The Ripple Effect,
Album Review
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Reggae, like rock, comes in many flavors and textures, and the genius of roots singer Toussaint is his ability to blend several of these styles into a truly rapturous release. Possessing a voice that simply drips with soul, reminiscent of Greggory Issacs or Freddie McGregor, Toussaint is just as adept dropping a little lovers rock into the mix with his roots and rockers style. And even though Black Gold is rooted firmly in the grand tradition of reggae, Toussaint isn’t afraid to mix things up, drop in some modern flavors, play with the instruments, all the while keeping a solid message. And then again, there’s that voice. Very few styles of reggae work successfully if the singer can’t pull it off, and Toussaint’s the real deal. The former lead singer of the band Soulive, Toussaint’s voice is deeply soulful, his tenor lilts and drifts around the driving rhythms and scatting guitar.
“Nobody Knows,” starts things off with about as solid a rockers style hit as I’ve heard in a while. Check out the trickling runs of fingers across the piano keys, adding a rare jazzy, neo-ambient texture. Toussaint harmonizes with his voice perfectly on some vocal double tracking while he rants against technology and a return to a more spiritually grounded life. Bass and drums, always so important in reggae bounce and dance across the track. This isn’t casual, lay-in-a-tourist’s-hammock-and-soak-in-the-sun reggae, this is heavy rockers style and it packs a punch. Toussaint lightens it up a bit on the next song “This Song,” bringing a gentler Marley-esque rhythm to the game. Some key horn and guitar fills, and some killer work on the drums lift this one to heady heights.
I’m more a fan of rockers style reggae, which is touch more aggressive in message and tom and high hat drumming, so it’s no surprise that I’m more enchanted by songs like “Roots in a Modern Time,” which follows a Black Uhuru template in its killer vocal style and chorus, than I am by songs like “Hello My Beautiful,” which is pure lovers rock in the Bob Andy vein. But truth be told, Toussaint does lovers rock as well as the best of them, great harmonies, melodies, and that voice . . . always that voice. In truth, with Toussaint at the helm, I don’t really care which path he takes me down. I’m just enjoying the journey.
Toussaint doesn’t shy away from controversy, tackling topics like his own cocaine addiction, (“Conquering Cocaine”), racism; racial pride and racial harmony (“Black Gold” and “Changing”) to the ongoing Rastafarian struggle against repression (“Marching”) and tackles each subject with passion, power and authenticity. Toss in some gentler numbers like the find-yourself message of “Be You,” the pure spartan joy of “Rain Again” with it’s string accompaniment, and the dignified searching for understanding of “Patient,” and Toussaint has created a true modern classic of reggae, bringing in enough variety and styles to please the casual reggae listener or even the hardest reggae fan. Highly recommended. 11/02/10
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