Dub Reviews
| Artist: | Kenyatta Hill | Cover scan:
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| Title: | Pass the Torch | |||
| Label: | Tafari / Rounder Europe | |||
| Catalogue Number: | TAFCD 1046 | |||
| Format: | CD | |||
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| Result: | Insider tip for a new vocalist | |||
| Review date: | 2008-06-04 | |||
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An interesting approach comes from Rounder Europe in the Netherlands: a 14 track CD album featuring Kenyatta Hill, the son of legendary Joseph Hill aka Culture. But that's only half the truth. Because there are only 7 tracks from Kenyatta and 7 from Joseph himself. As you might know Joseph died in 2006 during a Germany-tour. R.I.P.
Just as with Lee Perry and his son Omar, Joseph and Kenyatta couldn't sound more different. Not only from the voice but also from the music itself. Without looking at the tracklist, one recognises immediately which song is from who. Now, I have to admit that I never was a big fan of Culture because they represent this more lightweight and "sweet" (in my opinion) style of reggae which I don't like. So, the 7 songs from Joseph don't get me off the sofa. Actually, I rather skip these tunes in order to listen to Kenyatta... Because Kenyatta sounds great. To all people looking for new and fresh singers for their dubplates or releases, give Kenyatta Hill a try. I would very much like to hear him on a heavy UK or French dub release. Come on you people! But back to the album. First Kenyatta-tune is "Take my Hands", a rootical but heavy stepping riddim with his vocals just right on top of it. He manages to stay underneath this "crying" Jamaican style like you know from Jah Mason or Lutan Fyah and similar. I don't like that too much. If vocals at all, then preferably laid-back or, well, normal. So, Kenyatta sounds just like that. Thanks! "Mighty Race" is a very deep rootical one drop and again, vocals just right. "Daddy" follows and as you can imagine, it's a tribute to his father. Very personal, very touching but the riddim is too sweet for my taste. But it's ok for the context. "Mariwanna" is the next Kenyatta-tune and it's a very dry and crucial one dropper without any unnecessary melody ingredients. Just the riddim and the vocals. Very nice. "The Message", hm, is it a Bob Marley riddim I hear here? Nice background vocals, too. Cool tune. "Same Situation" is another heavy stepper, definitely my favourite tune of the album, it's a known riddim but as usual I fail to name it. But what I especially like here is the vocals. It's seldom that I prefer a song due to vocals but here it's the case. Very good. To sum it up, "Pass the Torch" impressed me in so far that I realised that Kenyatta Hill is a new singer which has to be kept in eye (or ear) very carefully. As I said above, I would very much appreciate to hear him on some UK dub releases. It would be a new name and a new flavour as well. So, give him a chance! Apart from that, you get here some very nice roots reggae songs in a fresh style. However, I would have prefered to get 7 Kenyatta tunes plus 7 dub versions rather than 7 tunes from Joseph Hill. But, from the concept (=passing the torch), I at least like the idea a lot and therefore I recommend this album to all reggae fans, especially Culture fans but also to people who are interested to hear a new voice in town. Check the Rounder Europe website. |
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