As you can tell, I've been on a bit of an extended vacation from my column here on Suite101. So, continuing where I left off, I still have a load of unreviewed CDs on my rack from the last few years, so I'm going to catch up on my columns and reviews in one fell-swoop with a handful of capsule reviews. Since reggae albums are generally released without much fanfare, it's possible that even though some of these albums are a few years old, you never heard about them when they came out, so hopefully you'll discover something you missed while trying to keep up with the latest riddims.
Tony Curtis: Power of Love (Artists Only!, 2001)
Curtis' Power of Love is a solid modern lovers rock release that won't blow your mind, but will still please fans of smooth vocals and the occasional cover song ("Power of Love," "Have I Told You"). Highlights include "Reggae Now," "Keep Keeping On," and the rootsy "People Are Crying." Carl McLeod handles the unchallenging, but appropriate production. There are some good summertime vibes here, and Tony Curtis has a really good voice... it's a shame we don't hear more from him.
Various: Sean Paul Presents Titanium 2000 (Bassline/JamDown, 2000)
At this point, I don't need to dwell on my distaste for modern dancehall. You've heard it all frequently enough. That said, I can also appreciate its appeal and the talent it takes to create dancehall anthems. There are few others in recent years that have made the wave that Sean Paul has, and this release from the early days of his success shows why. This release on Bassline Records (a collaboration between Paul and producer Daniel Abbott) rides Abbott's "Titanium" riddim and features appearances from Elephant Man (the current flavor of the month), Lexxus, Mr. Vegas, Delly Ranks, and the unfortunately named Looga Man, among others. While the one-riddim concept is pretty tiring unless you're a DJ or seriously into dancehall, the Titanium riddim is decent enough and allows the DJs to flex with ease. Sean Paul's two contributions ("Nah Stray" and "Nah Move Right" with Looga Man) are solid and show Paul's penchant for catchy hooks and basic chatting rhythms while Spragga Benz's "Call Her Name" and Mr. Vegas' "Big Corruption" stand out. The standard rules apply for one-riddim dancehall comps applies here: if you like the riddim, pick it up. Otherwise, you won't be impressed.
Various: Dancehall Madness (JamDown, 2000)
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