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Lenn Hammond (Fiwi Music, 2001) You can't break into reggae with the last name Hammond and not expect to be asked "Are you related to...?" The answer is yes, he is. Constantine "Lenn" Hammond is Beres Hammond's nephew, and Uncle Beres must've taught him a thing of two about music, because this debut album -- which won the 2001 Juno Award (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys) for Best Reggae Recording (Lenn emigrated to Canada in 1989.) -- is noticeably self-assured and similar in style to his more famous relative. He doesn't sound like a Beres clone, however -- not as much as Glen Washington can at times -- due in part to his vocals, which more closely resemble a soul singer like Bobby Womack than a reggae artist. Also setting Lenn apart is a bit more of a righteous, rootsy inclination, with tunes like "See You in Zion," "What You Gonna Do" (featuring his cousin Yogie), and "Never Give Jah Up" exploring religious, Rastafarian themes. For the most part, though, Lenn focuses on a lovers rock and light dancehall style that his uncle has perfected. Though familiar in sound, the material is well-written (although I'm not so sure about the message of "Just the Other Night," which begins with the words, "Have you ever been in a situation when you had to cheat on your woman?"), smooth, and alluring, highlighted by "Mixed Up Moods," "It's Over," "You & I," and the Latin-flavored "Devotion." Lenn is at his best when crooning such tender-not-sappy love songs and thus seems uncomfortable and unremarkable on more up-tempo, more dancehall-oriented tracks like "Work Me," "Shout," "Feeling Sorry," and "Get Up and Shine." Still, if, like me, you were under-whelmed by Beres Hammond's last album, Music Is Life, you might want to check out the more consistent sound of Lenn Hammond. |
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