| Orthodox (Shaka Man, 2005) *GUEST REVIEW* When the music starts, your speakers explode with 100% pure roots rock reggae. Think living music for the living God, interpreting this music au naturale. "Seek H.I.M." sounds like Steel Pulse playing a Midnite-penned tune. "Hold On Jah Jah Children" sounds like the Reggae Bubblers covering Studio One. You can hear the Greatful Dead's Shakedown Street and Exodus-era Bob Marley in "This is Yah Music" -- that, and a healthy dose of Lee "Scratch" Perry. The Rastafarians have a unique sound that manages to separate itself from, and recall, its influences. You may have an idea what I mean, if you have heard Rastafarians bassist Haile Maskel's stuff. This takes a whole new meaning with the afrobeat-meets-ska title track. "Orthodox" finds the band setting out on a freewheeling trip through crazy effects and electronic sounds while a tribal rhythm pulsates underneath. "Occupation" is a soulful lamentation about Mussolini's occupation of Ethiopia that recalls both "Hotel California" and "By the Rivers of Babylon." If you like Sly & Robbie's stuff with Black Uhuru, you'll enjoy this. If you heard Maskel's Papa Afrika, you may remember "Roll Call". That version featured Aaliyah's backing vocals, but the version here is better. The band's backing vocals are similar to Smokey Robinson's Miracles. The slower tempo and the gospel feel give the song a lot more weight and resonate more with its soul. Until I heard this version, these lyrics seemed cute: "Some call him Jesus, I call him love, Some call him Jesus Christ, I call him Rastafari, some call him Alla, I call him Jah, some call him Buddha, I call him Abba". But now they seem so sincere and true and have a moving, inspiring effect. The overall message of the song is, in so many words, 'I'll be among the saints when God reads from the book of life, and I hope we all will.. It's hard to write something about every song, but suffice it to say that they're all great and memorable tunes, and several of them ("Roll Call," "Words of Wisdom," "Seek H.I.M.," etc.) are flat-out masterpieces. - Trammell Scruggs |
| Track Listing 1. Seek H.I.M 2. Hold On Jah Jah Children 3. This is Yah Music 4. Orthodox 5. Occupation 6. A Love We Deal Wit 7. Roll Call 8. Jah's Greatest Blessing 9. Words of Wisdom 10. Rasta Theme |
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