach”. Musically, Armitage adds plenty of intricate mixes, cool instrumental blends, and attractive beats to all of the songs, giving each one a very distinct identity.

The opener, “The Singularity Point”, has her scatting simplistically to a haunting background rhythm and a semi-driving beat that comes off instantly funky and wonderfully laid back; a nice intro track that sets the tone perfectly. “Father Of Time” has a slight pop air, but without the commercial feel. It’s here that the Jane Sibbery comparison begins immediately, as Armitage puts forth a great vocal effort behind a blend of keyboard stints and swirling background vocals.

“Far And Away” is lead by some crisp piano work and another pleasing vocal display from Armitage. A slower track, yet one can hear the expression and effort in her voice, which is greatly partnered with more haunting piano and mysterious instrumentation. The music works well here, in that it creates the mood and feel of the song by churning and intertwining at a constant rate throughout. “Bright White Astonishing Light” is a simple but reflective piece of sorts, again bolstered by piano and a world beat-slash-rhythm that gives it a modern, new age aura. Even though the lyrics are repetitive, repeating the title mostly, her eerie scatting and background “do-do-do-ing” actually gives off a meditative, trance like quality that’s effective.

“Reflection” opens up with some beautiful synth work and more instrumental swirling and twirling atop her vocal acrobatics. While her scatting may be a bit overdone by now, the music itself is what takes precedence for its smooth transitioning from one tone to another, and for the manner in which it conveys a sort of “relaxed state” as it plays out. A bit of spoken word weaves in and out of “The Sleep Of Reason”, varying in different languages including Portuguese, Japanese, and Spanish. The music is a dance of piercing keyboard stints and succinct, short rhythms that emit more poignant ambiance in a spiritual sense.

The spacey “U4EA” is the drippiest of the bunch. The music spirals and ascends, dips and soars, somewhat like “listening” to a kaleidoscope. Whatever it is, it works. The sound is crisp, the beats are felt, and psychedelic abstractness is present from start to finish. Armitage does a great job at sounding “far out” without sounding pretentious, and the musical trip is enjoyable and amusing.

On “Human Race”, there’s an eighties sound to the keyboard bubbling, but once again, the nuance and subtleness of the song’s multi-dimensioned tone is attractive and groovy. The album ends with a short track called “Sidhe”, containing more angelic chanting, invoking pure, hypnotic peace.

The Singularity Point is a new, “new age” type album, minus all of the traditional, new age trademarks. The grooves are deep, the rhythms are catchy, and the overall unperturbed, tranquil affect won’t lull you to sleep, but it will make you close your eyes and dream a bit.

Review by Mike DeGagne
Rating: 3.5 Stars (out of 5)

A bouncing arrangement that seems like organized chaos creates the opening section of both “The Singularity Point” the song and the album. It turns towards something more like an electronica-inspired jazz with classical leanings as it continues. Armitage’s vocals soar across the top somewhat like Kate Bush merged with Tori Amos. The arrangement continues to become more involved as more layers are added to the mix. The vocals continue non-lyrically. Then around the three minute mark there’s a countdown from three and a new section emerges. This movement is more rock oriented but still retains the musical elements from the previous section. The vocals are still sans words as it continues through.

“Father of Time” starts with a soulful groove and feels a bit like something from Roxy Music, perhaps. The vocals bring it into more Tori Amos-like territory and the arrangement has a real classically tinged, jazzy rock styling. It’s got more of a pop-rock feeling than the opener had, though. In some ways this feels like something Todd Rundgren might have done. Of course, the Tori Amos and Kate Bush references are still valid on this piece. Like the opener, as it continues it becomes more powerful and the arrangement gains more layers.

“Far and Away” begins with piano and vocals and Armitage’s vocal tests the limits of melodic journeys here. It’s somewhat like Tori Amos frequently does her vocals, skirting around on and off key territory. Armitage isn’t quite as skillful at it, though, and occasionally crosses the line a bit. Still, this is a powerful ballad that’s less lushly arranged than the previous tunes. It has a bit of soulful texture to it and is a nice change of pace. There are some great multiple layered vocals as it builds. It does build beyond the opening premise of balladic later.

Armitage ups the ante with “Bright White Astonishing Light.” There’s almost a modern pop element to the song in terms of the rhythm section and spoken parts. Still, Tori Amos and Kate Bush dominate in a decidedly progressive rock arrangement. There’s a rather pounding jazz texture on the beat. It’s an intriguing cut that does a great job of crossing multiple musical style barriers while not really fitting firmly in any of them. There are some intriguing drop-downs to mellower territory as this continues.

With “Reflection” the sound becomes much more traditional progressive rock. The keyboard sounds that flirt over the top, along with the overall arrangement, feel like they could have come from any number of prog giants in the 1970s. The vocals are again of the non-lyrical variety, and really take a bit of a back seat to the music. This is an energetic and powerful cut that works very well. It provides a nice bit of variety to the set. The vocals do become more prominent later in the piece.

As “The Sleep of Reason” opens it feels like it might be a new R & B or pop tune. The arrangement on the opening is very rhythmically driven. It gets built out with more layers of sound and begins to resemble something from Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love album. A spoken male vocal comes over the top and then Armitage sings after that. The song’s not a huge change in style, but is truly unique. More spoken sections bring an intriguing texture to the proceedings.  The arrangement for “U4EA” is even more progressive rock oriented. Some bits of guitar that are heard at times call to mind Pink Floyd at other points might make the listener think of King Crimson. Still, the Kate Bush and Tori Amos references along with some jazz are out front, too.

Found sounds resembling world music textures open “Promise.” The rhythm that accompanies makes the listener think the disc might be heading in tribal directions, but it quickly moves out to something more along the lines of fusion as it continues. The cut combines that sort of sound with the type of musical directions heard on the rest of the set. It’s a very environmentally conscious cut and has a spoken section that leans towards hip-hop.

“Starfield” has a more stripped down arrangement. There is certainly a lot of jazz in the mix, along with some appropriate space rock elements. It is electronic and organic. There are many layers of non-lyrical vocals woven across the top in great ways. It alternates between mellower movements and more powered up ones, but overall is less rocking than some of the other stuff here.

The musical motif that starts “Human Race” has an almost Vangelis-like air to it. As the arrangement is expanded there is more of electronic prog texture on hand. As with the majority of the disc, multiple layers of vocals create a lot of the power to the piece. Still, the music itself is potent, too. There are more stripped down movements, particularly some that include spoken vocals over a mostly rhythmic backdrop, that lend some definite variety. There is also a section later that has very little music, just lots of layers of vocals.  The disc’s closer, “Sidhe” is very much an atmospheric track that runs in the general vicinity of new age music. It’s short and creates a satisfying conclusion to a real thrill ride of an album.

The only real complaints here involve the vocals. At times Armitage pushes the limits of melody a bit too far, creating some slight “nails on chalkboard” moments. Still, those occurrences are rare. In addition, the arrangement sometimes seems too dense and “busy.” Both of those issues lessen the more times the listener spins the disc, though.

Review by G. W. Hill
Rating:  4.5 stars (out of 5)

Piano starts “Lay It on the Line” and Milan’s vocals come ever the top. He’s joined by Becky Ciocca and there’s a bit of a jazz ballad texture here combined with a soulful feeling. This is not far removed from musical theater, and it also feels a bit like Billy Joel. The keyboard-laden instrumental section in the tune feels a bit like something Rick Wakeman might have done. “Only Grey” has a bouncy, rocking sound to it. It feels like some of the AOR related rock that was coming out in the 1970s. This is closer to something from the early era of Chicago or even Steely Dan.

An easy listening kind of bouncy groove opens “Falling for a Fantasy.” It has a 1970s pop rock texture and features Jennica McCleary providing the female half of the vocal duet. Comparisons to Billy Joel are again appropriate and there are musical theater hints here. A mellow, soulful ballad with some hints of jazz, “Take Off” really feels a lot like the soft rock that was common in the 1970s. While “Silence” is more or less a keyboard oriented power ballad, there’s a lot of jazz and some musical theater in the mix. It’s one of the stronger pieces.

Based on a rocking, yet still fairly mellow, retro rock motif, “Blind Alley” is arguably the best song on show. It’s got a lot of that 1970s texture to it, but somehow it just works much better here than anywhere else. Comparisons to The Doobie Brothers and Chicago could be appropriate and the soulful vocals really sell it.

“Dark Eyes” is mellower and balladic. It has more of a musical theater feeling, while a good song, seems a bit lackluster compared to the one that preceded it. “Star” is more dramatic. It definitely has a lot of that theatrical texture to it, but it’s also got a great jazzy groove that has a lot of retro texture. Some of the keyboard work on the piece is exceptional and there’s an especially dramatic jazz meets progressive rock instrumental section serving as the outro.

Acoustic guitar opens “The One That Got Away” and the track builds as a folky ballad from there. As it builds eventually other instrumentation is added, but the basic elements remain the driving elements. In a lot of ways, it’s a lot like some of the folk oriented progressive rock that came out in the 1970s. With a real “slice of life” feeling on the lyrics, “Don’t Put the Fire Out” is the most “musical theater” oriented cut on the set. A lot of how a listener feels about this tune will be based on how he or she feels about musical theater. It features a duet with Julia Hunt.

“Ophiuchus’ Fantasy” is a piano solo and while the title might make one think it’s classical music, there are other elements present, too. In fact, parts call to mind jazz and blues. In a lot of ways it’s not that far removed from something Rick Wakeman or Keith Emerson might do. A bouncy, rather jazzy, AOR format makes up the music of “The Bridge.” It again calls to mind groups like Steely Dan or Chicago but feels even more like The Doobie Brothers. There’s an especially tasty, jazzy keyboard solo on the piece.

“Sky City” features Barry DeBois and continues the general musical themes. It’s a dramatic cut that does a nice job of combining progressive rock elements with jazz and theatrical textures into a poignant ballad. It’s a good way to end the disc in style. There’s a harder rocking section later that’s particularly effective. It is definitely the most epic tune on show and it’s also one of the strongest. It has more changes and alterations than anything else on the disc. Considering the killer guitar solo section (that feels at times a bit like David Gilmour of Pink Floyd), it also one of the harder rocking cuts on the set. It’s certainly the most progressive rock oriented.

All in all this is quite a satisfying release. It probably won’t appeal to everyone, but then again, it doesn’t seem like something that would offend anyone, either. This is accessible music that is at times extremely strong. Sure, it does feel a bit dated, but the retro thing has a charm all its own.

Review by G. W. Hill
Rating:  4 Stars (out of 5)

Bridge To Sky City

This album really focuses on Danny’s growth both as a pianist and a singer.  Danny is just twenty years old, but he is vocally ahead of many of the performers in his age group.  Even when he rocks out on “Blind Alley,” you’ll notice how theatrical his voice is.  He fits in better with artists like Josh Groban or Michael Buble than John Mayer.

There is a maturity to Danny’s music that is lacking in most of the pop music flooding the airways.

Call his sound adult contemporary or pop vocal, but what he’s really presenting you with is a collection of songs that sound like they could have been pulled from a Broadway show.  The duets with Becky Ciocca (Lay It On The Line), Jennica McCleary (Falling For A Fantasy), Julia Hunt (Don’t Put The Fire Out), and Barry DuBois (Sky City)  really show off the theatrical side of his voice.  These songs sound like they could have been pulled from a show such as Rent.

These duets really stand out.  So many duets feel like they are just two voices singing in different places, and the only reason they’ve come together is through production.  That’s not the case here.  “Sky City” is a powerful song that is made that way because of Danny and Barry’s vocals.  Both voices are strong, but they aren’t competing. They share the song, and in doing so they give it life.

This album is a wonderful example of fine playing, good songwriting and fine vocals. Danny treats us to the best of all the worlds, but if you truly appreciate piano playing “Ophiuchus’ Fantasy” is the song for you.  It is the only instrumental on the album and it lets Danny show off his skills at the piano in a way that a pop song simply can’t.

Danny has a voice that is perfectly suited for love songs.  John Barrowman is perhaps the only other voice out there that has the same quality—that “he could sing that New York City phone directory and make it sound romantic” quality.

The songs aren’t all hearts and flowers.  “Silence” is about a relationship that is struggling. The lyrics—” Your silence is killing me quickly, without a sound.  No one has asked you to fix me.  All I am asking is that you…Answer me please, please.  Oh, damn the silence”—are heartbreaking.

Danny Milan knows how to bring emotions through in his music.  When he sings, you feel the love or the heartache.  The most heartbreaking song is “Dark Eyes.”  The lyrics are full of the pain of breakup.  “You’re impossible, impossible.  I hope you leave this night, and find the sunshine of the day.  But you won’t.  For your dark eyes, dark eyes shield the light.  You push all those who cared away.  Dark eyes, dark eyes, what a night.”

By the time you finish listening to an album by Danny Milan you will be emotionally charged. His songs will affect your heart and soul.  Bridge To Sky City is Danny’s fifth album. That’s quite impressive when you take into account his age.

If you are the type of person who is looking for an album of finely crafted pop songs, look no further than Danny Milan.  Bridge To Sky City should be on everyone’s wishlist this year.

Review by Andrea Guy
Rating:  5 stars (out of 5)

His song “Only Grey” is a clear representation of his older style. And to draw yet another parallel to the two artists and Milan, the song employees a piano within it, giving it all of the typical characteristics of a song by either one of the two. Due to the tempo and melody though, it draws a faint similarity to Elton John’s “Sad Songs (Say So Much)”.

Though Bridge To Sky City was created primarily by Milan, he does feature a few other artists on a handful of his songs. “Don’t Put The Fire Out” is one that especially stands out. The song features a female vocalist, Julia Hunt, who shares vocal duties equally with Milan throughout the song. The song is structured upon a peppy piano melody, and this one, like many of his other songs, has a slight Disney movie quality about it, such as Beauty and the Beast or The Little Mermaid, due to the female/male harmonies and the higher pitch in some areas of the song. Nonetheless, it is cute love song that happens to be very catchy.

As a pianist, it only seems natural for Milan to feature a piano instrumental within the album as well called “Ophiuchus’ Fantasy”. It comes as an interesting and unexpected break from the rest of Bridge To Sky City. Its’ rises and falls are quite beautiful if you have the time to relax and to really soak them in. Milan is an incredibly talented pianist, which becomes even more evident through this song.

The last two songs of the album together make up the album’s title, “The Bridge,” and “Sky City.” Like the title suggests, “The Bridge,” is actually about a bridge. But instead of being about an actual bridge it is about a metaphorical one. Milan sings, “So break away, this is yesterday.  You have to cross that bridge to know.” “Sky City” is another song that features an additional artist within it. This one features Barry DeBois within the chorus. The song and vocals are light and airy, but holds a sense of solemnity within it once the lyrics are accounted for.

Having already independently released four full-length albums through iTunes since the age of 14, Milan is off to a quick start. His music is not overly enthusiastic; however, it is not incredibly dull either. It reaches a happy medium, having the perfect amount of overall energy to it. But once again, Milan’s age is a wow factor for this album. It is so rare to hear someone so young compose and play such intense piano melodies as well as to sing and write the way that he does.  It is as if you have taken a time machine back to the 70s. The music is not mainstream, nor is it going to be popular with the majority of younger people today, but Milan’s music is mature, and is something that can potentially be enjoyed by all ages.

Review by Alec Cunningham
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Although Canute gets some inspiration from the roots reggae and rocksteady of the 1960s, the 1970s are a much stronger influence on this album.  For one thing, he can be quite sociopolitical; Canute gets into sociopolitical subject matter on “Big Stick,” “A Better Place” and “Middle East Conflict.”  And he takes a decidedly pro-marijuana stand on “Ganja Herb.”  It isn’t that reggae was devoid of sociopolitical songs before the 1970s or that no reggae artists smoked weed before the 1970s; however, it was during that 1970s that reggae became overwhelmingly sociopolitical and became so closely identified with the Rastafarian movement (which openly advocates the use of marijuana).  And in that sense, this album is closer to 1970s and 1980s roots reggae than it is to 1960s roots reggae from the rocksteady era.  But Canute isn’t always sociopolitical.  “Heart Desire” is a perfect example of lovers’ rock.

For the uninitiated, lovers’ rock is a term that is used to describe roots reggae that favors romantic lyrics rather than sociopolitical lyrics; lovers’ rock gets a great deal of influence from the romantic northern soul that came out of Detroit, Philadelphia and Chicago in the 1960s and 1970s.  There are definite parallels between what Canute does on “Heart Desire” and what African-American soul artists like the Delfonics, Blue Magic, the Dells and Chi-Lites did in their heyday; reggae, of course, has a different beat, but melodically and harmonically, it’s no secret that lovers’ rock has a great deal in common with romantic northern soul.  And for that matter, someone who is really knowledgeable of both classic soul and classic reggae should be able to see the parallels between “Middle East Conflict” “A Better Place” and “Big Stick” and the sociopolitical songs that came from the O’Jays, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield and Gil Scott-Heron back in the day.

The closest this album comes to a commercial type of song is the lighthearted, somewhat poppy “Come Party with Me,” but even that track isn’t overly slick.  For the most part, Canute avoids slickness on this 2011 release.

Although hardcore dancehall isn’t an influence on this release, Canute does include eight dub tracks during the latter part of the album and shows his appreciation of the classic dubwise style.  Even then, he keeps things old-school.   Dubwise (as in U-Roy, I Roy, Big Youth and King Tubby) preceded dancehall, and when this album shifts into dub mode, Canute acknowledges the softer dubwise sound of the 1970s rather than the rugged, abrasive, in-your-face dancehall that Lieutenant Stitchie, Shabba Ranks, Nardo Ranks and Ninjaman (just to name a few) are known for.

Canute’s album doesn’t pretend to point reggae in any new directions; he is old-school all the way, and fans of 1970s/1980s Jah music will find it to be an agreeable and pleasing listen.

Review by Alex Henderson
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)