Jesse Royal has not rushed his debut, and the patience with which he has crafted this extraordinary release can be heard in every single one of the fourteen pieces included. With a label like Easy Star Records and masterminds like Llamar "Riff Raff" Brown, Kareem "Remus" Burrell (who has definitely inherited his Daddy Fatis' talent for beat and sound) and Kurt White on the controls, he didn't take no chances in the production process either.
And oh, this vocal delivery! I mean, by now we are well acquainted with Jesse's artistry in his break-through hymns Modern Day Judas and Finally, but the single Always Be Around set new standards, adding a softness to the artist's voice that some claim is induced by the birth of his daughter. Apart from the singing, the underlying music is a piece of art on its own, with Riff Raff providing multiple layers of fascination, making this song one of several stand-out tracks.
Another one is the combination Generation, a revolutionary celebration of those inspired ones born just before the turn of the millenium. The commanding voice and complex lyricism of Jo Mersa Marley is a perfect addition to Jesse's, and together they convince us that "this generation a go relay the message". Side note: the guy you hear singing background vocals in this track is Denver Smith aka Feluké, currently raising funds in order to be able to undergo a badly needed surgery in Mexico that is suppsed to finally rid him of a tumor in his colon. He is also heard on percussions in Stand Firm, a track that teems with heavy, serious lyrics once more, as do the brackets of 400 Years and Jah Will See Us Through that frame the album.
1 | 400 Years |
2 | Generation |
3 | Modern Day Judas |
4 | Life's Sweet |
5 | Real Love |
6 | Always Be Around |
7 | Stand Firm |
8 | Roll Me Something |
9 | Full Moon |
10 | Rock It Tonight |
11 | Finally |
12 | Justice |
13 | Waan Go Home |
14 | Jah Will See Us Through |