Our Music
For his second release on his own label, nine-time Grammy nominee (he won in 1999, forCallin' Rastafari) Burning Spear has fashioned a fiercely committed yet relaxed blend of topical observations, Rasta orisons and Marcus Garvey-inflected avowals of positive resistance and self-reliance. Born Winston Rodney in St. Ann, Jamaica, his career began more than 35 years ago when a chance encounter with Bob Marley inspired him to visit the legendary Studio One. This time out, his sound is typically rootsy and deceptively uncomplicated-- percussive, bass-heavy, layered with percolating guitars, searing brass (including a tasty sloppy-lip trombone onFriends) and crooning female choirs.O¹Rastaman, a dub-laced extended mix packing a rhythmic thrust somewhere between Marley'sExodusand War'sCisco Kid, is 7-minutes-plus of sheer dance floor heaven. Fronted by the bandleader's understated tenor and confident masculinity, the set's overall vibe could and probably will be referred to as "classic" or "retro." But Burning Spear was there when it all began; he owes nothing to anyone, gives lavishly to all and still does it better than anyone now living. --Christina Roden