Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Mavado - Mr. Brooks... A Better Tomorrow (2009)



Artist: Mavado
Album: Mr. Brooks... A Better Tomorrow
Label: VP Records
Genre: Reggae: Dancehall
Release Date: Mar 2, 2009
Mood: Militant, Dark, Spiritual
RIYL: Busy Signal, Assassin

Rating: *****

An incredible dancehall album. Mavado polished his sound from his 2007 release, "Gangster for Life" and emerged with a collection of songs that showcase his talents wonderfully. Mavado's voice has a sonic quality that acts like a piece of a dub soundscape, moving through the music in a slow drawl that mirrors the darkness of the subject matter. For the entirety of the first eight tracks, Mavado calls upon Jah for protection from his enemies and the power to overcome them. The driving rhythms of contemporary dancehall act as Mavado's war drum. The best of these first songs is "On the Rock" in which Mavado employs a singjay style and backup chorus to call upon Jah's strength. A song that showcases the oddly successful fusion of Rastafari religion and violent themes is "So Special" in which the DJ toasts: "Jah knows/I'm so special, so special, so special, so special/That's why I'm strapped with a .45 special".
The subject matter changes with "Gangsters Don't Play" and "Real Killer" which are violent boasts of Mavado's street integrity. "Jailhouse" is an effective song about the conditions of the Jamaican jail system. "Don't Worry" is an assurance to Mavado's Gully followers that, in the event of his death, that retaliation will be swift. "Money Changer" and "Money" sound like counters to Gaza disses and go well together back to back. A couple of the songs reuse riddims from the "Gangster for Life" LP, but these versions are better than their predecessors. "In Di Car Back" is the only song that doesn't quite fit in overall, a boast about a sexual encounter, but it acts a nice reprieve towards the end of the album. The album closes with the culture chune "Overcome" a knock-out Big Ship production, similar to "On The Rock" and also extremely effective.
For seventeen straight tracks, Mavado fails to have a bad number. Regardless of their level of truth, the gangster themes here are more believable than almost any album I have ever heard, including hardcore rap's oeuvre. On top of it all, this album is one that gets better with every listen. Highly, highly, recommended, likely one of the greatest contemporary reggae or dancehall releases available.

  1. David's Psalm (intro) *****
  2. Every Situation ****
  3. On the Rock *****!!!
  4. So Blessed *****
  5. So Special ****
  6. Life of a G ****
  7. Welcome to the Armageddon (interlude) *****
  8. Gangster's Don't Play *****!
  9. Real Killer *****
  10. Chiney K ****
  11. Jailhouse *****
  12. Don't Worry ****
  13. Money Changer ****
  14. Money ****
  15. In di Car Back ****
  16. Which Gal ***
  17. Overcome *****!

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