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Weh Dem a Go Do...Can't Stop Coco Tea (VP, 1989 [orig. released 1985])
One of the few dancehall originators who has stood the test of time, Coco Tea (or Cocoa Tea, depending on who you ask) has maintained a moderate level of popularity by sticking to his style: cool and laid-back with a lovers rock streak, yet still with enough of a streetwise edge to have the credibility to put forth social and cultural messages. Can't Stop Coco Tea, his debut album, contains material recorded mostly in 1983-84 and thus the dancehall music here is sans the digital riddims that came to dominate the sound after 1985's "Under Mi Sleng Teng" hit. Still, it has an unmistakable dancehall flavor, but with live instruments giving it a more rootsy feel. Although this album isn't great, it has an engrossing sound, and some of the individual songs are pretty good, especially "I'm Wanted" and the hit "Rocking Dolly." Another hit, "Lost My Sonia," is also solid, as is "Informer," but many of the melodies aren't terribly memorable, as Coco Tea's relaxed stylee may be a bit too relaxed to always inspire the listener.
| Track Listing 1. Rocking Dolly 2. Informer 3. Jah Made Them That Way 4. Evening Time 5. Can't Stop Coco Tea 6. Lost My Sonia 7. I'm Wanted 8. I'm Going Home 9. On Top of the World 10. Chalice Nuh fi Ramp With |
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Holy Mount Zion (Motown, 1997) It's a bit surprising that Coco Tea -- though he's consistently scored hits since the mid '80s -- would get a major (non-reggae) label release such as this one (and at Motown, no less). His nonplussed, subdued air doesn't lend to an image that can easily cross over (as presumably non-reggae major labels would aim to do). However, Motown must've seen something, and to their credit, they didn't force him into any mainstream Maxi Priest type of dance/hip-hop sound. Holy Mount Zion is strictly Coco Tea, aided in no small amount by the fact that the last 4 tracks are older, proven hits. In fact, without these 4 -- "Love Me," "Good Life," "Israel's King," and "Riker's Island" -- the rest is pretty tame. His irresistible remake of Bob Marley's "Waiting in Vain" highlights these other 8 songs, along with "Moving On," which rides the minimalist rhythm from Sizzla's "Black Woman and Child," and the catchy lovers rock of "She's My Baby." If you have and/or are already tired of the 4 old tunes, then Holy Mount Zion is probably not for you; if not, they add much needed value to this mixed set. |
| Track Listing 1. Ready fe Dem 2. Waiting in Vain featuring Cutty Ranks 3. She's My Baby 4. Moving On 5. Forward Who fe Forward 6. New Immigration Law 7. Holy Mount Zion 8. Hurry Up & Come 9. Love Me featuring Shabba Ranks 10. Good Life 11. Israel King 12. Riker's Island |
Xterminator Presents...Best of Cocoa Tea (Xterminator, 1999)
Xterminator Presents, as the title suggests, collects the best Cocoa Tea tunes produced by Phillip "Fattis" Burrell over the years. Although Burrell accounted for a lot of Cocoa Tea's hits, limiting this album to just Xterminator productions makes it feel like something less than a complete "best of." Certainly, a true "best of" would include a couple of tracks each from Holy Mount Zion ("Waiting in Vain" and "Riker's Island") and Weh Dem a Go Do... ("Rocking Dolly" and "Lost My Sonia"). Apart from the 3 tracks that Xterminator Presents shares with Holy Mount Zion ("Good Life," "Israel's King," and "Love Me Truly"), I appreciate the inclusion here of "She Loves Me Now," "Africa Here I Come," and "No Faith." However, trying to squeeze 17 quality tracks from the body of Burrell-Cocoa Tea collaborations is a tall order, and as such, there's some filler to be found on Xterminator Presents.
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