Customer Reviews

Creation

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Junior Kelly is definitely one of the better conscious dancehall artists. There is no argument that Sizzla is the #1 but Junior Kelly is definitely in the top 3 and with this release he shows why. In terms of conscious DANCEHALL, this year I've bought Sizzla, Capleton, Jah Mason, and now Junior Kelly. After the 3 Sizzla albums I've gotten this year, Junior Kelly comes in #2 for me in terms of listening enjoyment. This is a DJ/Sing-J album which I have been able to listen to from start to end. I think his delivery is satisfying, the songs are well written, and the sound quality is up to par. Four stars because 2 of the songs on this album have been released on other albums and have just been re-named here. Other than that, I have to say that my favorite songs are 'Jah Knows', 'Exile', 'Love and Happiness' (a rename old re-release), and 'Cry Fi You Baby'.

These days you can generally lock down a guarantee at least one release a year coming from Junior Kelly and the fine people over at JetStar records, and they are usually of a high quality, and serve as an excellent way for him to keep his name in the public outside of Jamaica as well. While I'll argue until he goes to that level again that the best Junior Kelly inna album was on 2000's Rise, which was just a monster of an album, 2004's installment, Creation, has its good moments as well.
The best moment of Creation is a little bouncy sounding tune called Burdens Heavy which sounds very very catchy and about as original of a tune that I've heard anytime recently. Also really love Evil Do'ers on which Kelly somewhat abandons straight djaying and opts, towards the later stages of the tune, to just employ a talking style and it works in the particular song. Also, really really love Jah Knows. Another tune called Exile really good tune, and Dem No Remember (which pretty much clears up Kelly's Bobo Ashanti leanings), nother good song. Also, while the album's description may boast of complete exclusive tunes, the track 'Black People' appears on his previous VP album Smile under the title African Bound. And the finisher on the album is one of the worst Junior Kelly sounds you'll ever hear. Burn It probably indicates that Kelly has been listening to a little bit too much Sizzla recently (and haven't we all) as he goes through the entire song in a similar tone to Sizzla's oft-over-animated over-agressive shout. And while its debatable whether or not that tone works for Sizzla, its apparent, it doesnt work for Kelly at all.
Overall, Creation, might actually be Junior Kelly's most hardcore DJ album ever. Certainly he goes the chanting route a lot, but he really seemed intent on sticking to a straight up DJ style. Creation, doesn't suffer for that, and nor will his future output should he decide to do more of that, but Kelly's real strength is chanting over really solid roots foundations. Creation has enough of that to make it a winner.