On the Run (West Maui, 1999)

Being based in the Eastern US, I was fortunate to gain exposure to One Foundation, whose following has thus far been contained mostly in the West, including Hawaii.   The group is made up of 7 Liava'a family members -- Johnny, Latu, Nehasi, Popo, Peipi, Lati, and Betty -- of Tongan decent from Los Angeles.  It would be easy to dismiss them as Morgan Heritage Meets The Jets, but doing so would mean overlooking a talented, fresh, vibrant act.  People generally have a set idea of what they think reggae artists should look like, so One Foundation might face an uphill struggle in simply getting people to realize that they do indeed perform reggae music.  And quite nice reggae music at that.  Their style is upbeat and airy -- generally lovers rock with a touch of light roots or dancehall -- with a mainstream appeal.  Though not overtly "conscious," they are positive, their lyrics focusing mostly on love and good times.  Crossover potential can be good or bad for the artistic value of a reggae album, but On the Run -- the group's second album, after their debut Fool Around -- manages to stay largely out of the trap of made-for-radio stuff.   They're joyful and celebratory without being saccharine.  In large part, what keeps them in the listener's good graces is the solid songwriting skills of Johnny, who penned all of the tunes here.  Tracks like "Frequency 20" and "Everybody Knows" -- my favorites on the album -- are so darn catchy and fun, you can't help but enjoy.  The buoyant "Irie Party" meanwhile is a great, danceable antidote to somber, heavy roots.  The lead singing alternates between one of the guys and one of the girls (I'm not sure which ones.), the guy's vocals being particularly rich and soulful.  A unique voice is sometimes all that separates an act from the pack.