Tuesday, May 11, 2004  

Sizzla, "Subterranean Homesick Blues"
from Jah Knows Best (RAS, 2004)
Sizzla, "Come On"
from Strictly the Best 29 (VP, 2002)

Close your eyes, hold your breath, count to five. In that same time Sizzla released 17 new records. When not burning the chalice, dude is cutting tunes.

Like Capleton and Anthony B, Sizzla is of the Bobo Ashanti Rasta persuasion. They usually wear turbans (though Sizzla is sans headgear in the awesome photo up there) and sing a lot about fire and, you know, more fire. It's funny, but Bobo Rastas are really conservative, and yet few people call them on their views in the same way someone would, say, Pat Robertson. Maybe it's because the Bobos can bring the noize.

Yep, "Subterranean Homesick Blues" is the Bob Dylan tune. Not only is it on Sizzla's forthcoming album, Jah Knows Best, it'll be on a new reggae/dancehall tribute to ol' Robby Zimmerman. Reggae and dancehall have always covered or outright thieved the music of others, so wipe the idea from your mind that this is a novelty tune. It's pretty tite, tho I don't really like the fade.

The other tune is plucked somewhat at random from Sizzla's mind-numbingly large oeuvre. On "Come On" I like that, for brief moments when Sizzla goes for the high note, he sounds like the Pixies' Black Francis.

Here's an interview with Sizzla by Jeff Chang in Murder Dog. Natch, Ernie B has all the Sizzla you want to buy.

Posted by CP | Link |

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