Send "Various Artists " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Pitchfork |
 The best thing about the yearly Biggest Ragga Dancehall Anthems compilations-- whose title provides you with all the backstory you need on this venerable series collecting 12 months of gems from Jamaica's premier pop genre-- is that they're consistent enough to act as comforting listening but restlessly inventive enough to surprise you each time out. The consistency runs deep, right down to the jagged-but-dance-friendly rhythmic structure of the music (for a genre as open to outside influence as any in the world, a dancehall tune is recognizable in seconds). It's there in everything from vocals that rub the near-parodically masculine against a sugary sweetness to themes that explore with the tension between the need to do bad and the urge to do right. But dancehall producers rarely develop the kind of set-in-stone sonic signature we come to expect from their U.S. peers, and if they do become known for a crucial riddim (think of Lenky becoming king-of-the-handclaps in 2002 with "Diwali"), they shuck it just as quickly in order to keep the attention of dancehall's novelty-hungry audience.2009's installment feels both all-over-the-map-- an hour of oddities, out-crass-the-other-guy smashes, and the usual perverse hybrids of various global party sounds-- and oddly familiar. (That's partly because the divisions between Caribbean and North American pop are as porous as they've ever been.) Plenty of tunes here nearly blind you with the digital gleam of late-decade R&B-- Jamaicans have clearly been bingeing as hard on T-Pain as the rest of the planet, even if they apply his evil teachings with a modicum more taste than your average Yank-- and workmanlike synth-soul is the closest the compilation gets to any sort of sonic consistency. But-- and this is the sort of assessment that perhaps only someone following the genre day-to-day might be able to make with any accuracy-- it also seems that dancehall has settled down somewhat in recent years. Put it another way: You're a lot more likely to hear a tune that sounds like 2004 in 2009 than you were likely to hear a tune that sounded like 1997 in 2002....full text |
| Smokecds |
| Super hot compilation of Dancehall from Jamaicas leading label, Greensleeves, compiled from their numerous rhythm albums, which pit the nations finest producers against the cream of emcee talent. Forty songs are spread across two discs, making for a wide range of differing styles. Elephant Man features strongly, his gruff voiced rhymes matched with great beats from the likes of Donovan Vendetta Bennett and Cordel Scattta Burrell, and cuts like No Hail Me, Genie Dance and the ode to Asian beauty Chiney Ting, show why this man is considered among Dancehalls finest. Another star of the genre, the untouchable Beenie Man is also well documented, his Row Like A Boat and My Dickie cuts among the best on here, with King Jammys production on My Dickie also outstanding, reinterpreting Timbalands Work It rhythm. Other established artists in the form of Bounty Killer and Capleton and their Sadda Dem and Roughest King are both down and dirty anthems. The new school shine through on many tracks too, with Vybz Kartel, sweet voiced Wayne Marshall and bad boy quartet T.O.K. all dropping essential material. The real strength lies in the albums format though, with Dancehall usually either only available on vinyl or admittedly repetitive rhythm compilations, making this collection a strong contender for best Dancehall album on the market. If youre a fan already youll know this is the business, and if youve heard Sean Paul or Wayne Wonder this year and want to investigate further then this is perfect. The underground sound of summer is about to explode. Recommended....full text |
| Shazam |
| Toby Keith had a pretty impressive introduction to country music - his first single 'Should've Been A Cowboy' went straight to the top of the Country Charts and became the most played country song of the 1990's. He has subsequently gone on to be one of the most successful country artists, racking up number 1's like they were going out of fashion and branching out into clothing lines and restaurants, while still finding time to wind up the Dixie Chicks to the extent that lead vocalist Natalie Maines once sported a t-shirt bearing the logo F.U.T.K on the front in large letters. 'She Never Cried In Front Of Me' captures Keith at his most poignant, detailing the classic country tale of love gone wrong - in this case watching his girl marrying another man and realising it's all his fault. The track starts like the slow ballad you would expect given the subject matter, but picks up considerably in the choruses and the chugging backing track helps counteract the heavy emotion of the lyrics. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2009. All rights reserved...full text |
Various Artists lyrics
