The Messiah

by Sizzla

Overview

Prolific as can be, Sizzla's 2013 release The Messiah counts off album number 70 for the reggae singer, and that's with a career that began in 1995. Of course, he's a pro at rattling off righteous lyrics that are memorable, plus roots-based choruses with rock-solid hooks that flow effortlessly out of the Bobo Dread, so packaging these rebel songs into albums seems easy enough. Sizzla has also always challenged listeners more with his beliefs and politics than his music, so consider his giant discography a natural byproduct of a creative force that just keeps over-flowing and is easily captured. Strong the whole way through, The Messiah suggests that even with his Zappa-like release schedule, the man hasn't been spread too thin, and just to keep things interesting, Sizzla's narrow world of modern roots music shifts ever so slightly. The shift is toward the mystic reggae of Vaughn Benjamin's group Midnite as the opening "Psalm 21," "Look How Many Years," and the title cut all offer plaintive stories that meander and spin, straying off their narrative and freely wandering into biblical verse. It's an interesting move for Sizzla and his Bread Back production team, who handles most of the beats here and gets into more expected Anthony B territory with the smooth singalong "Center of Attraction." Guest producer Jam 2 offers a modern, almost Damian Marley-sounding riddim on "Chant Dem Down," which ends with a surprisingly furious set of curse words from the singer, but the album's oddest bit is how "Dem Nuh Business" sounds dangerously close to the Staple Singer's "I'll Take You There." All that said, "Good Love" is the kind of R&B the emotive crooner doesn't record enough of, "What a Joy" is aptly titled for those who love it deep and dubby, and "Better Come Out" is abrasive dancehall on the sinister side. Put it together and this is in the Top 10 of Sizzla albums, but don't forget, there are 70. ~ David Jeffries

Product Details

Release Date:	07/09/2013
Label:	Vp Records
UPC:	0054645198110
Rank:	121739

Tracks

1. Psalms 121
2. Look How Many Years
3. Center of Attraction
4. No Wicked Man
5. The Messiah
6. Chant Dem Down
7. Dem Nuh Business
8. Suffer So Much
9. Good Love
10. One Life
11. What a Joy
12. Better Come Out

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sizzla   Primary Artist,Vocals

Technical Credits

Sly Dunbar   Musician
Collin "Bulbie" York   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Barrington Levy   Composer
Garfield McDonald   Mixing
Donald Dennis   Composer,Musician
Ernest Hoo Kim   Engineer
Robert Murphy   Engineer,Vocal Engineer
Leroy Sibbles   Composer
Melbourne Miller   Composer,Musician
Danny Axeman   Musician
Donald "Tixie" Dixon   Mixing
Heather Cummings   Harmony
Karim 'DJ Karim' Thompson   Mixing,Engineer,Musician
Ansel Collins   Musician
Althea Layne Hamilton   Harmony
Winston "Niney" Holness   Composer
Paul Crossdale   Composer,Musician
Bertram "Ranchie" McLean   Musician
Mitchum Chin   Composer,Musician
Public Domain   Composer
Jam 2   Mixing,Engineer,Musician
Jammy James   Composer
Anthony Cameron   Composer
Angel Shalome   Harmony
Dougie Bryan   Musician
Barrington Llewellyn   Composer
Deron D. James   Design
Miguel Collins   Composer,Executive Producer
Richard "Breadback" Bramwell   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Vocal Engineer
Daniel Thompson   Composer
Karel Wisdom   Harmony
Cegrica "Soljie" Hamilton   Mixing
Vychalle Singh   Engineer
Venancio Bravo   Design,Art Direction