SHOK WAVE is your weekly new REGGAE music blog. SHOK WAVE finds music that is out there in the form of Reggae, Dancehall, Soca, Ska, Dub, Reggae Rock & anything else musical with a Caribbean origin and in any language.
Here is what we found this week.......Enjoy!
REGGAE
Black Uhuru 'As The World Turns'
Black Uhuru has been a force in reggae music since the 1970's & return with their first album in over 15 years called 'As The World Turns.' This band has turned out all great & legendary reggae singers: Michael Rose, Jr Reid, Puma Jones, Don Carlos & Garth Dennis. Now the bands pillar, Duckie Simpson, has taken the leader role & turned it into lead singer. His baritone stands strong & creates the next chapter & legendary voice to lead Black Uhuru into the new millennium. Simpson does it with good songwriting & really good melodies. Strong lyrical content of conscious music with politically driven words that speak for the people who's voices are not being heard. The album opens with the title track 'As The World Turns.' A song he's had in his catalogue for a long time and just releases it. The '5 Star General' approach has always been very militant as you can hear on 'Chalice.' 'Jamaican Herbsman' (a take off of Bob's 'African Herbsman and 'Ganja Baby' are two more marijuana songs. 'Spectrum' (previously released, this version is much better) says 'the more you live, the more you learn, the more you give the more you get burned, people don't remember those beautiful days in September.' Black Uhuru's rendition of Peter Tosh's 'Jah Guide' is stellar. Bugle joins, while you hear Agent Sasco on 'Stronger' & President Brown 0n 'Live & Learn' which is a remix of 'Spectrum.' Other cover tunes include The Wailers' 'Stand Alone' and 'Police & Thieves.' The softer side of Duckie is revealed on 'Betrayal' and one of his best. Another classic from Black Uhuru.
B.O.E.M.
Boem started as a project to record roots reggae music & became a band. It started out as Enrico Massari's idea and he wrote 10 great songs. Then he brought together Italy's best reggae musicians and it went so well it is now known as BOEM. They have been picked up by Bob Marley's Tuff Gong records and have a similar vibe. Their music is upbeat, positive, simple & they've created a feel good album. 'Bullet' is the first song of strength. It has the vibe of Bob Marley's 'Buffalo Soldier.' Lyrically the project can't touch Bob, musically it comes awfully close on two other songs as well: 'Footprints' & 'Beat The Wall.' The first breaks it down for us as humans while the third & last one, has a rock edge that Chris Blackwell put in many of Bob's songs, and finishes with the skank we know & love. The fight, the struggle & the love are all there. A solid album which is very well produced with extra mixes of 4 songs. Enjoy.
George Nooks 'Love Light'
George Nooks is a bonafide reggae singer with the status of being a veteran. The mans voice only gets better with time and on 'Love Light' it is a true testament to his talent.
P Dub front man for the band Predator Dub Assassins releases his acoustic reggae set called 'Just Before September.' His single 'Trini Girl' is the best song off the album with its catchy lyrics & hook. 'Soul Provider' is that tune we are all looking for..... 'your first, last, your everything....your Soul Provider.' I love his tune for the 'Hometown' because we all have one that 'made me.' Lastly, for the standout tunes is ''Not That Kinda Girl.' She doesn't need financial attention... just love & affection.'
https://dubassassins.bandcamp.com/track/trini-girl
https://dubassassins.bandcamp.com/track/soul-provider
https://dubassassins.bandcamp.com/track/hometown
https://dubassassins.bandcamp.com/track/not-that-kinda-girl
SKA
Basement Roots 'Catch The Flow'
A real nice horn line with a great organ phrase produces a modern classic styled Ska tune from the Swiss band Basement Roots with 'Catch The Flow.' This is their first single from their upcoming debut album. Their sound will emulate the classic roots reggae, rocksteady, ska & dub sounds of Jamaica.
SOCA
Stick Sweetie riddim
A great new different sounding ragga/groovy soca riddim called 'Stick Sweetie' riddim produces two good songs: 'Keep Sheltering' & Soca Calling.' The riddim opens with a guitar which in itself is different for Soca. Chanique has the strongest song with 'Keep Sheltering.' Basically keep protecting me, you are my 'Jah.' The Soca song is Fya Empress's song called 'Soca Calling.'
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