Search - Jah Cure :: Freedom Blues

Release The Cure

Achis | Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM | 03/31/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have only 2 minute, very small complaints about this album and then I'll launch into my cheerleading section in which I'll praise it as an early candidate for album of the year and that any reggae collection would be complete without it and it's 2 predecessors. The first of my minute complaints is that you might not get the impression from the cover alone that this is, in fact, a greatest hits compilation of the artist, Jah Cure. It's set pretty much like a regular studio album and although the cover does very well in showing you exactly whats going on with the Cure, it doesn't flatly tell you that this is a greatest hits album, and it should, in case you don't know that. The second even smaller complaint that I have about this one is that its sans Jah Cure's current massive hit Longing For on the wicked Drop Leaf riddim. A great big feather in the cap of VP would have been the gathering of that tune for this album.



Okay, now besides those 2 points, if you are a lukewarm fan of roots reggae, reggae, r&b, opera, folk, elevator music or even if you just occasionally enjoy the sound of a fan blowing, you need this album. The collector who has already bought Cure's first 2 album will buy this one anyway (I submit exhibit A for your approval. . . ME) and will be happy to find 5 songs which appeared on neither Free Jah's Cure or Ghetto Life, even though you'll have heard Good Morning Jah Jah althrough by now. The best of the new songs is probably Hi Hi with the heavy heavy Binghi drum backing it, it ascends into becoming a beautifully done African chant at it's completion. The slow winding sound of Troddin the Valley becomes addictive after a very short while and the familiarity of the riddim of Love is the Only Solution feels wonderfully simple and humble but in a great way. The other 'new' song, Give It to Them, sounds straight out of Tuff Gong and straight brilliant.



This album, oddly enough, draws mostly from Cure's first album Free Jah's Cure, and not VP's own Ghetto Life (which is probably the best album I've heard in about 10 years). Besides the 5 tracks I mentioned, the intro, and King in the Jungle with Kalonji the other 10 tracks are present on that album. And I'm not complaining, you can't go wrong with any track here, but probably the best of the more familiar material is Jah Bless Me. Also love Chant with Spectacular, Songs of Freedom and Sunny Day, but as I said, they're all great.



Overall, you have to throw biggups to VP for putting this one together. The beautifully packaged and well presented piece with the dove flying away on the backg is sure to attract fans who normally wouldn't purchase such a piece. And hopefully the artist, who is now entering his 6th year of incarceration for a crime which he and so many steadfastly claim he did not commit, will benefit from it. Freedom Blues is HUGE."