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Heads High (Greensleeves, 1998) When Mr. Vegas burst onto the scene in 1997 with his unbelievably catchy smash "Heads High," it was tempting to label him as a one-hit wonder or as gimmicky, with his helium-voiced, sing-songy delivery, but Heads High the album displays an ingenuity and consistency that supports 20 tracks without getting stale. I suppose that some listeners may find his style annoying, but I like it, his Barrington Levy-esque vocals creating a near-perfect hybrid of singing and chatting. Two prime examples of his infectious stylings are "Sweet Pineapple" and "Everywhere I Go," which feature sing-songy flows that wrap themselves around your brain and force you to groove (and I can't forget "Pop Style," on which he usurps the melody from Madonna's "La Isla Bonita"). Mr. Vegas also does a good job of acquiring producers that make the most of his vocals with their music. Chock full of inventive dancehall rhythms that mirror the energy of "Heads High" -- like "Nike Air" (which uses the rhythm Beenie Man rode to success on "Who Am I"), "Frontier" (which features the rock guitar rhythm from Buccaneer's "Bruk Out"), and "Big Things a Gwaan" (which has a near house beat). One of the biggest party jams (besides "Heads High," which is included with a remix that doesn't sound terribly different from the original) is the smooth hip-hop of "Jump Around," the only crossover tune on the album. The only real misstep here, though, is "Yu Sure," whose guitar-laden rhythm is taken from George Michael's "Faith." As incomprehensible as it may sound, some people actually like this beat, as it is used on Tony Curtis' cover of the song (see Strictly the Best 22). But, being the understanding person that I am, I can forgive Mr. Vegas for that blunder. |
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Reggae Max (Jet Star, 1999)
More of the same from Mr. Vegas; if you like his upbeat, helium-voiced style, then you certainly will enjoy this collection of tunes just as much as Heads High. If you don't, well, you probably won't. I happen to like him, so Reggae Max was a pleasant treat. I hadn't heard of most of these tunes previously, so I was a bit apprehensive, but the quality is strong throughout. My favorite track is probably the hip-hop-edged "Go Go," as well as "Call Me Penny," "Agony Agony," and "One God," featuring Merciless and Delicate. This Reggae Max set is essentially a must for Mr. Vegas fans, since this early in his career, he has released such little material.
| Track Listing 1. Yu Sure 2. Bounce Bout 3. Frontier 4. Unuh Guilty 5. Go Go 6. Call Me Penny 7. Intervene 8. Sing Wid Me 9. One God featuring Merciless & Delicate 10. Drunken Wispy 11. Under Mi Guiness 12. Jump Jump featuring Elephant Man 13. Stop Man Food 14. When the Cock Crows 15. Agony Agony |
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