Search - Mutabaruka :: Check It

Great dub poetry

mconci@zonnet.nl | Netherlands | 02/11/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mutabaruka's `Check it!' is a great album within `dub poetry'. Dub poetry is a sort of subgenre of reggae, whereby poetry is `toasted' (half-talked, or `musically talked': often (sometimes partly) in Jamaican patois) over reggae music, with mostly a strong bass.
To my opinion Mutabaruka reaches great heights with this 1983 album within this dub poetry reggae.
The conscious, interesting lyrics, are combined with great, groovy `rockers' reggae. Mutabaruka's toasting is creative and varied: it's not monotonous.
The lyrics cover a lot of social themes, such as the system, violence, Jamaican society, living in the ghetto, Africa, Angola and Jamaican emigrants. Lyrically it's strong: already from the start, in the intro, when Mutabaruka explains why he cannot write about lovers in the park - because "when you sit down late ina de park at night man come an' shoot you an' take your woman and rape her" and also can't write about flowers with all the "pollution". Elaborating then: "right now de reality out deh different. You ave fe write about South Africa, di youths ina de ghetto, you ave fe write about di Inglan. You ave fe write about all these things".
And so he does, and he does it great with conscious content and interesting rhyming. All this also on great music with a prominent bass and drums and nice keyboards, guitar and other instruments.
"De system" and "Everytime A ear de sound" are groovy. The same counts for "Witeman country" and other songs.
Somewhat slower, with a somewhat distinct music (including a bongo), but not less interesting is "Whey mi belang", about the African roots of black "West Indians". "Angola invasion" is also groovy and creative, and includes quotes of Marcus Garvey and Emperor Haile Selassie I.
Creativity in lyrics is also found in a song like "Hard time loving" (with a nice, somewhat mellow feel), and "Butta pan kulcha", about trying to be free from misery in the society. Recommendable."

My Favorite Reggae Album

mconci@zonnet.nl | 01/16/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love all reggae and believe Peter Tosh was the greatest artist of all time. However, this has to be my favorite album, same militancy and social consciousness that Tosh was known for with thumping base and Earl "China" Smith (of the wailers) ripping the guitar up. Every reggae fan - dub or not - should check this one out, it is definitely worth it."