5/8/2023 0 Comments Jimmy cliff sacred fire epIn just under an hour, the Jamaican born singer songwriter’s rich-as-rum voice and light-up-a-room crackle and pop charm brightened my week. He doesn’t just sing, he feels it with a soulful intensity that’s somewhere between roots reggae and punk rock. There is an optimism in Cliff that really inspires me. When I can see an artist’s expressions through his voice, I know it will be an enchanting experience. The entire album demands repeated listens and has done wonders for expanding my reggae horizons. The organ drenched ‘Cry No More’ and ‘Ship is Sailing’ and upbeat ‘Children’s Bread’, a hark back to his earlier works, also deserve a mention. Highlights include the majestic, sun-beamy track ‘One More’ (I got one more song I must sing / Ding-a-ling / Freedom ring) - a statement of intent and purpose to himself and the world which was digitally released as a single on June 30th - and the equally infectious war and poverty track ‘World Upside Down’ with its pleas against social injustice (What’s wrong with humanity / Have they lost their sanity / For the sake of vanity?). His first studio work in more than seven years and second collaboration with Grammy award-winning producer Tim Armstrong of punk band Rancid, the collection is a blend of mostly original music with a couple of covers – Rancid’s ‘Ruby Soho’ and Clash classic ‘Guns of Brixton’ - the latter tapping into the uprisings for freedom in the Middle East and London riots, which took place as sessions for Rebirth were underway. He also makes me want to right the wrongs in the world. Whatever mood I’m in – wild, sensitive or angsty - Cliff makes me want to dance and spin around and feel good. Think of it as a comfort blanket on a dismal day, a shot of neat dark island rum and a happy pill with a feisty edge. One more shot at the goal.” Rebirth’s cover art, boasting a silhouette of Cliff surrounded by rays of light, is an enticing introduction to an album devoted to injustice infused with spirited, feel-good Jamaican vibes, building cleverly on last year’s Sacred Fire EP. The 64-year-old Cliff sounds reinvigorated and rejuvenated on “Rebirth,” one of the most enjoyable and accessible reggae albums in recent years.Reggae python Jimmy Cliff is back to his roots with a message of hope that will keep your heart and soul on the sunny side an open-hearted thirteen track showcase of his legendary talent which he calls "One more shot at the prize. His version of Rancid’s “Ruby Soho” emphasizes the song’s pure melody, with driving percussion and Cliff’s nimble vocal transforming it into a darn near irresistible sing-along.Įlsewhere, Cliff tries a couple of tunes with a heavier soul/R&B feel, “Outsider” and “Rebel Rebel,” and indulges in some Bob Marley-esque testifying on “One Love,” but the two sweet midtempo tracks that close the album, “Blessed Love” and “Ship Is Sailing,” are more suited to Cliff’s strengths. Cliff’s taut vocal adds drama to the Clash’s “Guns of Brixton,” which also features squalling trumpet and strategically placed guitar tremolo bar outbursts. Two more well-known covers (both from the EP) also work beautifully. The pairing nails Cliff’s updated version of 1970s reggae singer Joe Higgs’ “World Upside Down” from the first clattering drumroll onward.īacked by a pumping organ riff and tightly rolling reggae rhythms, Cliff delivers the kind of nimble, expressive vocal performance that made “The Harder They Come” and “You Can Get It If You Really Want” so entrancing four decades ago. (The duo first joined forces for last year’s “Sacred Fire” EP, which contains three songs on the album.)Īrmstrong’s production fits Cliff’s straightforward, melodic vocal approach perfectly, and his musicians tackle reggae’s slinky rhythms with energy and finesse. The sweet-tenored Jamaican singer has teamed up with Rancid mainstay and longtime reggae enthusiast Tim Armstrong for “Rebirth,” his first album in seven years, due in stores Tuesday. If Jimmy Cliff never did anything more than contribute four great songs and star in the 1972 film “The Harder They Come,” he still would deserve his status as one of reggae music’s biggest stars.
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