Customer Reviews

Too Bad

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It was my full belief that the next time we would hear from Buju Banton on an album would be on the now 2 years anticipated `Rasta Got Soul' album. The album which has still yet to arrive (and may never) was said to be along Buju's best and might actually rival his seminal classic `Til Shiloh. He even tipped his hand 2 years ago by releasing the album's first single, the `magical' Magic City. So the world was waiting to see just how much Soul the album had.

However. Between then and now Buju has been going through so many events that this album, Too Bad, almost seems like a smack in the face to his critics. Forever, it seems that he is still living in the `Boom Bye Bye Curse', and having some legal matters which prevented him traveling, he apparently has been angered by all the unwanted attention and the result is Too Bad. The album has a severe kick to it, it can actually sit not too far away from his `stablemate' Assassin's Infiltrate from `05, in terms of style.

The attraction here is actually the subject of `confusion'. While we were waiting for a massive roots album to come down the pipe, Buju hasn't made a pure dancehall album in a very very long time. Thus, the DJ who was once the dancehall's main attraction stepping back into the fray isn't at all a bad thing. So fans who sit longing for the days of Stamina Daddy and Batty Rider are the one's who'll be happy and I can fit into that camp as well! But at the same time, Buju's concentration for the last decade or so has been the roots, so now it is there where he will ultimately excel. However, with the current trend in dancehall to revive older riddims, you may find yourself feeling like 1991 all over again.

The best tune here is probably the hard hard `Til It Bend. Til it Bend is serious serious rudey dancehall. The song might sound like the rest to the untrained ear, but I guarantee that is the song most Jamaican will pull up, Til it Bend is nice! Also check the wicked wicked Nothing, Who Have It?, the ultra clever Better Day and the nice Hey Boy over the Petty Thief riddim.

However, my second favorite song here I would have to say would be the combination Don & Dupes with underrated dancehall singer Pinchers who has been making a very very nice return to the scene recently, largely due to his connection with Madhouse head, Dave Kelly. Buju makes an attempt (for some reason) at the useless Wipeout riddim on Me & Unu and actually makes it work a little. Also check when things slow down on nice tunes such as Driver, which is easily one of the best tunes on the album.

Overall, the thought alone, Buju doing another dancehall album may have some salivating and some wondering where the roots is, this one may appeal to both group of hardcore fans. While there is nothing here that I would call definitive roots reggae, this album has such an old school vibes to it that anyone who has ever been a fan of Buju's will find something they like. I would have like to have seen Buju have at least one Lenky riddim on the album, a Wayne Wonder combination (although Pinchers subs just fine) and definitely the massive song Beauty Queen from the Twice Again riddim would have fit just fine here, but nevertheless, what you do have: High quality dancehall from one of the greatest architects of that skill is just fine and Too Bad, over both what Beenie and Baby Cham have done, is the best pure dancehall album of 2006 to date, and a boomshot in the arm for the genre.

It has all been said. The album is great. No dispute.
What makes this album even more special though is the appreciation of the dancehall history lesson that is bound up in this package.
Buju Banton exploded on the scene in Jamaica as the most gruff-voiced teenager you ever did hear in 1991-1992 with a song called 'Browning'. His meteoric rise saw him to the international scene within 2 years, and the rest we know...But he turned to Rastafarianism and his music soon began to reflect that, and the rough, mean, fast-paced style known as hardcore became less. Lately, some began to count him out of mainstream dancehall.
Amazingly Buju returns to hardcore, almost right where he left off, just to demonstrate the force that has never left him. And he calculatedly brings a world of deja-vu with him, almost as if willfully trying to demonstrate his convictions about where dancehall should stay rooted. Look at a few things...
At least 14 of the 17 riddim tracks use an old-school approach of about 100bpm or less which takes us back to the days when Buju first entered the dancehall.
In fact 'Hey Bwoy', is voiced on a riddim which Buju himself was the first to record in 1991 with the tune 'Man Fi Dead'. He gives a different treatment on the riddim track updated by a different producer, now called Petty Thief. (Back then this riddim actually was derived from another called The Soap and later reinvented as Sudd)
The title track takes us back to 1992 on a subliminal level. The riddim for 'Too Bad' has its origins in the 1992 Penthouse studios in Jamaica when it was created by Dave Kelly. Kelly recorded Buju Banton`s 'Batty Rider' on the track and it was an instant and lasting hit. The track itself carries the name Gi-Gi, and was recently resurrected by another producer. Buju places his mark on the new rendering of Gi-Gi. As with 'Hey Bwoy', the tune remains very distinct from its predecessor but still manages to cast a shadow over the past, helping to make this album a different type of collectors` item.
Buju then digs out one of the oldest renditions of a musical score called the Taxi riddim, AS IS, to display his skills. The instrumental or version used is OVER 20 YEARS OLD, from a time when Buju was but a schoolboy fan of the music. That decision has produced the now massively famous 'Driver'.
As if that wasn`t enough he invites veteran singer Pinchers onto the set to reinvent a tune sung by Pinchers in his prime. The song is 'Don', also TWO DECADES old, long before Buju could dream of the success that is his today. The updated version 'Don and Dupes' replaces all of Pinchers with Buju except for the chorus.
There is really little need to discuss the flow, lyrics, delivery, etc. Buju is unquestionably at his hardcore best here. Few would disagree. It`s such a well put together set! Pulled from his work over the last 2 years, with some added strokes of previously unreleased genius. But there is another reason to get this album in your collection. I think this is a clever collectors` item because of the way it embraces the history of dancehall as a separate genre. It also makes the point that dancehall could do well without being diluted.

He's so funny, what he does. Too bad for his critics, I guess. Too bad for "uppity Rastas". Too bad for those who don't realize when people change. Too bad for people who wish to hide the past. Too bad for the imitators who fail and get VEX. Too bad for those who haven't seen this man perform! Too bad for deaf people - they cannot enjoy this - for there is nary a song on this cd which isn't too TOO bad.

As a long standing Buju fan I can say that this is not the greatest album. I bought it purely because I wanted 'Driver'... love that song. That said, there are some other nice tracks on it. Its a bit hardcore for my taste over all, I prefer his more conscious side of Buju.

Buju Banton by far is one of the best artist in the reggae world. i don't think there is anyone who comes close to his style and delivers his message. this cd has all of the things about him, the dance hall and the messages. a must buy!!!!!

BUJU is like NO OTHER. many have tried but ALL have failed. he is undoubtedly THE BEST.. anyone who KNOWS reggea KNOWS it can't exist without BUJU.... his SEXY RAUNCHY voice just makes it all worth while..he WILL ALWAYS BE #1.......

This CD is one of his greatest. I'm glad he released this one because it sure got nice and worn out in my car. The first song, he comes out hard. I wish he would have sung more of these songs at his concert that I attended in the fall. He still wants to wear out his Til Shiloh cuts which indeed are classics but he is so talented that everything he comes out with is a classic. But this Too Bad CD is nothing to fall asleep on. Get it if you don't have it already.

a very balanced album. There's a song for different kinds of moods, I like most 'til it bend,me & ounu and try offa yah, these are great for weekend parties. There are also great songs for quiet moods; songs like lonely night and Don & Dupes which I play over and over 'cause its briliant.

Buju delivers pure unadulterated dancehall tracks. The cd is one of the best that I have heard in a long time. This cd blows Beenie Man's cd away. This is how original dancehall should sound.

This album is a bit raw and less commercial sounding, compare to Buju's previuos work.Too Bad is definetly pure Dancehall riddims album.His combination of talent,energy and amazing voice wanna make you pump up the volume on your stereo.
If you are true Buju's fan like myself you should definetly grab this album and enjoy his musical Dancehall jorney.