Sister Carol - Mother Culture (1991)

Artist: Sister Carol
Album: Mother Culture
Genre: Reggae: Dancehall
Release Date: 1991
Qualities: Genre Fusion
Mood: Tough, Spiritual, Upbeat
RIYL: Sister Nancy, Yellowman, Macka B

Rating: ***

Sister Carol is one of the toughest woman in dancehall history, and this album's highlights are during its rawer, more aggressive moments. The album opener "Shackles" is a fiery tune chanting down both her oppression by Babylon as a rasta and, much more refreshingly, as a woman ("Why do the Eden, dey rage/and fight against a woman like me"). This is followed by "Mother Culture", featuring a heavy dub riddim and more feminist lyrics ("Now when I say DJ/me no mean Disc Jockey... Me mean da Daughter of Jah"). Unfortunately, while there are many incredibly strong songs here, the album wavers overall. Granted they are very early examples of dancehall and hip-hop fusion, songs like "B Who U R" and "Tight Spot" are quite bad and feel much more shallow and artificial than the purer dancehall tunes. Most disappointing are Carol's attempts to assimilate popular rapping styles of the time, rather than maintain her excellent dancehall toasting abilities. The rapping does not resemble the sounds of the well established hardcore underground of the early 90s but rather a cheap knockoff of Queen Latifah. The album is further undermined by Sister Carol's attempts at upbeat escapist tunes, such as the calypso tinged "The Music Nice", which both lyrically and musically leaves the listener begging for her to get back to her earlier demonstrations of tough feminist rasta dancehall. Sweetness is best achieved on "Mandela's Release" in which Sister Carol is accompanied by a lover's rock vocalist I cannot identify (although it sounds somewhat like Beres Hammond or perhaps Luciano). The two beautifully duet back and forth with Carol toasting hard and fast. Finally the album closes on another great note with the impressive ragga song "It Haffi Done".

1. Shackles *****
2. Mother Culture ****
3. Ababajoni ***
4. B Who U R *
5. Tight Spot **
6. The Music Nice ***
7. Mi Glad Mi Find God ***
8. Lovers Rock Style **
9. Mandela's Release *****
10. It Haffi Done *****