Richie Spice (Reggae)

quote:

If you had to guess which reggae artist is Richie Spice's brother, you might say Mikey Spice, but no, it's Pliers of Chaka Demus & Pliers fame (He's also Spanner Banner's brother, so it's actually a trick question, you sucker.). That doesn't give a true indication of Richie Spice's sound, however, as where Pliers has a light, whiny voice, Richie Spice tends to be more robust and commanding. Oh, and he tends to chat a bit more also. Whereas "sing-jays" merge singing and DJing into an amorphous art form, Spice delineates the two formats distinctly, alternately singing or chatting on all of the tracks on this his debut album. While he doesn't set the world on fire with his skills at either discipline, he is competent at both, and the solid songwriting -- balancing a hardcore dancehall sensibility with a likeable pop edge (not as poppy as Chaka Demus & Pliers can get, though) -- buoys the listener's interest in Universal. Whether chatting or crooning, Richie Spice's genre of choice is dancehall, although there is some roots ("Earth a Run Red"), lovers ("Grooving My Girl"), R&B (on the Pliers-like "Hold Me"), and pop (on the only truly poor tune here, "Moan and Groan," which usurps Kool & the Gang's "Ladies' Night" music) to be found. Riding the sublime riddim that Jah Cure used on "Bless Me," "Earth a Run Red" is nothing short of stunning, a moving lament on social ills. On the other end of the spectrum, "Wasting My Time" is a catchy love song that is no less compelling. Similarly irresistible tracks are scattered around Universal, from "Living Ain't Easy" to "Monday to Sunday" to the old school dancehall of "Bingi Drum and "Land of Jamaica" to "Loner" to the Toots & the Maytals-reminiscent gospel of "Time So Rough." Eclectic and entertaining, Richie Spice has all the tools to match or even eclipse the musical accomplishments of his brothers.