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Trodin On (Four Music, 1999)

If you want to know why Gentleman has caused such a fuss in the reggae realm over the past few years, I wouldn't recommend listening to Trodin On. The German singjay's debut, this album features a much heavier dose of digital dancehall and hip-hop than the follow-ups that garnered international acclaim. That in itself isn't a bad thing, but the riddims used here are often generic and/or recycled, and Gentleman just doesn't seem as adept at the strict dancehall sound as he is at the roots/dancehall hybrid (with perhaps a touch of lovers rock) with which he's scored on tracks like "Superior" and "Intoxication." "Lion," "Outta Space," "Human Being," and "Heat of the Night" (which rides the oft-used Sail Away riddim) are just ho-hum numbers, dancehall by the book without the type of catchy hooks that the genre demands. Several of these same riddims have been put to better use elsewhere. The only tunes that hint at the lush, swaying, rootsy dancehall that he'd score with in later years are "Jah Jah Never Fail" (featuring the Garnett Silk-like Terry Linen) and the regal "Who Dem Want Blame," both of which could rightly be considered among Gentleman's best. "No Competition" meanwhile is an interesting stab at a rock/dancehall hybrid that more or less works, and "War & Crime" and "Fade Away" are likewise solid supporting tracks that are far more welcome than the Americanized sound of hip-hop cuts "Tek Time fi Grow" and "Allstar Jam" and the banal ballads "True Love" and "Trodin On." If you want to hear what makes Gentleman great, skip this album (or maybe just listen to "Jah Jah Never Fail" and "Who Dem Want Blame") and pick up Journey to Jah or Confidence.

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Confidence (Four Music, 2004)

Gentleman continues to gain a steady following outside of his native Germany, and Confidence appears to be his most popular yet. The tunes that have gained the most exposure in the US, "Superior" (on Reggae Gold 2005), "Intoxication" (on Irie Reggae Hits), and "Unconditional Love" (on Reggae Hits 34), feature swaying, lovers-inclined grooves, the kind of laid-back sound to which he seems most suited. Perhaps he himself realizes this, as most of Confidence features a similar tranquil roots- and lovers-infused brand of dancehall, buoyed by his remarkable gift for crafting dreamy sing-songy melodies that will have you swaying in public places where you really shouldn't be swaying. Once again, Gentleman pulls off wonderful collaborations with a variety of reggae luminaries. It's great to hear artists like Tony Rebel, Barrington Levy, Ras Shiloh, Coco Tea, and Anthony B (the latter's piercing "Face Off" is also featured on his excellent -- and German-produced -- My Hope) perform such high-quality material, and it's a tribute to Gentleman that they would not only appear on his album but that he seems to bring out the best in them. Of course, he doesn't need guest vocals to shine, as evidenced by tracks like "Lion's Den," "All That You Had," the military-paced (and really the only up-tempo dancehall cut) "New Day," and perhaps the best of all, the truly overpowering "After a Storm." It's amazing that Gentleman can maintain the blistering quality of Confidence through 20 full-length tracks; I actually starting looking for anything that could be considered filler (best bet: "No Time Like Now," which relies on Jack Radics' bombastic singing/talking, and perhaps "Rumours," which just recycles Desmond Dekker's "Shanty Town"). If you are at all disillusioned by the state of reggae in this day and age, you may want to consider a one-way trip to Germaica. 

Another Intensity (Four Music, 2007)

Despite its title, Another Intensity is probably Gentleman's most relaxed effort to date -- as reflected by the relative lack of big-name dancehall guest vocalists. The opening two tracks -- including an acoustic rendition of "Tranquility" (the electric version is a hidden track at the end of the album) -- are so low-key, in fact, that they almost put a damper on the set. (There's a reason why most albums open with a rousing number.) The downtempo mood isn't necessarily a bad thing, of course, but those who were drawn to Gentleman's early, more energetic music should note that he has all but abandoned the dancehall sound for this album. ("Soulfood" and "Mount Zion" have a hip-hop vibe but are still mellow and moody.) Regardless of what style you prefer to hear from Gentleman, though, it's hard to find fault with an album like Another Intensity that contains hardly anything that could be construed as filler. While it doesn't have the obvious, blistering hits of his last album, Confidence, it's almost as consistent from beginning to end, featuring production from Jamaican stalwarts Bobby "Digital" Dixon and Richie Stephens and Germans like "Blanco" Bazzazian, Ingo "Pow Wow" Rheinbay, and Gentleman himself. Highlights include the Sizzla duet "Lack of Love," "Serenity," the joyous "Celebration," and "The Light Within," despite Diana's King sounding like she was singing while lying on her back. The only real complaint about the album is that Gentleman has found his mellow hit formula and has perhaps settled in a bit too comfortably. Although great, the songs tend to sound a bit "samey," with similar tempos and hooks that repeat a melodic structure that identify the tunes as his but might get a bit old if stretched out over another album or two.