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Friday, April 1, 2011

Horns, harmony, arrangement make 'Skyfiya' memorable

Horns, harmony, arrangement make 'Skyfiya' memorable

Published: Friday | April 1, 2011
Uprising Roots band
Uprising Roots band
Thematically and lyrically, Uprising Roots band's debut CD, Skyfiya, is at best unremarkable and at worst trite. It sticks to the accustomed topics of spirituality (King Rastafari, Blessings), marijuana (Steamers), self-determination (Positive), Garvey (Marcus Garvey) and respect for women (Most Royal).
There is, of course, a reason why they are well-worn topics, but the band does not explore them in new and interesting ways.
However, musically, especially in its horn arrangements and the utilisation of harmony, along with the interplay of lead singer Blackush and dub poet/keyboard player Akinsanyah, the album is outstanding. And the roots rock reggae of Uprising Roots is a perfect bedrock for the plain-style singing of drummer/lead singer Blackush. He does not engage in mind-blowing vocal pyrotechnics, but his voice is well suited to the material and the excellently delivered roots reggae music.
However, it is the horns that are guaranteed to blow the listener away. They come early, in the opening track King Rastafari, and are part of the album to the very last drop. The horns are rich, layered and well placed, and especially strong on the title track.
The interplay of lead and harmony singers, strong throughout, is especially striking on Shinin' So Bright, where Blackush urges "stop the killing" and the harmony completes the line with "it's a brand new day". And Blackush and Akinsanyah complement each other on many tracks, the singer observing in Know Yourself, "every day it's the same thing/on the corner keep yapping/no Gully or no Gaza cyaa get we out/King Selassie a him run the rout", before the poet advises "we have potential and ability/our thought create the reality".
The singer/poet combination is also used to decent effect on Most Royal, Marcus Garvey, Positive and Shinin' So Bright.
One gets the feeling of listening to a self-contained unit in which the members are in lockstep with each other. The all-important live feel is underscored by the instruction to 'record now' at the very start.
Uprising Roots shows a definite preference for things solar as the sun - and in some cases waking up early to experience its first rays - are addressed on the title track, Brighter Days, Shinin' So Bright and Brightest Light.
Roots music does not mean routine and, along with the horns, harmony and poetry to go with the singing, there are changes in pace on Skyfiya to keep the listener engaged. So the title track is uptempo, while Steamers is one of the many steady rockers on the album and Brighter Days closes the set on a Binghi note.
And it is a good set, despite the definite lyrical and thematic 'same old, same old', as the roots rockers of the band is suited to the lead singer's vocal style. Plus, don't forget those horns.
- Mel Cooke

Track listing
1. King Rastafari
2. Blessings
3. Skyfiya
4. Brightest Light
5. Steamers
6. Know Yourself
7. Most Royal
8. Marcus Garvey
9. Who Can't Hear
10. Positive
11. Shinin' So Bright
12. Krash Like Lightning
13. Brighter Days