Baby I've Got News For You (Revue, 1999)

The best debut album of 1999 may very well be this one from Steve "Shalom" Harper.  A former protegee of Sugar Minott and his Black Roots/Youth Promotion organization, Shalom burst onto the reggae scene with an unabashedly tender, vulnerable lovers rock sound.  To me, Shalom seemed to fill a void of sorts, for lovers rock seemed to have hit a stagnant period (outside of the UK, at least).  Most new artists seem to emerge in the dancehall sub-genre, leaving the same old faces and voices -- Gregory Isaacs (barely), Sanchez, Beres Hammond -- to support lovers.  A new voice will pop in now and then -- Singing Melody, Ambelique, Mikey Spice -- but they manage to put out inconsistently good material.  And, more importantly, few manage to put out consistently good original material.  Hackneyed remakes are such an integral part of lovers rock that Baby I've Got News For You appears to be manna from Heaven.  Only one of the 10 songs (plus 5 remises/dubs) that Shalom sings is a cover -- that being a nice version of the Harry Mudie-penned "Push Me in the Corner."   The title track, however, is what most listeners will recognize, as it was an international hit that brought Shalom into the spotlight.  Once you've heard the classical strings and the tender yet defiant vocals, you won't soon forget "I've Got News For You."  But this album displays vividly that he is not a one-hit wonder.   Though a newcomer, Shalom has managed to assemble a superb team of songwriters (He himself is given writing credits on only two songs.) who know how to bring out the best of his uniquely stirring style through their distinct, catchy melodies and lush musical arrangements.  "Why Is It So Difficult" -- with its wonderful interpretation of George Benson's jazz classic "Breezin'" -- is every bit as enjoyable as "I've Got News For You," while "Stranger in the Rain," the rousing "Climb Any Mountain" and "How Time Flies" are equally outstanding.  In fact, practically every tune here is good, except for the irritatingly slow sax-driven R&B "Part 2" of the title track.  If it isn't bad enough to ruin a near-perfect album, there is an instrumental version (of Part 2, not Part 1), again featuring Dean Frazer.  These two disturbing mixes not withstanding, Baby has the sound of a future classic.