Damien Marley - Welcome to Jam Rock

Track Listing

1. Confrontation
2. There For You
3. Welcome To Jamrock
4. The Master Has Come Back
5. All Night
6. Beautiful
7. Pimpa's Paradise
8. Move!
9. For The Babies
10. Hey Girl
11. Road To Zion
12. We're Gonna Make It
13. In 2 Deep
14. Khaki Suit
15. Carnal Mind

First off this CD is the first i've actively gone out to seek and buy, the last time i did that was Death Rows Greatest Hits Double CD however long ago that was.

Damien Marley's (son of the late Bob Marley) latest release is one filled with potent political messages and soul searching. The CD features some strong guest appearances from the likes of Black Thought, Nas, Bounty Killer, brother Stephen Marley and Bobby Brown among others.

The album begins with a strong introduction to the work in the shape of Confrontation. A fast and upbeat track with energetic vocals and strong message... followed closely by a more sedate but touching strack in the form of There for You. This track actually brought a tear to my eye on the bus to work, its a powerful track... 'you've always been true to me, so i'll always be true to you'.

Just as you take in this track its followed up by the outstanding Welcome to Jamrock, the title track for the album and what a release it is. Hugely popular in the urban club scene, this track just doesn't stop. You know when you find a track and you play it to death? You just can't kill this track! 'Rastafari stands alone!' The video is superb and if you haven't yet caught it on TV, tune into your urban stations and look out for it... 'come on lets face it, a ghetto education's basic, and most of the youth them waste it, and when them waste it, guns them replace it...'

Track 4, The Master Has Come Back, sets a more upbeat tone and this trend follows through the CD, the variety on offer here is good and every track has its own distinguished sound and feel. Track 7, Pimpa's Paradise, sets a more sombre mood, another moral message. I've always thought that if someone holds a mic they should use it to the fullest and put forward a message to the listener. The mic is a powerful thing and the Marley family are using it to the fullest.

Road to Zion is another of my favourite tracks, featuring possibly the best emcee on the planet right now; Nas. His verse hits out at President Mugabe's reign in Zimbabwe and the suffering of the country's people.

There is alot to this CD and i'm trying not to get carried away. I've not really held any firm interest in Reggae music but this definately has whetted my appetite. I think rather than following in his fathers footsteps, Damien Marley has created his own sound and style that differentiates himself from his father, and i'm glad that this is the case.

A must have CD and one that is on constant play in my system.