Short Rope (Meditation, 1999)

Who?  Avalanche?  Caravan?  You might've never heard of Avaran, but don't think that his anonymity is an indication of the quality of material on this his debut.  To date, the only exposure I've noticed Avaran get is the inclusion of his "Only Jah" (the DJ version of which is included here) on Meditation Records' excellent showcase New Era Reggae, which is certainly a shame because this is one of the most unsung great albums of the '90s.  Avaran definitely comes from the Garnett Silk school of singers, his emotional wail and mix of modern roots and dancehall echoing the late great Silk on tracks like "Oh Jah" and the thought-provoking "Church & State."  Short Rope's appeal rides on the power of a quartet of songs: the wake-up call "Serious," the catchy lovers ditty "You Now Realize," the back to Africa anthem "5 Miles," and particularly the poignant prayer "Remember Me," a moving plea to Jah that, though laid-back, is one of the most powerful tunes I've heard in a long, long time.  Unfortunately, Avaran follows up "Remember Me" with the only mistake on this album, the hackneyed "A Friend," whose clichéd chorus -- akin to Luciano's similarly corny "Friend in Need" -- chimes "A friend in need is a friend indeed."  Eek.  Still, the power of those other 4 tunes, combined with the solid "Highly Positioned," "Life," and the aforementioned "Church & State" and "Oh Jah," more than make up for this slip.