CD Review: Soca Gold 2007
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Soca Gold 2007 - Various Artists (VP Records)
Release Date: Jun 12th 2007

Track Listings
01. Carnival Symphony - Kimberly Inniss
02. Dutty - Roy Cape ft . Blaxx
03. Make a Stage (M.A.S) - Fay-Ann Lyons
04. Woman by My Side - Peter Ram
05. I Dare You - Destra
06. Agua - Edwin Yearwood
07. Get Wild - Olatunji Yearwood
08. Spread the Love - Mr. Slaughter
09. Born Da Dis - Mr. Dale
10. Wine Yuh Bumper (No Wall Flowers) - Khiomal Nurse, Krosfyah
11. Blaze It Up - Bunji Garlin
12. All Day All Nite - Lil Rick
13. Bounce and Move - Rita Jones
14. Expose Precision [Road Mix] - El-A-Kru
15. Last Band - Rikki Jai
16. Wine on Me - Sean Caruth
17. Jumping Up - K.V. Charles
** Bonus Material [DVD]

CD Review: BUY IT! I Dare You

Last year, I found myself in beautiful Port of Spain, Trinidad in February for Carnival and literally had the time of my life. While this wasn't my first Carnival (or rodeo for that matter), this was the first time that I really and truly enjoyed my experience because I stayed nearly the entire time and got the full Carnival experience. This Carnival is THE Carnival experience of the entire Caribbean and 2006's installment would have to be considered one of the best (and that's not just by my relatively `fresh' perspective, I heard PURE Carnival heads both local and foreign saying the exact same thing at the airport when leaving) in recent times.

This was also due to the fact that TnT's football team, 'The Soca Boys' had made their way to World Cup of Football which is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and you could definitely see the massive effects of the tream's successes going on in Trinidad. Such a wonderful time I had that I had to make sure that I returned this year. . . Even though I am currently in the midst of suffering from a terrible illness, I STILL WENT! And while undoubtedly my enjoyment of the time was affected (because I spent part of the time just laying in bed), I still had a very good time marked by the usual explosive ending. The tone of all soca music is generally set and is affected by Carnival season, As of this writing you currently have some of the most beautiful soca you'll hear right now coming out of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (with the seriously wicked Zolah leading the pack) because it is currently their Carnival season and when Trinidad amps up for their season, the ENTIRE Caribbean pushes forth their best soca vibes for the event and vie for all the various titles.

Put simply, if you really enjoy soca (or just really enjoy a party for that matter) you need to take the trip just once. And then you have the business side of soca. While the number of high quality reggae releases and official compilations on the shelves continue to increase and increase greatly, soca is just now beginning to bridge that gap (although the music has been a long time favorite style on the mix tape circuit) in more ways than just minor exposure, it is now, perhaps, the most commercially viable era of soca music not just in the typical soca markets in the Caribbean (where a visit to just about any record store on a busy island will reveal a soca section easily rivaling in size any musical genre there is, including reggae). Simply put, soca is taking over.

By far, the biggest piece of soca produced internationally, has been VP Records' annual Soca Gold compilation. The compilation, which began way back in 1997 has made fans of the genre out of people who would otherwise be completely unaware of the vibes (with the possible exception the seemingly inexhaustible Byron Lee & The Dragonaires from Jamaica). VP has shown a level commitment to soca over the years unlike any international company ever before, even while the music isn't terribly popular in Jamaica, VP's main area of interest (although they recently signed wicked Trinidadian reggae artist Jah Melody) , but the vibes are growing here as well. The label has over the years created not only Soca Gold, but the more old school set with Soca 101 and the sidekick styled set of D'Soca Zone series, all of which are consistently supported and all of which have seen releases in the past year or so. VP has also released albums by the likes Byron Lee & The Dragonnaires (who up until a couple of years ago were releasing albums at a Sizzla-like pacing, all on VP) and young soca group 3 Suns (formerly Treason). Also, they have recently added to their official ranks Edwin Yearwood and Krosfyah and the leader of the pack Bunji Garlin as VP artists, they have truly been pushing soca hard (props to Edwin Howell whose name is almost always associated with the releases). Compare that type of commitment to their main competitors, namely Greensleeves and the seemingly winding down Jet Star, whose level of soca has been all put non-existent, and you really have to say that besides the likes of Kevin Lyttle and Rupee (both of whom have and continue to routinely appear on VP compilations) making themselves to international stardom levels in the past few years, VP has done just about as much as anyone on an international level pushing soca music to the masses all over the world (and more props to JW Records who has been responsible pushing the artsits' music all over the Caribbean regionally). With the additions of Yearwood and Garlin, particularly Garlin whose style of soca music is considerably more hardcore than what has been heard internationally to date, they have shown an even greater level of commitment. Garlin's recent project Global, his first since under contract with the label and second for them overall (the first being Revelation in 2002) was a very solid piece and is currently being promoted considerably, just as much as the typical VP release as Garlin begins now to engage in a world tour in support of the project. Take all of that and combine it to coincide with this, the releasing of their crowning jewel of soca, Soca Gold, which this year has really obviously received more time and attention than in any other year (including last year's ULTRA sleek Soca Gold 2006 edition) packing vibes on vibes and of course attempting to push soca music on the international scale, the likes of which has ever been seen!

Unlike its sister album Reggae Gold (this year marks the second time which both albums have been released simultaneously) I'm pretty much always happy with the Soca Gold albums. This is partly due to, of course, I listen to reggae music more, thus when the RG album drops I'm far more familiar with (and in some cases downright tired of) many of the songs filling the album; however, this is also due to the fact that the selections on the Soca Gold album are generally well chosen and compiled not only for their being fine songs individually, but also to the point where the album flows together very nicely and on a single vibe. There is, again unlike the Reggae Gold side, typically a certain vibe to the Soca Gold album: 2006 was the 10th anniversary edition and was probably the sleekest, best looking and well done project (not the best musically, just the best overall well done), the vibes weren't as overall as HUGE soca sounding, but more laid back than 2005; 2005 was pretty much insanity on a cd, it went everywhere! Big, small, loud and smooth at the same time, culminating with the aptly titled Madder Dan Dat (although I'm still calling Mor Tor the best song on that album); all of the other albums in the Soca Gold series also had a certain direction of taking the vibes, some were just about as hard as it gets, some were more Caribbean sounding (like 2003), but all have done a fairly good job in pushing some of the most solid soca vibes around (and for the record 2005 is still my favorite to date, getting close though). They have also, perhaps more importantly, served in pushing some of the various names to those who typically wouldn't know the artists. Me myself, prior to Soca Gold 2003 which featured the MASSIVE Bounce, had never heard of the madness that was Dawg E. Slaughter, only to find out that not only was he an emerging soca artist (who also scored a mammoth shot on 2004's edition with Trample and likewise does the same on SG 2007) but a popular radio voice on the island as well, SG 2003 made me a fan of his, as well as other editions pushing names such as Maximus Dan, Lil Bits, 3 Suns, the late Onika Bostic, Blazer!, and Sanell Dempster, whom I probably would have had a while to wait before actually learning of them otherwise, before I moved back to the Caribbean. Exposing these artists to the international masses alongside some of the more popular names already, the Bunji Garlins, Machel Montano's, Kevin Lyttle's, Rupie's and Edwin Yearwood's of the world have all previously appeared on Soca Gold albums, and although I'm well familiar with them, following the vibes of the various years, I'm sure this series has exposed many to them as well.

The vibes of this year's release, Soca Gold 2007 have once again gotten bigger. Taking last year's approach in terms of look and feel of the overall project (once again very well done, 2006 was just something produced by scientists somewhere with the high tech gloss which that one had, it was absolutely gorgeous) and adding its own serious vibes on the music side, 2007 challenges 2005 for my overall favorite of the series. The vibes here are just mad! Take that and combine it with the fact that VP has apparently heard my constant ranting (or just finally wised up) and thrown in one of my absolute favorites who scores with the biggest shot on an album full of mammoth shots, but more on that in a bit. The best thing about this one is that you can pretty much play it all the way through and even while there is one very frustrating remix here (and one odd sounding addictive opener), if you love soca music you will definitely appreciate the entire album. The album almost never gives the listener a point at which to just rest, you have to watch this one all the way through, and may require several naps to complete.

As I mentioned the album has served to expose the masses and I as well to several new names in the music, or names which are just new to the listener and this year is no different, as I come away from Soca Gold 2007 definitely keen on paying attention to some new names, three in particular. The first is fittingly who opens the album with a seriously huge voice, Bajan Kimberly Innis. Innis puts forth a vocal effort on her divine Carnival Symphony which not only gives you the big loud soca style chants that I love, but also a basic r&b style singing which shows off her greatest musical asset, that shocking voice. I had previously heard of her through a big contest which she participated in and came in second I believe, and all I can do is hope to hear the winner (whose name slips my mind now) on future editions of Soca Gold, because if her vibes are bigger than this, then I'm missing something! The second two names who I am entirely more familiar with, but had never taken time to specifically listen to and enjoy their music up until this point. Check seriously talented Bajan (all three are Bajans, Barbados taking over on SG 2007) Mr. Dale;s top notch offering Born Fa Dis. I hadn't really been paying attention to the song for awhile listening through the album (because its situated where it follows one of the biggest smashes on the album altogether, but Born Fa Dis is seriously high level soca. Its one of the few songs here which is somewhat confusing (as is the next song I'll mention as well) as its done in more r&b or pop stylee, but its still ultra upbeat so it doesn't let down the vibes to the point where you get a different feel at all. It works so well on the SG 2007 album as does that entire vibe which gives it a slightly different feel, but not enough to change the vibes. The last artist who I come away from SG 2007 attempting to pay a greater attention to is Peter Ram. I had ben familiar with the NAME Peter Ram for awhile now, but had never really associated a single song with the artist. Well that changes with one listen to his absolutely pinpoint precisely wicked Woman By My Side. The song takes awhile to build and when it finally does, you discover one of the finest hooks on the entire album, and also one of the finest songs altogether on the album. The song is a straight biggup to all the women and one of the few tunes here which has a fine message besides something of the more usual, Ram definitely makes the most of the track and scores a grand slam on the track (and in retrospect, I had actually heard a remix of the song before this version, which included dancehall DJ Vybz Kartel, both are very solid).

Of the names which I'm more familiar with, I was downright delighted to see that VP had once again tapped El-a-Kru for this album with a remix of their Expose track. The song, the Precision Radio mix of Expose is a pretty frustrating track, but its almost a good frustration. Put the song in its original form on and you have one of my truly favorite songs ever! The remix somewhat keeps a level on nutty lead singer Tizzy, but at a point she absolutely loses her mind (which is why I love her so!) and makes the song what it is, one of the most powerful vibes you'll ever hear, and still El-a-Kru continues to do Antigua proud (and the wonderful video is also included on the DVD). Then there's Rikki Jai's Last Band with the traditional big TnT sounding soca vibe, complete with the steel pan back and whistling and jumping, just a wonderful track by one of the true Caribbean soca superstars, a really big track (whose video is also included on the DVD). Sean Caruth also represents very very well on his outstanding Wine On Me coming in the latter stages on the album never letting the vibes get low even for a minute, Caruth's style is one of almost `aggressive' singing and probably I've never heard him work it better on a track than on Wine On Me (especially during the crazy bridge). Then there's a new face from SG 2006 back to drop one of the biggest tracks on this year's edition, Rita Jones. Jones' fantastic Bounce and Move is seriously one of SG 2007's best efforts again, just as she did on last year's offering Carnival Feeling with Roy Cape. Cape himself is back again this year, this time with Blaxx on the very powerful Dutty. And I just wouldn't be right if I failed to mention Krosfyah's MASSIVE No Wall Flower or Yearwood on Agua, both of which I had been listening to for a while, but both still retain much power definitely!

Then there are the big boys and girls who really dominate the vibes here. Bunji Garlin checks in with one of the stronger pieces from his new album, Blaze It Up. Blaze is about as dancehall as any track here gets but after just a few listens, it gets MASSIVE, with a truly maddening riddim playing backdrop to a very strong track from the Fyahman. The Fyahwoman, Faye Ann Lyons, Garlin's better half outdoes hubby with her seriously mad M.A.S. (Make a Stage) which plays on one of the most simple thoughts to make a big track. The song basically says "FIND SOMEWHERE AND MAKE A STAGE", but I guess it follows the old adage of `less is more' as the track is HUGE! As is her usual, the star from the SG 2006 album (she appeared on two of the biggest tracks on the album, including the album's best with Ms Aleysha, Party) nearly steals the show again with her tune. The second best tune overall here comes from Ms Slaughter, still pushing some of the best tunes, and definitely glad to see him back with his MASSIVE Spread the Love. Spread the Love is almost his dedication to Soca music and were it a person, Ms Soca would be smiling. Spread the Love is everything you might expect in the traditional aspect, but it has a very melodic riddim behind it as well with an odd bouncing/humming which chases the riddim and it continues to build over and over and the fine backup singer later in the song even adds fire! Lastly, the big gyal inna di house, who needs to be on this album everywhere offers the best shot here. I'm VERY partial, because she is my favorite overall Soca artist, but Destra's fast building and heavy I Dare You is SG 2007's best track. It doesn't take very long to build at all and when it does, I mean I think I lose my spot somewhere, I go into a day dream. The sexy pint sized soca head always belong on this album as she routinely makes such songs and I Dare You is definitely near the top of her rapidly growing catalogue. Perhaps the only regret is that SG 2007 does not contain the MAMMOTH Open the Gate by Shurwayne Winchester, but in this case, it is excusabvle.

Overall, I love this album! Check the stacked DVD which includes several nice videos, songs and live performances (including I Dare You) with probably young Miss Innis giving the best offering on her Carnival Symphony, listening to her voice live, it loses absolutely no power in the studio. Faye-Ann as usual does an excellent job screaming herself hoarse on her MAS and Olatunji also gives an outstanding performance on his super hype Get Wild. Of the videos Expose and Woman By My Side definitely steal the show. This one is almost overdoing it! I don't need this much good soca! Soca Gold 2007 is definitely a shot at whats coming, presumably VP will continue to push these crazy vibes (and now if you really are listening, SIGN DESTRA!) and I'll keep on eating them up (you will too if you read this far into this review). As the lovely Mrs. Garlin so eloquently puts it on her MAS, "Somebody made a mistake, they say Carnival dun", its not! Love Soca Gold 2007.

Bramoi for Trini Jungle Juice

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