Customer Reviews

Til Shiloh

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

 

 

This is a majestic album, detined to be a classic on par with some of Bob Marley's best efforts. Nothing comes close, including his albums since. This one is truly a spiritual trip. Highly recommended.

Jah Bless.

This album definitely marks a turning point in Buju Banton's career, and his fanbase is usually divided into two camps when offering their assessment of it: those who mourn the loss of the pre-Rasta, rudebwoy Buju famous for tunes about busting his gun and laying pipe with the ladies (mostly drawn from the ranks of the old school, die-hard, dancehall massive who were bumping his tunes in the early days), and those who just discovered Buju at this point in his career (mostly non-Jamaicans looking for a new Bob Marley to listen to as they smoke weed in their suburban bedrooms or college dorms) for whom his earlier music is mostly inaccessible (by which I mean that even if they manage to track down classics like "Dutty Sinting" or "Boom Bye Bye" they not only have trouble deciphering the lingua, but are usually roundly disgusted by the lyrical content when they do).

My sensibilities are more in sync with those fans in the former category, but unlike some of my more dogmatic brethren, I do enjoy watching Mr. Myrie evolve and grow as a person and an artiste. Granted, some of his post-Til Shiloh discs have "crossover" written all over them, but I think that on this one, he got it right.

There are very few missteps here. The album opens with a sparse, prayer-like invocation of Ras Tafari, pledging devotion to the Emperor until his kingdom comes again, and merges so quickly and effortlessly into the rich, Nyabinghi chant-inspired "'Til I'm Laid to Rest", that the listener is swept into Buju's world as by a strong river current. From there, Buju rarely lets you go, carrying you with him through conscious tunes (such as "Murderer", "Untold Stories", "Not an Easy Road", and "Rampage"), love songs (such as "Wanna Be Loved", and "Only Man") and straight-ahead slackness tunes ("Hush Baby Hush" and "Champion").

This album is very personal. It is not a crass attempt to curry favour among the foreigners, as some would have it. Buju is going through a spiritual and emotional journey on this record, and he effectively carries the listener with him throughout. Like most great artistes (Bob Marley, John Lennon, Sam Cooke...) Buju emerges on this disc as a man of contradictions, but a deep and engaging character nonetheless. This is, in my opinion, Buju's first stab at a concept album, and in my assessment, he hits his mark and hits it hard. Forward ahead, Gargamel! Til Shiloh!

Best Buju cd! Songs in a variety of styles; very melodic and upbeat.

This is an awesome dancehall/modern reggae album. I love how Buju half-toasts and half-sings most of the songs. About 10 of the songs are absolutely brilliant, while the other 7 are just mediocore. Plus, be warned that Buju's voice takes a little getting-used-to if this is the first time you've heard him. Once the album becomes familiar, though, it will be hard NOT to listen to it. The best songs are "Untold Stories," "Not An Easy Road," "Murderer," "'Til I'm Laid To Rest," and "Wanna Be Loved."

On a side note, other reviewers have stated that Buju is in trouble for beating up a homosexual. This album doesn't reflect that. Don't be afraid to buy this album just because you think it is going to bash homosexuals. It doesn't. I don't even see how someone can sing these songs and actually hate anyone. If he does, he truly doesn't practice what he preaches.

This album can easily satisfy any reggae lover and unexpectedly grab hold onto non-reggae listeners into its clutches. Buju is masterful on the mic with his rough sounding style and the production is perfect. It's one of the Best reggae album I own that is constantly on rotation when I'm in the mood for this genre. Buju open the album with the brief a cappella psalm, "Shiloh," which is inspirational and extraordinary to hear. On the next two tracks he explodes with sound and feeling with first "Til I'm Laid to Rest," a melody that is intertwines with an homage to Africa and his faith in the Promised Land. He secondly roles in with one of the most powerful and rawest track "Murderer." It's emotionally written in the repercussion of his friend's killings in which Buju struggles with his grief and fierce desire for vengeance. "Champion" and "It's all Over," proves Buju is still a rudebwoy on these tracks that's just phenomenal. "Untold Stories," is one pretty haunting song that reflects on the world around him that's pleasant to the ears.

It's "Not an Easy Road," shows Banton vulnerable side and continues on opening his soul to the world with "Wanna Be Loved," and also exposes his loneliness on "What Ya Gonna Do" joined by Wayne Wonder that I can't get enough of because there great to mellow out to. On "Complaint" Buju is praising Jah and spreading the heathens before him. "Chuck It So" takes a similar attitude, which he takes on a Big Man, with the 2 Friends Crew softening his vicious assault. Buju turned a 1960 classic "Stay," with "Hush Baby Hush," by slightly adding a lighter note to this event. The last track "Champion [remix]" is a pleasant addition because it reminds me of my club years, the DJ's use to play this number religiously and had a lot of people moving.

`Til Shiloh' is a rare and gentler side to Buju that will have you constantly hitting the repeat button. It's a necessity for any reggae fan and with that I also recommend the album `Inna Heights.'

Of course this cd is good it's Buju Banton! This is actually my second copy b/c my last one was scratched all to crap. Buju Banton has dominated reggae for quite some time now, maybe since the Marley's, for sure since the late 90's. "Murderer" is by far the best of the many great songs on the album and one of his best songs ever and of course "Champion" and even more so the remix of "Champion" is probably the second best track on there. I do enjoy his album "Voice of Jamaica" better just b/c every single beat, lyric, and tune is just the ultimate rythmatic reggae sounds ever, which he did the same in this album. But if you enjoyed any of his other albums you will not be disappointed with this one, "Til' Shiloh" is a must have for any reggae and/or Buju Banton fan.

This album is really good. I can listen to pretty much every single song on it. Its hard to say which songs are the best, "Til Im laid to rest", "muderer".....like I said, theyre all petty good.

This is perhaps the best regae CD's of the 1990's. From beginning to end, it is electrifying and energetic. This is on my top ten list of the best albums of the decade. This is Buju's first album after becoming a Rastafari, and you can hear the spiritual growth of one of the greatest dance hall musicians of all time. This is a must for music lovers!!!

This is my favorite album by Buju. It's a modern reggae classic, his first conscious Rasta effort after his role as a Dancehall superstar. Buju's style is unique, nobody else sounds like de bredren... you can feel the passion and strength that he brings forth here. On the track Muderer, Buju is calling out the crimes of those who destroy another life, this came after a couple of Dancehall artists in the community were killed. Untold Stories and Not An Easy Road are songs definetly reflecting his new Rasta vision. The late and great Garnett Silk joins Buju on the track Complaint for a rub-a-dub style conscious explosion. Just because Buju is a Rastaman, he still brings some fun in his tracks with Champion and Chuck It So as well songs like Wanna Be Loved. No matter what he brings on this album... all if the tunes hold their own. All the songs are great, this is without a doubt Buju's best album. RASTAFARI!

This is a must for any reggae collection. This is Buju's best album ever. The lyrics are deep, honest and the beats are fresh. "Not an easy road" could be each an every one of us life's anthem: a classic. "Untold Stories" and "Till i'm laid to rest" are beautifully composed socio-political pieces. "Wanna be loved" speaks to the hearts of everyone one of us - I wanna be loved not for who you think I am nor what you want me to be, could you love me for me -. You have to sing along every time! You have to jump up and dance everytime you hear "Champion." Buju has never (up to July 2002) done a better album - before or after. This is a timeless album. My mother loves it too. A must for any serious reggae collector.