Having gotten into the reggae game a little late, the first Mighty Diamonds album I heard was 1994's Speak the Truth on RAS. "Knock, Knock" remains one of my favorite modern reggae tunes and despite the album came 20+ years into the group's career, it was the one that exposed me to the gorgeous harmonies and positive vibes Mighty Diamonds fans have known about for a long time. With over 30 years of experience behind them, there's no doubt that the Diamonds have secured their place in reggae history and if their recent material is any indication, they're not planning on letting up any time soon.
Rise Up is their latest batch of new material. Released in 2001 on Charm and destributed in the UK by Jet Star, Rise Up is yet another great collection of tunes that will please fans and help introduce them to a new audience the way Speak the Truth did for me. Produced with class by the mighty King Jammy, the riddims are played with ease and maturity by the usual cast of characters, including Sly & Robbie, the Firehouse Crew, and Steelie & Clevie. When you team up a proven vocal trio with the reggae industry's top producer and house bands, it's hard to imagine going wrong.
"Leaders" kicks the album off nicely with a nice, classic Mighty Diamonds vibe that asks: "Who made you Lord, master of me? / So you better set me free... / The leaders, the leaders, the leaders, the leaders of the world: we want more freedom." Similar vibes are captured on "The Life You're Living" and the thundering, yet delicately voiced, "Drifting Away." The album's most catchy tracks are the chant-down-Babylon-themed "Trap," the album's title track, the bubbling "My Youth," and the familiar sound of "John Gotti."
Though sometimes the riddims start to blend together, the only real downpoint of the album comes on the painfully pop-soul sounds of "Searching." It's bad. Really sappy bad. At least they showed some restraint by putting it at the end of the disc. But with 16 out of 17 tracks highlighting the Diamonds' talent for memorable reggae harmonies, it's easy to look past one musical indiscretion. Rise Up remains an excellent effort with positive summertime vibes to brighten your day.
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