Tarrus Riley
Contagious
VP Records
7/10
In this full-length album, Tarrus Riley incorporates everything but the kitchen sink as far as mixing together different reggae styles. As the son of Jimmy Riley, former member of the 1960s group the Techniques, Tarrus Riley outdoes himself musically and lyrically with his third album, Contagious. After its early August release, fans now have the chance to hear this talented artist cover all sorts of issues on top of a soulful groove- it’s a dynamic and intriguing partnership.
The infectious beat on the first track, “Living the Life of a Gun,” oozes positivity and it’s a perfect fit for a good old-fashioned kick-back party. It ends abruptly, but it was able to keep the flow until the end.
Riley’s powerful voice is one of the winning elements of this album. He sounds so endearing and his tone is very organic in the song “I Sight.” The Best Male Vocalist recipient at the 2008 International Reggae Awards doesn’t try too hard because he has such a natural tone to his voice that it adds to the relaxed, uplifting energy of the song.
The new single, “Love Contagious,” hits the spot. It’s hard not to fall in love with this song because it’s layered in sentimental vocals, carefree percussion, and a Caribbean swagger that automatically transports listeners to a tropical place.
The reggae cover of the late Michael Jackson’s classic song “Human Nature” is a valiant effort but it doesn’t live up to the original. Riley bravely tackles it with a more up-tempo, expressive version, and even though the melody is the same, the reggae twist can only do so much to shake up the song.
There’s something special about the spoken word section on the track, “Soul Mate.” It could be that great community vibe layered with it. As part of the many reggae styles, Riley gets romantic and it comes straight from the heart. It’s a unique, fluid combination of soul and reggae, kind of like a Rastafarian version of John Legend. This is also recognizable on the songs, “Superman” and “Young Hearts.”
The guitar on the song, “Start a New” is an instant draw and the subject matter adds another emotional layer. It’s an introspective song about getting out of an abusive relationship and it’s a clear, straight-forward message about self-worth. Riley uses art as an open forum to talk about this sensitive issue and as a way to reach out to people.
Listen closely to the lyrics of “Why So Much Wickedness?” because Riley pours out his soul and addresses hardships in a very general sense. However, the problem with that is the fact that Riley doesn’t directly address the “wickedness” out there and he plays it safe by not pointing fingers. He may not be willing to stir up some controversy, but really, why shouldn’t he?
The choir on the track, “Let Peace Reign,” adds to the message about change and the desire for peace on earth. In fact, Etana and Duane Stephenson lend a hand with their angelic voices. The spirit of love and harmony overflows in this song and it’s compelling. Riley continues to inspire and carry on this timeless point on to the next generation.
As a tribute to his roots-reggae upbringing, “King Selassie H.I.M.” feels like a very personal song, much like everything else on his album. However, this song has the strongest cultural roots to it which is a beautiful testament to his patriotism. An artist who doesn’t forget where he came from is very refreshing in this publicity-hungry music business.
The song “Herbs Promotion” with Demarco and Vybz Kartel starts off very operatic and then turns into a party track. It’s easy to feel the dance vibe blasting out of the speakers and it’s great that Riley is able to have a lighthearted side to balance out his serious one. “Good Girl Gone Bad,” featuring Konshens continues this vibe too. However, underneath the banging beat, it focuses on a deeper message about the destruction of innocence. This topic doesn’t take away from the song; it actually makes it more interesting.
Riley ends his album on a personal note with “It Will Come.” He’s definitely a dreamer with the same mentality as John Lennon. He channels a bit of that man’s energy and that doesn’t hurt the winner of Best Song at the World Music Awards one bit. This song is his peaceful farewell, accompanied with his undeniably hopeful voice. While this final track could mean that success will literally come or he can be talking about spiritual peace in the near future.
While Riley was able to succeed on some songs, there were moments where he fell short. However, give the man some credit for having a socially-conscious message of peace throughout the album. It is an admirable quality that so many artists lack and hopefully as an audience, we see that changing very soon. Thankfully, Riley continues this tradition with his multi-dimensional music.
–Gail Navarro