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Claws of the Cat (Columbia, 1993) A superb and much-deserved major-label debut from Tiger, the clown prince of dancehall. If nothing else, his style is unique -- incorporating deranged shouting and growling in his repertoire of zaniness. But he is far from gimmicky, as he displays on Claws of the Cat by laying down great track after great track. I would imagine that some listeners would find his style annoying, but you'd be hard pressed to prove that this isn't a good album. I personally enjoy Tiger's manic vocals, as they can squeeze the most out of an otherwise bland rhythm. "Beep Beep," for instance, rides the "Bam Bam" rhythm that Chaka Demus & Pliers wore out with "Murder She Wrote" soon before this album came out, but Tiger makes it fresh again with his Roadrunner-like mantra of "BEEP! BEEP!" It's hard to pick out any favorites, though, because almost all of the tracks are simply fun and enjoyable. Even when chatting semi-rude lyrics, as "All Out For the Killing," you have to think it's all tongue-in-cheek. Tiger does effectively address some serious subjects, however, as the poignant "Windscreen" (about children making money by wiping the windshields of cars) attests. A nice variety of musical styles are on display on Claws of the Cat, from the slow, lovers style of "Just Look" and "Cool Me Down" to the requisite major-label hip-hop/R&B tracks "Who Planned It," "Rude Boy," and "Out of Many One People" -- incidentally, the worst song here, a sloppy cut produced by The Brand New Heavies -- to just plain ol' energetic dancehall jams like "Chaos" and "Nobody Move." Whatever the stylee, though, Tiger tears it up. |
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