Customer Reviews

Feel the Power

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2001 was a pretty unusual year for reggae music. Besides being about the usual slew of big tunes, it was about big albums as well. From Ward 21's debut, to T.O.K.'s debut, to Damian Marley's big album to Beres Hammond's last studio release, to Log On to Taking Over, it was the year of the big album.

However, flying somewhere under the radar might have been one to trump them all. Cocoa Tea falls in the category of entirely too cool reggae singers. His voice is undoubtedly the answer to the question of "who sung that song" on so many tourists to Jamaica from trips years and years ago. For the type of music that he does, his voice is absolutely perfect, and despite his Rastafarian beliefs, his magic probably works best on the ultra-laid back tropical riddims and not the heavy roots, hard conscious sounds. All that being said, one of Cocoa Tea's greatest talents outside of the studio has always been in surrounding himself with some of the best talent on the island. So when you see that the man himself Phillip Fattis Burrell is on the board for this one, slowly but surely the results start writing themselves on the wall.
The most interesting piece here musically, is without a doubt th opening title track. Absolutely melting over a riddim I thought long dead due to Sizzla's massive hit over it, Taking Over, Cocoa Tea offers what is either the single best or the second best tune on the album. If Feel The Power isn't the best song here then the song which is the best and the second single if I remember correctly is Sweet Life, a truly magical setup by the veteran. The only true mis-steps here are the two 'WHO' tracks "Who" which is Cocoa's take on the 2000 US election is an odd choice in its lack of metaphors, its pretty literal and for such an accomplished writer as this artist it doesn't seem to be his absolute best; also "Who Let Them Out" is a tune with a great concept that never actually picks itself up. Besides that, check the awesome Auction Block, Hot Again and the unusual closer Sliding. Also not to be missed is the huge combination track L.O.V.E. which features no less than 4 other artists (Louie Kulcha, Ken Serious, Anthony Selassie and Silver Cat). Really big tune, also like Moses Law and True Love.
Overall, I say no doubt about this one. I'll perhaps always file this one in the category of 'missed it when it was better' time has without a doubt affected some of the luster on this one. But such songs as the title track and Sweet Life will forever be great tunes.
Good Music, go get it.