Lava Ground (VP Records, 2005)

*GUEST REVIEW*
I Wayne has one of those dread-serious faces, as you can see from the front and back cover photos on this CD. But he's got a surprisingly silky voice, which he puts to good use on Lava Ground. In fact, his easygoing vocal technique gives his stern Rasta viewpoint considerable impact in a whisper-to-get-attention sort of way. Musically the disc is mostly roots with bits of dancehall, R&B, and rock seasoning, sometimes putting ingredients like lead guitar and keyboards ahead of drums and bass in the mix. It's a good approach, since I Wayne has the vocal suppleness to ride it all out. He even begins the album with a track on which he's accompanied by a single guitar and nothing else, establishing his skilled phrasing and elasticity from the get go. Lyrically, he's got some strong-minded opinions on life, love, righteousness and prickly issues like abortion, and his lithe fire burns with such conviction that he can even get away with such moves as copping the riddim and melody from Bob Marley's "Waiting in Vain" (on "Don't Worry"). There's 18 tracks here, and it's not all killer, but I Wayne is mightily deserving of a place among those putting roots, culture and consciousness back at the forefront of reggae.

- Tom Orr