Customer Reviews

Gangsta Blues

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Whether she pens her own lyrics or not this young woman is a lyrical giant. It's refreshing to follow her easy poetic and compelling style and the clever way in which she frames her tales.

Listen to "Way Back", "Damn" and "Boom Wuk". While the latter is a little risque it is clear that she has a natural capacity for story telling and her ability to compose and deliver could make her a terrific novel writer.

Right On Tanya! Immensely enjoyable!

TDB

If you are a true reggae listener u would have already bought this album. Her voice, her style, what she has to say is just unbelieavably under rated and more people even if you are not a die hard reggae fan, u should cop this album. Her words and messages are so powerful that I can not stop listening to it from beginning to end. Get this album now!!

This Album is a definate must have. All the tracks are great except maybe one. There is really no need for the rewind button when plaing this Album. This is How hott this Album is. Anyone who doesn't have this Album in their Cd collecton should go get it now. The first day I got this Album, I played it like the whole day and didn't once get tired of listening to it. Thanks too my sister for the day she bought the Album home. This Album deserves a grammy. Keep coming up with more music of this sort Tanya Stephens, especially the Acoustic ones which, whenever I hear them reminds me of Tracy Chapman.

This is one of the best albums I have heard in a long time...every song is fantastic. Tanya Stephens has an amazing voice and the style covers both old school reggae and more modern beats. The lyrics are witty and intelligent, very socially conscious. I admit though that I was a little disappointed to see that Tanya Stephens did not write the lyrics herself, I feel like it takes a bit of the sincerity and power away. Regardless, it is a must have album.

This CD is pretty darn good. Track 3 (Boom Wuk) is an kick arse song that really demands you to get on the floor and dance baby! But Track 4 is a monologue (boring). For the most part this Cd has some exellent regge tunes that will keep you grinding all night long. "It's not the way you walk, its not the way you talk, its not your beat up car, you definatly aint a movie star, its not the cloths you wear, its not your nappy hair, baby, and its not you gangsta flex, baby, its all about da sex!!!!!"

This is a very soulful & unique album! Everyone can relate to one or MORE songs in her album. She speaks from the heart of the things she has experienced, seen in her life. Her lyrics are things that people don't normally talk about. Her songs will make you say "I know what you mean...that is so true...you took the words right out of my mouth". Some songs will make you laugh others might make you sad. But EVERYONE can enjoy the beautiful musical instruments that each song is accompanied by.

As I said, her songs are somewhat unorthodox to mainstream music...for example, my favorite song (love them all) on the album is "It's a Pity"!!! The lyrics start out with..."It's a pity, you already have a wife and me don't have a man in my life"...that is what I mean by unorthodox LOL! I can so relate to that song! I have listened to that song about a hundred times already. It one of all time best Reggae songs IMO!! Love it!

This is one of the most soulful yet pithy albums I have listened to in a long time. Tanya Stephens has her very personal stories and views of life to tell, as if we were sitting over a coffee (or whatever grabs your fancy) and bantering away. Some of the lyrics resonate inside your head, as maybe they would not be spoken out loud, but kept to oneself.
"It's a Pity" is one of the all-time great songs in my book, and I have listened to it about thirty times now. "Tek im Back" gets me grinning. Gangsta Gal, which sounds almost upbeat, and has just a superb musical arrangement behind it, is almost tragic, as you wonder just how long it will be until the gangsta bites it, and his gal moves to the next one.
It would seem that his album is truly the launchpad that allows Tanya to strut the world stage, moving beyond (but don't take this the wrong way) dancehall. Bravo!

I have been listening to the music since "My Boy Lollipop". I am not as current as some in those in their 20's and 30's but I have a sense for good reggae. This is one of the best albums ever done by a reggae artist. Stop... it is one of the best albums ever, period. The lady is saying what so many women (and men) want to say but don't have the words to express. Her mixture of drum, bass and husky female vocals is done to perfection. She could have turned this into 17 albums (listen to Way Back) She mixes gangster, sex, love, social commentary and more all on one album. If you don't have this one you are cheating yourself.

I've been a fan of Tanya Stephens, and besides the fact that we attended the same High School (St. Mary's High in St. Mary Jamaica) I've always known that she was a cut above all the other Jamaican female DJs. However, if there were every any doubts about that fact, this album should dispel it all. I thought of the best way to convey the calibre of the album, and the best way I think to describe it is: This is the female equivalent of when Buju Banton did the 'Til Shiloh' album.

She is spitting potent lyrics over original drum and bass riddims ('rhythms' for the non-Jamaicans) and some solid guitar driven songs that provides interesting social commentary. Definetely a must have for all true Reggae fans, and those who can appreciate good music period. As she appropriately proclaims on the last track of the album "Mi a lead, and dem can't cut mi speed"

After hearing "Little White Lie" on the radio, I had to get the CD. I've been a Tanya fan for quite awhile. After reading the other reviews, I went ahead and purchased without hesitation. I haven't even listened to the whole CD yet, but I am totally blown away by the 3 tracks I've heard. I've been a reggae fan since "Natty Dread" blew me away on the streets of Brooklyn in 1974. And I've listened to nothing but reggae evah since. This IS one of the best reggae CD's evah! Tanya is LARGE and not afraid to seh so! Get this one right away, you will LOVE it!!