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Run Come Save Me - Roots Manuva
by huggy2009
Criminally undervalued in this country, Roots Manuva is for me one of the biggest and best hip hop stars this country has ever produced, this is his second and seminal album which brought him to the attention of a wider audience through the sublime dubstep of 'Witness (One Hope).
The song only made it to 45 in the Singles ... charts, but it had a big effect and has been used on the soundtrack of a number of young British films. Roots is Rodney Smith a young man with Jamaican roots and a firm feel for the intricacies of Reggae, Hip Hop and dub, he brings all of these to bear on this album which is brilliant in parts and sets the template for artists such as Dizzee Rascal and Sway.
This was voted one of the best 100 albums of the nineties by NME and Roots has used his skills with some of the best dance acts in the UK from the Audio Bully's to Leftfield to guest appearances as part of the Gorrilaz crew.
Roots produced most of this album himself and what shines through are some wonderful lyrics which relate to life in Britain rather than us having to listen and live vicariously through American rappers, he talks about life as we know it and anyone who has seen the fantastic school sports day video for 'Witness' will know that Mr Smith has a fantastic sense of humour.
Stand out tracks on the album are 'Witness (1 Hope) which is utterly brilliant and one of the best tracks ever, it has a massive beat, fantastic lyrics and makes you want to get out there and jump around.
Other strong tracks include the amazing No Strings, also Kicking the Cack is a great example of life in an inner city.
Every song has something to offer, Basement Boogie has a mad dancehall beat and strange sounds, Highest grade takes a hook from Craig David and makes it listenable. The album is bright, inventive but never easy.
What other rapper would talk about third world famine and a nice piece of cheese on toast in the same breath. Roots is conscious of the need to be a role model and avoids cussing and dissing wherever possible, but the album offers glimpses of his own demons on songs such as the malardy filled stone the crows, this is a man with a rare talent who also understands his own shortcomings.
Sinny Sin Sin's is interesting as Roots discusses his childhood with a strict pastor father and kicks back against this somewhat, the album is full of confessionals, great lyrics and banging beats.
It was never going to break America but I am shocked that this awesome talent is not given more respect and kudos in his home country where we should be lauding him to the heavens for being different, eloquent, humorous and musically eclectic.
This is an album that does its creator lots of favours, it mixes beats that would confound Lee 'Scratch' Perry from the Jamaican soundsystems with lyrics which could come from a Radiohead or Emo album. Roots Manuva is brave, honest and never afraid to say the truth rather than be the big man to look good.
The album is like a British dub dancehall mix with Mr Manuva Mc'ing it with guest appearances from members of Jurrasic 5 and other renowned MC's. I love the album, love the concept, it was universally praised at the time and still sounds relevant now.
The shame of this album is that while commercially aware hip hop based around self-aggrandizement and disruption flourished, this gem never really took Roots to the next level as it should have, but I guess he'll have his time and with skill like his, he's obviously in it for the long haul.
I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in home grown talent, this album is a precursor to some of the brave young talents like Dizzee and Sway, its humorous, at times devastatingly honest and musically brilliant.
Tracks
No Strings...
Bashment Boogie
Witness (1 Hope)
Join The Dots
Black Box Interlude
Ital Visions
Kicking The Cack
Dub Styles
Trim Body
Artical
Hol' It Up
Stone The Crows
Sinny Sin Sins
Evil Rabbit
Swords In The Dirt
Highest Grade
Dreamy Days
The album is available for £4.93 on Amazon, if you want a taster of the sounds and the big man's self effacing style watch his video for 'Witness (one hope)' on youtube, how many other rappers would mock themselves so mercilessly.
Mr Smith I salute you as one of the bravest and most innovative British performers of the last 30 years.
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Hello Rockview - Less Than Jake
by seano1993
Hello Rockview is the third album by ska-punk band Less Than Jake. It was released in 1998 and produced by Howard Benson. Its highest position in the album charts was #80.
Instead of the traditional CD booklet there is a little comic book with each page representing a song, containing pictures, lyrics, etc. So even before I ... had listened to the CD I was pleased with this little bonus. The music labels should encourage more stuff like this, as people would actually want to buy the physical album instead of downloading for free off the internet. The comic book really is a nice touch and completes an already excellent deal of this album and their previous album Losing Streak for only £10 on amazon, at the time off writing. But that aside, lets get on to the music:
1. Last One out of Liberty City ***
At just two minutes long, this song gets the album going at a frantic pace. Not really a ska song but more a punk rock song with horns. It's not amazing but it is too short to be bad, so a good way to open the album. 3/5.
2. Help save the Youth of America from Exploding ****
A lot of guitar work at the start here, but once the vocals come in it reveals its true nature, a song about teenage angst, with a very catchy pop punk sort of chorus, while managing to not venture into the annoying territory of Sum 41 or Good Charlotte. 4/5
3. All My Best Friends Are Metalheads (Single) *****
"This is a fair request.And I promise I will not judge any person only as a teenager.That you will constantly remind yourself that some of my generation judges people by their race,their belief,or the color of their skin.And that this is no more right than saying all teenagers are drunken dope attics that're glue sniffers..."
This song starts off with that excerpt from a spoken word record released by Victor Lundberg. This starts the song off on it's theme off teenage stereotyping. The horn section here are the best on the album, with a punk guitar riff making this an energetic catchy song about fitting in, a theme which we can all relate to regardless off age. A 5/5 for ska-punk at its best.
4. Five State Drive ****
This song is about the band having to drive through five states just to play a show, so that just shows their commitment to their live shows. This song sounds a bit more upbeat than the previous three with joyous trumpets playing throughout the entertaining lyrics that the describe the band's journey. Like the first song doesn't have the traditional song structure, it is a more a punk guitar fueled rant, so not that catchy but still able to put a smile on your face. 4/5
5. Nervous in the Alley ***
More a general rock sound here, with the horns only making an entrance during the chorus. Not as fast as the other songs,the lyrics are quite hard to understand and it's a bit too repetitive to be catchy. The first filler song on the album, so a 3/5.
6. Motto **
A return to a more punk-based sound, with a riff that sounds a lot like one of blink 182's songs that I just can't recall right now, but I'm quite sure its at least half of them. Its a bit boring and Less Than Jake are just going through the motions here, don't get me wrong it's not bad just mediocre by the albums high standards. 2/5
7. History of a Boring Town *****
Luckily Motto is followed by History of Boring Town, because it's the best song on the album. A track that builds up and up till the excellent chorus, in which the character reminiscences about his old boring town, before revealing he is still there. It's quite a nostalgic song in that it reminded me personally of my old town. 5/5
8. Great American Sharpshooter **
This track is only a minute and a half long and is an entertaining fast song with plenty whoas and who-whos, if you know what I mean. Not great but keeps the album moving. 2/5
9. Danny Says
A song about someone called Danny and what he says, this features an un-orthodox trumpet line, so a nice change from earlier tracks. As with the whole album, it's fast and furious, but a good punk song nonetheless. 3/5
10. Big Crash ****
A feel-good vibe off this one, another punk song but a bit more poppier, with sing-alongable chorus. The horn section is again either playing on drugs here or is just super hyper and it makes for a great song. 4/5.
11. Theme song for H street ***
This sounds a bit too much like the previous song Big Crash, so I could only give it three stars out of five as its basically just a poorer version of the song before it. 3/5
12. Richard Allen George... No, It's Just Cheez ****
This song is about some private joke involving one of the bands friends, which is a bit annoying, but its a fun and catchy song and doesn't outstay it's welcome at only one minute and forty-nine seconds long. 4/5.
13. Scott Farcas Takes It on the Chin ****
You know the formula by now: fast punk songs, slight ska influenced guitars with a full horn section adding to the catchy choruses. It works for the whole album and it works here as well. 4/5.
14. Al's War
The album is ended by Al's War, which has a slightly more serious tone in contrast to the rest of the album. It's about a personal war inside a Al's mind as he deals with the decisions that come with growing up. A great way to end the album. 4/5.
All in all, at the end of the day , in summary I would say this album is a brilliant pop-punk CD with ska influences. Some might find the singer's nasally American accent annoying, but otherwise any remote fan of pop-punk music should buy this album.
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Specials - The Specials
by seano1993
"The Specials" is the debut album by ska band "The Specials". It was released in 1979 and was produced by Elvis Costello.
On a recent quest to find out what all this "ska" genre of music was a bout I came across this album on Amazon for under 4 pounds. A quick google tells me that this album is ... one of the defining recordings of it's genre so I decided to take a chance and bought it.
"A Message To You Rudy" is a song you will all be familiar with. Used in countless adverts it still holds its charm to get you into a good mood. The irresistible trumpets and laid back feel, with a message discouraging youngster from getting caught up in the gangster life is just so catchy and a brilliant way to open the album.
"Do the Dog" is a much more up-tempo song, with a rock-sounding drum intro. A fast with an undeniable ska beat which will get you on your feet. Not their best but not annoying at barely two minutes on. "It's Up To You" is a bit slower but with a nice chorus, more in the vein of "A Message To You Rudy" but not as good (still not bad though). Another example of the group's different vocalists also and multi-ethnic sound. The fifth song, "Nite Klub" starts with an annoying sound at the start but once it gets going it's quite humorous and a light-hearted look at 70s entertainment.
"Doesn't Make It Alright" is a slow song with quite poignant lyrics. A sad but rather uplifting song, it's simple but effective here as a break between the frantically paced "Nite Klub" and "Concrete Jungle", the latter being a great song, another energetic yet meaningful ska classic.
"Too Hott" is more influenced by the Jamaican reggae genre than earlier tracks, with a change of singer keeping things interesting, a much more easier-going and laid-back track than the ones before it. Reminds me of Bob Marley. The Specials won't give you a long rest though, because you'll soon be on your feet when "Monkey Man" comes on. It's a very energetic song that was recently covered by Amy Winehouse. It's surprisingly catchy as well and I must praise the work of Sir Horace Gentleman who is on top form as throughout the album on bass, adding an extra dimension to the songs.
"Dawning of a New Era" is an okay song, fast but short, not as good as the others. "Blank Expression" is an entertaining song with some nice guitar in the verses adding to it's relaxed feel as Terry Hall asks: "Where did you get that blank expression on your face?". "Stupid Marriage" while no the best on the album musically, is quite humorous as a scene plays out in a courtroom, revealing a story of a failing marriage.
"Too Much To Young" is one of the strongest songs on the albums, an infectious song about a woman marrying too young, being told by Terry: "You've done too much, much too young, now you're married with a kid you could be out having fun with me". A real example of the classic "Specials" sound even if it is a bit unnecessarily long at over six minutes.
"Little Bitch" is a song you will definitely have heard before, but like me you might be surprised to hear it's by the Specials. Great lyrics and the brilliant guitar make an all-out excellent song, one of the more rock-sounding on the album. The album ends with with "Your'e Wondering Now", a great way to end the album, with some fitting lyrics that also contain an anti--racist message. A mellow way to end an excellent album.
Overall the Specials debut album is a simple must-have. There is rarely a dull moment and the Specials will get you dancing, whether or not you listen to their anti-racist lyrics is up to you. It's easy to see the Specials influence on modern ska ands and put it this way- if you have any interest at all in ska, this is the album to start with.
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