Sizzla - Crucial Times (2010) 320 vtwin88cube

Sizzla
Crucial Times (2010)

Emerging during the latter half of the '90s, the enormously prolific Sizzla was one of the leaders of the conscious dancehall movement. Along with Buju Banton and Capleton, he helped lead dancehall back to the musical and spiritual influence of roots reggae, favoring organic productions and heavily Rastafarian subject matter. A member of the militant Bobo Ashanti sect, he sometimes courted controversy with his strict adherence to their views, particularly his aggressive condemnations of homosexuals and white Western oppressors. Yet overall, his music was generally positive, advocating faith, compassion for poor black youth, and respect for women. He remained something of an enigma to the public at large, rarely granting interviews and keeping his concert appearances to a minimum. Nonetheless, he still ranked as arguably the most popular conscious reggae artist of his time, thanks to a normally high standard of quality control -- all the more impressive given the frequency with which he recorded. A versatile singjay-style vocalist with a gruff, gravelly tone, he was capable of both rapid-fire chatting and powerful, melodic singing, and his best backing riddims were among the strongest in contemporary dancehall.

Channels: 2 (stereo)
Sample Rate: 44.1 KHz
Sample Size: 16 bit
Bit Rate: 320 kbps

Audio Quality: Very High (Lossy)
Encoder: LAME 3.98r
Encoder Settings: Constant Bit Rate 320 kbps (Insane)
Contains: Album Art, ID Tag [ID3v2.3 (ANSI) & ID3v1.1]

Format: Mp3
Genre: Reggae
M3U Playlist: Yes

Sizzla’s massive discography has more than its fair share of suspicious releases, most of which drive away new listeners with sub-par material and poor documentation. Crucial Times suffers from the latter in that there are no track by track credits -- although there is an excellent essay -- but the material is top-notch, all of it pulled from the Grove Road vaults of producer Homer Harris and much of it unheard. Given the one-two opening punch of “Precious Gift” and “Crucial Time,” the album could easily be mistaken for one of Sizzla’s official releases if it wasn’t for the fact that the sound field changes significantly between the two tracks, signaling that they come from different studios and different time periods. Speaking of time periods, the liner notes claim “Foundation” is from the first time the singer stepped into the studio, and supports the argument with a picture of a 15 year-old Sizzla on his way to school. Other highlights come from what are obviously later years, as the smooth and modern “Jolly Good Time” flows like a Third World or Maxi Priest tune, while “Sufferation and Poverty” uses a jungle/drum'n'bass beat for a futuristic ragga experience. More info and this collection would be a revelation, but as it is, it’s a welcome surprise and should have all Sizzla fans wondering what other undiscovered gems this Bobo Dread has lost to the vaults.

01.Precious Gift
02.Crucial Time
03.Take A Stand
04.Agriculture And Education
05.Charming
06.Jolly Good Time
07.Rat Race
08.There's No Pain
09.Sufferation And Poverty
10.Foundation
11.Atta Clap
12.Progress
13.Get Rid Ah Dem


Cheers!