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The Teacher (Jet Star, 2001)
In 1999, a new singer named Rolex made a big impression on me with the tracks "Red Hot" and "Days Are Numbered" on the compilation Reggae Hits '99 and "Fools Desire" and "Thank You" on Lyrical Storm. I eagerly awaited an album to drop, but nothing came. Then, in 2000, there emerged a new singer named Alpha Rowen, whose "New Teacher" was featured on Reggae Hits Volume 28, and I thought to myself, "What a great song! It sounds a lot like Rolex." Well, lo and behold, they are one and the same man. The Artist Formerly Known as Rolex finally releases a full-length debut album, and the wait turns out to be well worth it. Initially, I was a bit underwhelmed by The Teacher, as few of the songs pack the punch of his first few singles (except, of course, for "New Teacher" itself), but taken as a whole, this album turns out to be a well-stocked, well-balanced treat. Although he doesn't sound exactly like Garnett Silk (and not as much as, say, Ras Shiloh), he definitely comes from the Garnett Silk school of singing. His positive warbling and rootsy dancehall sound certainly mirrors Silk in style and content, and if he continues in this vein, he could be a worthy heir to Silk's throne. His vocals are perhaps a bit less edgy than Garnett Silk's, though (I'd compare him favorably in sound to another Silk-like singer, Jahmali.), so his best work generally comes on the harder-edged tracks, like "New Teacher," "Virtuous Woman," "Shot a Bark," "Babylonian Run," and "Signs and Wonder," as opposed to, um, "If I Had a Hammer" (What's next, "Puff the Magic Dragon"?). With backing by hot British musicians and Jet Star mainstays The Cave Team (including Mafia & Fluxy, Carlton "Bubblers" Ogilvie of Undivided Roots, and King Kash of Rasites), and production by Danny Ray, the sound is crisp and lively. Although this is his debut, "the teacher" has apparently already learned a thing or two.
| Track Listing 1. Surround Me With Power 2. Think Man Nice 3. New Teacher 4. Sleep Last Night 5. Virtuous Woman 6. Mr. No Heart 7. Bad Boys 8. If I Had a Hammer 9. Stay Away 10. Signs and Wonder 11. Shot a Bark 12. Babylonian Run 13. Mamma 14. No Peace 15. Program My Mind 16. Ready to Fight |
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Hail King Selasie I (Penitentiary, 2005) Alpha Rowen returns with a welcome second helping of
wonderful, righteous material. Despite
his easygoing, airy vocals and Garnett Silk-ish style, his lyrics hit pretty
hard, as on "Hail Selasi [sic] I": "I and I hail King Selassie,
and all who no like it can go die." Most
of the tracks on Hail King Selasie I, in fact, feature searing, attacking
messages that belie their mellow roots and light dancehall sound.
If you've heard the compilations Lyrical
Storm or Reggae Hits '99, you may
have heard a few of these tunes -- namely, "Red Hot" ("What are
you gonna do now, you....vampires who sucks Jah people blood night and
day?"), "Days Are Numbered" ("The disadvantages you've taken
of the poor. The hand of He that rein is adding up all the scores, I'm sure.
Enslaving humble men, got their children crying for bread.
The little that they would eat you give it to your dog instead, but your
days are numbered." ), and "Thank You" ("Thank you for
nothing; thanks for making our lives so rough...Thank you for treating me like a
fool; I love the way you divide and rule." ).
Don't get on this man's bad side! For
those of you who already have these three songs (since they're, like, 5 or 6
years old), finding them on this "new" album may be a bit
disappointing, but that doesn't take away from the fact that they're still
killer tracks. And if you haven't
heard them, they're new to you; enjoy!
The remaining tracks of course can't all live up to this standard, but
the trio of "Hail Selasi I," "Weak Heart Rasta," and
"Addictive Love" (riding the classic lovers rhythm from Dennis
Brown's "The Cheater") hold their own.
"Stinking System," "Fools Desire," and the funky
hip-hop-styled "In Dis War" provide strong support as well.
The second half of the album sags a bit, however, weighed down by what
seems to be an attempt on Alpha Rowen's part to "lighten up" and
become more radio-friendly. The
high-energy dancehall of "Hot Gal Credential," "High Volt,"
and "A-Di-Oh," though, end up feeling like generic Mr.
Vegas or T.O.K. The gimmicky melody of "Babylon Bridge" and the
out-of-place ska track "No Chaka Chaka" ensure that this album ends
with a whimper instead of a bang, but there's plenty on Hail King Selasie I
to ensure repeated plays -- especially if you don't already have several tracks. |
| Track Listing 1. Hail Salasi I 2. Red Hot 3. Weak Heart Rasta 4. Please Shotta 5. New Robinhood 6. Stinking System 7. In Dis War 8. Addictive Love 9. A-Di-Oh 10. Hot Gal Credential 11. Babylon Bridge 12. Days Are Numbered 13. Fools Desire 14. Thank You 15. No Chaka Chaka 16. High Volt |
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