Customer Reviews

Jmt

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

 

 

Its been a rather odd 2 and a half years since the release of Adidja Palmer's (aka Vybz Kartel) debut album, Up 2 di Time. Since then he's made his share of headlines both in and out of the studio and on and off stage. He's also survived a fe moments (one in particular) where it seemed that Kartel may never get to fulfill any of the potential that he had originally showed and then he just had some weird stuff going on.

Weird is the word of the day as Vybz Kartel releases the literal followup to Up 2 Di Time (he had both an updated version of his debut, More Up 2 Di Time, and an underground album, Timeless released in '04)with the massively awaited J.M.T. (Jamaican Mean Time). The first thing you'll undoubtedly notice is the strange thing going on with the cover. I don't know what to make of it, it looks like some futuristic. . . I don't know what it looks like, and I imagine just a few fans seeing it on the shelf (although odd, it is presented very very well) might pick it up on site alone. And no offense to the man, but he is one strange looking cat!

The music? That's another weird one. The music is. . . kind of the same sounding but should you be able to understand Kartel's lightspeed martian flows you'll find that he has matured a little. Before, it was literally all guns and all girls, nothing else, the first album only had one tune which didn't fit that mode (kinda, the humorous Robbery, which of course involved guns). JMT is loaded with tunes that could actually be construed as dancehall/roots tunes. What's missing is the nice Can't Move We from the massive Seasons riddim. Tunes like Dutty Landlord, Smuggler (kind of), and the hit Emergency all show Kartel as being able to hold a mic on something different (would have loved a new one-drop tune though).

More traditional fans never worry, this is still a Vybz Kartel album. Tight P*&^%Y Gal Dem, Realest Thing, Guns Like These, Late Night with Wayne Marshall and especially Gun Session, which is an impressive old school sounding gun tune all ring of the same old Kartel, but do they?

The mood here completely is just different. Vybsy Versa Love (huh?) features Barrington Levy on a riddim sounding right of a Kanye West studio, the tune, however, is ultimately addictive. Very very good work and maybe the best tune here. What I am deeming the best tune, however is Bad Man Party 2 which finds Kartel doing what sets him apart from most in the dance. The rapid fire flows that keep you shaking, instead of nodding, your head and keeping pulling the song up going "what!".

Also check Car Man (which rides the. . . Beverly Hills Cop riddim?), Need U Girl with Wayne Marshall (2 albums 4 Marshall combinations) the awesome Realest Thing, the ultra creative So Me a Say, and lastly the HILARIOUS Rough Sex with female singer Delicious (whose making quite a name for herself in the dancehall).

Working the boards here are typical producers, Vendetta, Birch, Leftside & Esco, Scatta and a host a newer and lesser known producers.

Overall, although I don't give it as high a review as his debut (I was looking forward to that one for a loooooooooong time), JMT is distinctly better than U2T. The album sounds totally different, more laid back and a higher concentration on quality control. Its a very unusual release for the artist, however, in a few years, should he continue to rise, we may look back at JMT as the turn in the right direction for Vybz Kartel.

Since his ground breaking debut album 'Up 2 Di Time' which was released alomst 3 years ago many people have greatly anticipated the follow up from the man toted the next Bounty Killer. With a selection of some of his chart topping hits from the last year (2005) like 'Gun Session' and 'Yuh Nuh Have a Phone', to sum new exclusive cuts such as 'Bad Man Party 2'to 'Vybsy versa Love' featuring an almost unrecognisable smaple from Barrington Levy to a somkers anthem collaboration with mentor Bounty Killer and Baby G called 'Higher Altitude'.

Kartel again displays wide variety of talent on the mic, with his interchangable flows (second maybe only Sizzla and Bounty Killer) complimented with the finest combination Words, verbs, Similies and Metaphors, lyrical word play you would be hard pushed to find any where.

Slow commanding verses to powerfully delievered vocals that will rock you like a speaker box in songs like 'Rough Sex' (featuring Delicious),To quick spitfire lyrics delievered on tracks such as 'Gun Session' and 'Bad Man Party 2', as if you where having your ear drums assualted by a barrage of Black talons from a Uzi 9mm. In addition to which there a some of the fattest the riddims availble in Dancehall like the head bouncing 'Car Man' on the Axel Foley Riddim.

This is definately a classic in terms of modern Dancehall, you will not be dissapointed. 5/5

I eagerly anticipated a new album from vybz kartel after hearing him on one of my freinds ragga dancehall compilations or one of thos sort of CDs

The tracks are all good, but my favourites are "U Nuh Have A Phone (Hello Moto)", "Car Man" (which uses the loop from beverly hill cop) and "I Neva", which uses the famous loop also used in Chakka Dance by Beenie man and Make them come by wayne Marshall. But still all the tracks are great.

To all fans of music/unique voices do yourself a favor and catch up with Vybz. He came up thru Dancehall/Ragga scenes and combines the sounds of them with his own unique twists vocally/musically. This mans voice is just so raw and powerful it don't really matter what I write 2 describe it-u just gotta expierence the stop on a dime directions Vybz guttural voice goes. Don't matter if I play this to hiphoppers or metalheadz most ears perk/jaws drop when this man gets going.
Musically its a combo of the dancehall/ragga direction of the 2000 years(just look at the producers here) but also with a lot of subtle twists with nice guitar/piano and not so subtle 80's synth sound that reminds me of 80's New Wave like Depeche Mode/New Order. Vybz is probably not down with that style(lets be real-this is JamaicanMeanTime we're talkin about) but a lotta of the beats/synths gotta be influenced by that sound,directly or indirectly. Beverly Hills Cop fans will recognize the "Car Man" motif.
Theres 20 tracks here and I only skip past #10"Smuggler" cus I can't stand the song that it borrows from but aside from that this record got it all- smoke,drink,dance,workout tunes are all here. Blast from powerful speakers and it sounds mad full-bouncy and trippy. Some of the songs are pretty undancehall style like "Guns like These" and "Go Fi Dem"(slow/atmospheric laced wit Vybz sick voice and twisted tribal percussion)-I've never heard Bounty/Beenie/Shabba do music like this. Theres also great colaborations wit vocoder Barrington Levy on "Vybsy Vers Love" and one of the best smoke songs ever "Higher Altitude" wit BountyK, DonC,BabyG..Not to mention the iconic/hilarious "Gun Session" and "I Neva". If this floats also check out Aidonia and Assassin...

This album is certainly interesting...filled with machine gun delivery, fierce lyrics, and hard beats, this album might not be for everyone, but if you like Vybz, I certainly recommend it. Some of his songs are great, such as Car Man (uses the beat from Beverly Hills Cop!!), and of course, gotta love Realest Thing. Some of the best Vybz songs on here, so if you like Vybz's unique style, this is a must.

Vybz Kartel proves that he is no fluke with the outstanding sophomore release! With his unique, innovative rhymes along with wicked beats, he easily shows why he is Bounty Killer's most successful protege. I love the entire album, but my favorites are : "U Nuh Have a Phone," "Guns Like These," the very ingenious "So Me a Say," the lightning-fast "Bad Man Party 2," "Car Man," "Go Fi Dem," "Late Night," "Smuggler," The wicked "Gun Session," the ode-to-ganja collabo "Higher Altitude," the super-tight "Realest Thing," "Little Miss," "Emergency" where he raps about the corruption and unemployment in Jamaica, "Need U Girl" with its smooth, mysterious, relaxing beat, and the last track, the ultra-hillarious (and equally slack) "Rough Sex." Keep running things VK!!