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Revolutionary Dream (Musidisc, 1978)
This is one of those "album albums," one where few songs jump out at you, but rather where all songs are worthy and blend together in a seamless tapestry. Possibly the quality that stands out most amongst these tracks is Moses' croaking voice, which adds a Yoda-like worldly intelligence to the lyrics. Aside from the voice, though, the music is filled with distinctly '70s guitars and organs -- a nice sound. The songs that did manage to stick with me are "I Love I Bring," "Where Am I," and the 9-minute escapist romp "Come Mek We Run," although "I Man a Grasshopper" -- mixed by Lee "Scratch" Perry -- was probably the biggest hit off of this album. While not exactly "revolutionary," Revolutionary Dream -- Moses' debut -- is solid roots from the golden age of reggae music.
| Track Listing 1. I Love I Bring 2. Be Not a Dread 3. Give I fe I Name 4. Come Mek We Run 5. Revolutionary Dream 6. Where Am I 7. I Man a Grasshopper 8. Corrupted Man 9. Blood Money 10. Lonely Singer 11. We Should Be in Angola |
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A Song (Island, 1980) With the success of his debut, Revolutionary Dream, Pablo Moses signed with Island Records and released this able sophomore effort. His trademark mellow, froggy voice returns over music that is crisp and songs that, as on his first albums, are solid, not spectacular. The title track and "Each Is a Servant" are the best tunes here, with the latter's funky, jazzy keyboard and digital-sounding horns setting it apart. "Let's Face It" has similarly appealing musicality, and "Dubbing Is a Must" -- though not a dub -- is entertaining as well. |
| Track Listing 1. A Song 2. Dubbing Is a Must 3. Revolutionary Step 4. Music Is My Desire 5. Each Is a Servant 6. One People 7. Let's Face It 8. Protect I / A Song [Reprise] |
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Mission (RAS, 1995)
It's sad to see artists who used to produce such magical works years ago now produce such contemporary crap. Mission, while crappy, is not crappy in the way that many modern albums by older reggae musicians are; that is, it's not overtly crossover material. Indeed, it's mostly modern roots and light dancehall, but it's overwhelming influence seems to be "Sesame Street." I say this because many of the melodies on this album are just so unimaginative, so childishly simplistic -- as in "These Are the Days" or "Live Up Woman." Others are just plain annoying, as in "He Was Bad," and the music -- although played by the standard big names Sly & Robbie, Dean Fraser, Handell Tucker, etc. -- is almost as bland. Only "You Got a Spell" and the title cut are of any value, but the rest is so bad that you can't appreciate them, buried way down in the number 8 and 12 tracks. The ickiness permeates the decent songs to the extent that listening to "Mission" conjures up images of Adam Sandler's Cajun Man character when Moses sings a series of lines ending in "-tion." And as hard as you try, you can't get past lyrics like this from "Stand Off Back Off": "Stand off., back off, kiss off, shove off...Who no like it ha fi bite it." And up your nose with a rubber hose!
| Track Listing 1. Will Power 2. Brain Wash 3. He Was Bad 4. Tick Tock 5. One Shot 6. Too Much 7. Never Seen 8. You Got a Spell 9. Stand Off Back Off 10. These Are the Days 11. Live Up Woman 12. Mission |
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