Alborosie - Escape From Babylon
Posted on Monday 15 June 2009, 13:10 - updated on 16/06/09 - Music News - Permalink
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Alborosie - Escape From Babylon
(CD) Greensleeves GRE2039, 2009-06-15
The hottest thing to come out of Sicily since Mount Etna, Alborosie has established himself since moving to Jamaica as both an in-demand producer (UB40, Mario, Angie Stone and Manu Chao among others), songwriter, and a successful reggae artist in his own name. He released his first album (Soul Pirate) last year independently, which contained the hits Kingston Town and Herbalist. Alborosie’s new album, Escape From Babylon, is a throwback to the golden age of reggae, merging vintage sounds a la Bob Marley, Burning Spear and Black Uhuru, with modern roots and dancehall. The album’s lead single Mama She Don’t Like You is a humorous uptempo ska track in the vein of Madness and Toots & The Maytals. (extracted from the press release)
I managed to listen to the whole album and it's just like the new Queen Ifrica one, Welcome To Montego Bay: even though this is cool roots reggae, it's just less cheap and more listenable than most of what's coming out these days, and doesn't compare with productions from 30 years ago (or current productions from Grant Phabao). To sum it up: just above the average. The single is quite enjoyable indeed, but that's nearly it. I'm sure the deejay/live thing is cool though. (review by Djouls)
Alborosie - Escape From Babylon
(CD) Greensleeves GRE2039, 2009-06-15
Tracklisting :
01. America
02. No Cocaine
03. Mama She Don't Like You Feat. I.Eye
04. Global War
05. Money
06. Irusalem
07. I Can't Stand It Feat. Dennis Brown
08. Real Story
09. Good Woman
10. Dung A Babylon
11. One Sound Feat. Gramps Morgan
12. Humbleness
13. Promise Land
14. Mr. President
15. Operation Uppsala
16. Likkle Africa
Links :
myspace.com/alborosie
greensleeves.net
Press Release :
Alborosie's story starts in Italy where at 15 he becomes a founding member of a reggae band called Reggae National Ticket. Already wanting to leave his "Italian Babylon" Alborosie decided to quit the band, get rid of all his possessions and move to Jamaica.
Looking to find a place he could call his spiritual home, Alborosie immersed himself more fully into the music, the people, the vibe and culture of the island. It was tough at the beginning. Alborosie found work in a studio working as a mixing engineer but struggled for a few years despite gaining a lot of experience. Alborosie then embarked on making a name for himself as a reggae artist.
His self-penned singles "Herbalist" and "Kingston Town" released in 2008 did well in Jamaica and across the waters in the UK with strong radio support. He released "Call On Jah" and "Rastafari Anthem" in late 2008 and collaborated with some of the island's biggest artists including Luciano, Michael Rose, Morgan Heritage, Ky-Mani Marley, Jah Cure, Beenie Man and most recently with Etana on the superb "Blessings".
On his new album "Escape From Babylon", Alborosie offers an exceptional album paying his respect to his heroes from Reggae's golden age (Black Uhuru, Burning Spear, Steel Pulse and Bob Marley) and infusing this timeless music with a touch of modern roots and dancehall.
