Barbara Ellington, Lifestyle Editor

The insert of 'Evolution'. - Contributed

After listening to this CD, lovers of reggae music, with harmony and good, clean, narrative lyrics, will be happy that creative local talent still abounds. No tired one-liners repeated ad nauseum, no 'riding a riddim' to get you to 'skin out' on the dance floor. Just music to listen to as you traverse hill and gully or wield the mop on a Saturday morning.

You will not be able to resist the urge to sing along.

You can find out more about the talented bunch of singers/songwriters by going to www.google.com, then entering 'Evolution Jamaica Popular Song 2007' - the name of the project.

Song listing

The list of songs reads Got A Rock by Ray Darwin; Been There by Chicago; Jamaican Woman by David Slew; Be My Lover by Akewa; Taxi Man by X-Ale; Learn to Survive by Torch; Needing You More by Antonio West; Stand Strong by Kevajah; Woman a de Beauty by Gunty and Hey Jamaica by Majah Bless.

The forces behind this collaboration are Paul Henton, creative producer, while artwork design and layout is by the art department of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), which is also executive producer of the CD.

This CD leaves you with a happy vibe. It was hard to pick three favourites because I love the entire set. The first, Jamaican Woman by David Slew, celebrates all of us who struggle to make ends meet in the face of adversity, hence the refrain:

"You can't keep a woman down,

No you could a never keep a woman down,

No matter how she drop an chip up, life a beat her down to de ground

She ready fi fight another round,

A tell you seh you can't keep a woman down

You coulda never ever keep a woman down,

Never you try to keep her candle light from shining,

You will surely get burn."

My next favourite is Taxi Man, which tells a story with which we are familiar. Man is jobless, borrows money, buys car to run a taxi, but is constantly plagued by police who want money to 'permit' him safe passage. So man is back at square one, still broke and facing mounting bills. The chorus is catchy and it has a danceable rhythm too. It's the kind of track you will run over and over again.

You will empathise with the following lines:

O Lord, police watch me car like seh dem a guard ..., Oh lawd, Jah know taxi man have it hard,

... Haffi survive because me soon reach 40, live eena rent house, six youth depend pan me.

Learn to Survive has a more traditional reggae beat, but what it lacks in rhythmic creativity is compensated for in great lyrics. Needing You More is another dedication to women. In the lover's rock song of an apology from a lover who needs another chance, Standard English is blended smoothly with dialect and the flirtation with guitars gives it a nice touch.

Stand Strong has a catchy beat and appeal to youths (male and female) to get an education, avoid crime, find solutions to their problems and stand strong. Politicians and 'the big man' receive equal exhortation too.

Woman A Di Beauty will resonate with all real men who love women. With lines like "one dozen votes for the ladies," you quickly get the point. It's the kind of deejay rendition that will make you happily shake what your mama gave you because the lyrics make their point - cleanly! Big up Gunty, the singer of this one.

The final song celebrates Jamaica and everything that is positive and uplifting about our people.

I have saved the best - Got A Rock - for last. It's so nice I have to listen to it 10 times twice (make sense to you?). The singer is no doubt influenced by the music of Europe, where he resides, and keen ears will be reminded of UB4O and a touch of Aswad. Nuff-nuff niceness in this roots rock reggae song.

The last time His Royal Highness Prince Charles came here he sported a Rasta tam for a photo opportunity, I say we give him a copy of this great CD when he comes in March!

Give the JCDC a call for copies.