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Tribal
Roots
(Humble Ark, 2004) Scholars Word is a relatively new act emerging out of Florida who are rare in that they are a four-piece band fronted by a DJ rather than a singer. To be more accurate, General (Dave Philip) is more of a sing-jay, in that he both chats and sings -- joining the ever-growing ranks of such versatile vocalists as Turbulence, Jah Mason, and Survivalist. Scholars Word is also rare in that, with their release Tribal Roots (their third album, I believe), they manage the elusive feat of appealing to both hardcore reggae fans and the casual masses. That is, their mix of roots reggae and dancehall (expertly played by the live musicians, who eschew the sterility of overly digitized rhythms) proves rugged and "true" enough to the genre for long-time listeners, yet has enough popular appeal -- with catchy hooks, engaging music, and a few party jams -- to draw in non-reggae fans. In particular, jaded roots listeners should go ape-shit over funky wa-wa tracks like "Lord Is My Shepherd," "Callin," "Gideon Boots" (using the classic horn line from Burning Spear's "Columbus") and "Thank You," which cleverly borrows the chorus from Garnett Silk's "Bless You." It's impressive how the group can move from deathly serious cultural tunes like these to the all-out fun dancehall of "Party," "Strong Body," and "Funky Reggae," the latter of which has a great throwback '80s funk edge. General himself has something of an old school flow when he chats -- at times reminding me of Chaka Demus in his heyday -- but he adapts his style from song to song, shifting from a conscious sing-jay like Sizzla in "Gideon Boots" to a raspy roots singer cut from the Marley mold in "Lord Is My Shepherd." Tribal Roots is one of those albums that shows that you don’t have to be well-known to produce good music. You can check it out at cdbaby.com (a great site to listen to and buy independent, little-known reggae, by the way). |
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Track
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How Long (Scholars Word, 2006)
Scholars Word continues to establish themselves as one of the more dependable reggae bands in the US. They achieve a nice balance between pure, "keep it real" reggae and a more accessible "I own three reggae albums" sound -- something akin to
Mystic Revealers or Reggae
Cowboys. Compared to Tribal Roots, How Long is more of a roots reggae endeavor, with fewer dancehall riddims and DJ deliveries (although guest DJ Zally chimes in on a few tracks) and, as indicated by the subversive title, a more somber tone that leaves little room for the party tracks of the last album. Bryce Creighton sings lead with a piercing growl that accentuates this darker sound, and although some reggae diehards still might find fault in Scholars Word's catchy hooks and occasionally pop/rock-tinged music, his edgy vocals should help bring them around.
How Long might not have a standout scorcher, but there's also not a weak spot to be found. The title track and "Double Life" churn along with delicious roots energy, "H.I.M. God" delivers a celebratory Latin infusion, and the wicked saxophone line of "Actions" will have you clamoring for a dub version.
How Long is one of those albums you can throw on and not worry about hitting the fast-forward button. If anything, you might want to hit rewind.
See www.scholarsword.com.
| Track Listing 1. How Long 2. Double Life 3. I Know 4. Runnin 5. Part of Me 6. Actions 7. Feelin It 8. We Built It 9. H.I.M. God 10. Proton Dub |
Make Way (Scholars Word, 2008)
Scholars Word has been a remarkably consistent force in the underground reggae scene for several years now, and they continue their roll with Make Way. This is thunderous roots, with bass lines that will put your speakers to the test, echoing dub effects, and gravely vocals from Bryce Creighton that lend an ominous vibe epitomized by a title track that asks, "What they gonna do when I I'm sanctified, / When I have Jah Jah to be my guide? / What they gonna do when the smilin' done, / When time gets dread, we'll all have to run." It's a dark (though not depressing) album; even when the music is more upbeat -- as with "Crime" -- the message is still deadly serious: "War is a crime, no matter how necessary or justified." That said, Scholars Word's music remains accessible, with crisp production, catchy melodies, and a taste for saxophones. Dub lovers should be pleased to find a hard-hitting dub of "How Long" and the solid "Pleurisy Dub," not to mention a certain dramatic dubbiness that runs throughout vocal tracks like "Can't Live Without," one of the highlights of the album, along with "Love in Your Heart," "Kings Music," the title track, and "So High" -- appropriately, the most tranquil cut on the album. For a heavy, head-bobbing time, check out Make Way at scholarsword.com or cdbaby.com.
| Track Listing 1. Make Way 2. Take a Stand 3. Crime 4. Tellin' Lies 5. Love in Your Heart 6. How Long Dub 7. Ride the Waves 8. So High 9. Kings Music 10. Can't Live Without 11. Pleurisy Dub 12. Antidote |
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