Search - Mikey Spice :: Walk a Mile

Listening? You Should Be. . .

Achis | Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM | 10/29/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When it comes to having so many artists who are ridiculously and downright CRIMINALLY underrated and underappreciated, I would argue that reggae music is KING. If you spend any kind of time (trust me I know) on almost ANY section of Jamaica (and pretty much anywhere in the English speaking Caribbean) you're almost certain to run into someone who was formerly a musician on some level (I cannot tell you exactly how many times this has happened to me) or another (some of whom are still active). Amongst those actually still relatively close to the heights of the business, you also have SO many names of artists who are quite characteristic of being underrated. For example, there's a pretty good chance that if the name Junior Kelly means anything to you, you're probably a big reggae fan. Junior Kelly will NEVER reach a larger platform for his music (than he did with his MASSIVE Love So Nice) and, therefore, will never receive the level of respect and popularity someone befitting of his skills deserves. In or outside of the spectrum of reggae music and its fans, Kelly seemingly won't reach the level of his far more popular fans such as Sizzla, Capleton or Anthony B, which is a class in which he so certainly belongs. Similarly, there's Jah Mason, who I would have envisioned entering that category and class of artist at some point, but he himself also appears to be headed to the point of (continuing to be an) underrated artist. While Mason probably doesn't have that skill level, he certainly has a raw quality to his music, similar to that of Anthony B, which ultimately gives his vibes a unique set of traits unlike ANY of his musical peers. In the dancehall, things are the same and figure to continue to be the same. While international heads and the casual dancehall will continue to hype the works of Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Elephant Man and the likes, it is ONLY amongst the hardest of hardcore dancehall heads where a big bag of WICKED artists will earn most of their respects and popularity. Take, for example, (General) Degree, one of my own personal favourite artists who (although with the nature of the music it is still possible these days) will probably never make it out of the category of respected veteran artist, but far from superstar. Degree, with the possible exception of Beenie Man himself, embodies what it means to be a dancehall STAR and to exhibit an actual dancehall LIFESTYLE. You have several other similar artists such as crazy Roundhead, Red Square member Bad Greg Hines and just a whole heap of others who while they will probably never get the eye of attention which they so easily deserve from their talents, they represent the `body' of the music and as a whole are arguably just as `important' as the stars themselves.



So similar and perhaps to an even greater degree is the artist in question in this particular case, longtime Kingston born veteran Mikey Spice. Spice has arguably been overshadowed by more than one generation of BOTH roots and especially lover's rock singers, yet, oddly enough, he has definitely managed to keep himself current, especially on the international stage. While you probably know singers like Beres Hammond, Wayne Wonder, Sanchez and even the younger Da'Ville, the name Mikey Spice may be foreign to you. Just as the case, as he has kept himself in the roots arena by delivering very STRONG rootical material throughout his career, the name Mikey Spice isn't probably to carry as much weight as names like Luciano, Bushman, Everton Blender, Garnet Silk (with whom he had recorded) or more recently, the WICKED Natty King. What Mikey Spice's place in the music is one similar to names such as Glen Washington, Lukie D (although he is a better natural talent than Lukie, with respect to both), Mikey General, Prince Malachi and Singing Melody. As very talented singers who operate at a place with a fairly DEVOUT fan base, but don't really ascend to the heights of the game, but still they don't seem to care much (especially in the case of the downright DELIGHTFUL Mikey General and Mikey Spice). Mikey Spice's vibes, to separate himself from the pack a bit, have a distinctively soulful type of sound which you would see most normally in maybe American R&B (he has been dubbed the Barry White of reggae, due in large part to his very nice remake of the late and great White's ultra-popular Practice What You Preach) or perhaps even in gospel music. it's a very LUSH type of beautiful sound which really opens up his vibes for an audience which isn't the most reggae-centric necessarily, but those who are just able to appreciate a quality sound and good music. Reggae-wise, however, that sound can be SWEET SWEET when Spice is at his absolute best and when he has at that level he easily ranks as one of the best singers in the game (quite a good performer as well). I myself had been guilty of ignoring the few Mikey Spice tunes which I had heard in recent years, but if you REALLY want to get my attention, you can have a HUGE tune which I can't ignore, or, because I am one of the (about a dozen) Caribbean people who actually buys them, you can do what Spice has done here and actually release an album, his first in (BY MY COUNT) four years, Walk A Mile. The album comes via Caribbean music giant label VP Records and is, in fact, Spice's fourth album with the label (after 1996's Born Again (named after one of Spice's biggest hits to date) the following year he came back with Jah Lifted Me and his most recent VP release before Walk A Mile was 2000's Harder Than Before, probably his highest profile release to date). Walk A Mile (named after one of Spice's more recent big tunes) is produced by veteran Lloyd Campbell for the famed Joe Fraser Productions (Campbell also helmed the very fine VP release last year from the similarly underrated and overlooked Screwdriver and has worked extensively with VP over the years including having produced Spice`s Harder Than Before album). The result is one which is likely to fly beneath the radar; but really is to be regarded is one of the REAL sleeper hit reggae albums of 2008.



As I said, I hadn't exactly been paying such a great attention to Mikey Spice as of late (although I do think Walk A Mile has been spinning quite liberally here), so I really didn't have much in the way of something I was really looking forward to (although the tracklist did boast one of my all-time favourite Mikey Spice tunes, more on that in a minute). But I was ultimately very happy with what the veteran turned out. Getting things started on Mikey Spice's new album, Walk A Mile is the syrupy SWEET Sorry Baby which finds our star lamenting walking away from a torn relationship (and still walking away, nevertheless). The song, which is quite typical of Lloyd Campbell's production, features TOP NOTCH background singers which really go to accentuate Spice's vocals GREATLY! The tune is, quietly, one of the real winners on the album and a very NICE way to start things off. The title track is up next which took me just a minute to recognize that I had heard it before. The tune flows across Campbell's VERY popular and SWEET Chi Chi Bud riddim (also in album form now) which was a remake of a Lee Perry original. The riddim itself has been quite a hit (especially in the UK where they LOVE the old school vibes) and Spice offers one of the real champions from the riddim as he offers the critics and the naysayers the opportunity to take a look from his side of things (the best tune on the riddim remains, however, UK veteran Lloyd Brown's WICKED Mr. Brown tune). Definitely, on paper, one of the real attractions on Walk A Mile, of course, and the actual tune itself doesn't disappoint none at all. HOWEVER! Finishing the opening of the album is easily the most frustrating of all its sixteen tunes, Happy Hour. The tune is probably my all-time favourite Mikey Spice tune, but AGAIN: After having re-recorded Assassin's Gully Sit'n for the album of the same name, Turbulence's Notorious for the album named after it and Gyptian's Serious Times for his debut album, VP once again re-records the tune! The results aren't exactly bad, but they aren't the DIVINITY which you hear on the original (which you can find on JetStar's Reggae Hits #35). Still it remains one of my favourite tunes here as I was singing along the entire tune, yet admittedly slightly disappointed. Pretty nice way to begin things.



One of Spice's strongest qualities that he exhibits time and time again is his ability to know exactly where his vibes are and he doesn't stray too far from that. So what you hear on Walk A Mile (and every effort he has that I've heard thus far) is the very best he could do at that given moment. He doesn't give a better effort on Walk A Mile than on the obligatory herbalist's anthem Two Spliff Tail. The song will IMMEDIATELY catch the ears of any reggae head because it so wonderfully floats over the MASSIVE Frenzy riddim from Joe Fraser (which backed the Sanchez MAMMOTH shot of the same name). The tune doesn't reach the heights of Spice's famed Kingston neighbour's effort (actually they both live in Florida now I believe), nothing does, but it still is a downright special track and definitely a welcome surprise. BIG TUNE! Should you find yourself seeking lover's tunes after having floated through both Beres Hammond's and Althea Hewitt's recent VP albums (A Moment In Time and Introducing. . ., respectively) then you've definitely come to the right place as Walk A Mile is LOADED with them. Check the WONDERFUL Meet Me At The Corner which is my wife's favourite tune on the album and ranks quite highly for me as well, very sweet track. Check A Little Love! Did I say SWEET! A Little Love is the type of tune that can make you cry right now! Just a lovely vibes and the voice never sounds better on the tune which is actually a remake of an old Jimmy London tune (and consider yourself a REGGAE-HEAD if you know who Jimmy London is, the first artist to voice in VP's Jamaican studios incidentally). This Time comes in with a very nice bouncing one-drop as Spice takes what he's learned from a broken relationship into a next, vowing to make things better, this time around. Spice goes in Sanchez-style with his Here I Am (not the same tune) which is VERY impressive later on Walk A Mile. The tune just really caught my ears sounding like something Sanchez would sing, but definitely Spice, being the veteran he is, takes the tune to the heights it deserves. And Save A Little Bit will make someone a very fine wedding song I imagine (and if you're the type of person who would get married to that type of song, please feel free to invite me), BIG BIG tune and definitely one of the best on the album. Walk A Mile actually ends with a pretty familiar tune to my ears, the somewhat CORNY but still decent Taste And See (where Spice utters the downright embarrassing line, "Don't ask me for the recipe of this mood of love!"), but even that tune grew on me after awhile to be perfectly honest. There are a few nice conscious selections on Walk A Mile as well. Most Notably are the back to back pieces I Cry, You Cry and Hail Jah Love. I Cry will undoubtedly receive its share of attention as it flows over a Bob Marley riddim (Jah Live) and for Mikey Spice's part, the tune itself is quite nice. But its nowhere near as STRONG as Hail Jah Love as Spice channels Everton Blender as he brings forth the NECESSARY tune which is rather easily the best conscious tune on the album and one of the best period. Lastly, check the BIG sound on Pull It Up which kind of rounds out the album, having both conscious and just music praising and uplifting vibes throughout. If I had to declare a tune here to be the `feel good' tune of the album it would be Pull It Up (it really reminds me of Spin the Song Ya by Cocoa Tea from the Save Us Oh Jah album) definitely. Love the song and again, a wonderful way to level the vibes of the album. (okay and check Walk the Streets too, I go back and forth on liking that tune though).



Overall, I do have to say that Walk A Mile isn't without its flaws; I didn't really catch My Way, it just wasn't Mikey Spice's greatest effort, nor was Hanging On To You which is touted as one of the attractions here. But, I'm not trying to give you this album as PERFECT. What it is, however, is one of the GENUINELY SWEETEST reggae albums that you're going to here in 2008 altogether. Walk A Mile is for the group of fans who love Beres Hammond and Sanchez and that ilk of artist which comprises Mikey Spice's real peer group. I'd also recommend it for the UK reggae-heads spinning the likes of Lloyd Brown, Peter Spence, Bitty McLean and Peter Hunnigale (and in the last year I've started paying more attention to them all so Walk A Mile comes rather timely for me) as Mikey Spice LITERALLY slides right into that group with the style of music he makes and he's apparently very popular in the UK, unsurprisingly. And R&B heads can maybe appreciate this one too, its not too far from what you listen to and really it encompasses much the same experiences and vibes Walk A Mile is yet another obvious reason in a career full of them why Mikey Spice's name should be a bigger one than it already is (and it already is pretty big). His talents remain and perhaps will always remain exclusive to the hardcore reggae audience. And speaking as a member of that group, any release he ever brings will always be welcome and Walk A Mile is an album which we will greatly appreciate."