Hope & Doubt

Taj Weekes, Taj Weekes & Adowa | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 17, 2005)
• Original Release Date: May 17, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Alpha Pocket/Jatta Records
• ASIN: B0009INIZW
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #503,730 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Review

An inspired work of uncommon verve. Audacious and original, it shines like a beacon among the gray of contemorary reggae. --Ian Camacho collectedsounds.com

Product Description

Taj Weekes presents a brand new experience in classic roots reggae. With wry trenchant lyrics, a haunting dusky quiver in his voice and the knock-down sound of his band Adowa, Taj has managed to weave a rare social conciousness with an unforgetable reggae groove.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At Last New Reggae that Returns to Roots, June 2, 2005

By 

Brendan J. Mccurdy "No Roadblocks" (W Sayville, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hope & Doubt (Audio CD)

The good things in life are worth waiting for! Taj Weekes and Adowa's CD is very, very fine. I have listened through six or seven times and last night had the chance to kick back and kick up the volume. The music is roots and the message is culture. Taj's lyrics tell the story well of hope and doubt. His voice is clean and fine and the band is tight tight tight. And hats off to the production team because the end result is dynamite. And I hear so much of Robert Nestor weaving his influences through the tracks!

I especially like "jagged" and "mysterious" as it lets the boys lay down the bass line and then stretch it out a bit. "sad" and "blue," despite their titles, are songs with lift that make you want to sing and dance along. Every song is solid and gets better with each playing. The way Taj reworks "scream out mellow" into "mellow lullabies" is sweet and does make me think of Marley's "redemption song."

Pass the word to all those friends who want to hear the return of reggae to roots - Taj Weekes and Adowa are here and "hope & doubt" insists upon being heard and enjoyed!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gem, July 19, 2005

By 

Wilbur (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hope & Doubt (Audio CD)

Taj Weekes and Adowa's cd, Hope and Doubt, is a beautiful album all around--filled with infectious, lilting grooves and lyrics that demand your attention. This is not just any reggae album but rather one that will keep growing on you the more you listen to it. I highly recommend Hope and Doubt. much respect for such a strong and outstanding first release. Buy a copy of Hope and Doubt today- you won't be disappointed.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rich Reggae, June 23, 2005

By 

Books & Music R The Best (Queens, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hope & Doubt (Audio CD)

You don't have to be Rasta to appreciate and enjoy this one. The emotions expressed by Taj Weekes and the sounds produced by Adowa and support singers have the power to touch us all. In "Hope & Doubt" we hear lyrics and melodies that range from the sadness of loss in "MPLA" (which, ironically, is musically upbeat), the compassion for "vulnerables" in "Sad", the uncertainty of life in "Crash" and "Life" and of love in "Blue" and the utter faith (which is, after all, made up of "hope" and "doubt") in "Mysterious". Then you can lose yourself in the mellow and totally satisfying, flawless rhythms and musical arrangements of this versatile and awesome band.