Licks For De Boss! Review #2 Iwer George - Come Tuh Meh

If i said i liked Iwer's music over the years, I would Be lying,  actually i cant tell you how many times i would buss a big Sterupes every time i heard the "han-han-han-han....." song...Lawd Jesus!  Im getting an Migraine just thinking about it...But  Lo and Behold! when i heard the offerings' of  Iwer For 2011 I retracted my generalized opinion of  a waste of time, to a more open minded one.

The first thing i have to say about this song its that it is INFECTIOUS  Like a festering disease the more exposed you are to it, the more it takes you over.

Drums oh those drums! they compel you to release  your stiffened body and adopt a loosened attitude. I think i would put many an inebriated individual into a puppet like state, and force them to dance as though trapped in a bad episode of Fraggle Rock .

The First words "Selecta gimme de riddem" is a cliche' opener for any song and i have a pet peeve about this. I think It should Be left for LIVE Performances and never Be Recorded for replay....i think it was Totally Unnecessary in this song, as "the riddem" that he say to "Stop" , pauses for 1 second, and then Returns...
Um, that so doesn't make any sense...The lyrics of the first verse however are brilliant! its story like lament about giving up soca and going into retirement, is Believably a realistic and true story of his own. and as it progresses into the word where the "jab-jab singing in meh head" it blends  almost seamlessly into the chorus of  " Trini people ah say come tuh meh" .... The call and answer of "Come tuh meh!/Move!" really instills in your mind a struggle between the devils of your conscience and your better judgement...HOWEVER the seamlessness of the song becomes Blurred and disjointed as the first verse  seem to almost have no bearing on 2nd or 3rd. It almost descends into the lament of a whiny , jaded  musician, as the words tend to drive home the point that "everybody want to fight him dong"  so sad that its in there, as it changes the mood of the song to that of  either an aggressive or empathic emotion (if you pay attention to the lyrics). I personally feel empathic.
The song continues to do the typical carnival event explanatory thing  talking about the jourvert and carnival morning, the bridge of the song is a typical Iwer styled "repetative lyric mashup" which acts as more of a filler that anything else.. and ends typical soca style with the  chorus fading out.

Rating	Description
Out of 5
3	Lyrics The First Verse was seamless and has a story-like vibe.  Verse is Well done and Hook line "come tuh meh" is brilliant. Falls flat with the continuity and repetitive bridge.
1	Vocal Performance Not the best of voices it is true you can recognize his voice anywhere it is unique, not very many dynamics or singing technique to talk about.
5	Musicality The Jab Jab Drumming Is PARAMOUNT it keeps the pace of the entire song and doesn't get monotonous or boring. back up chorus added a little to it.
3	Replay Worthiness and lasting Appeal It is defiantly a Jouvert song with the theme of jab-jab and the drumming it has its place in a dark environment wouldn't convey the same emotion during the day so night time and jourvert morning would be the best experience of this song.
2	Originality Typical jourvert song, typical flag and Rag references but the first time Ive heard "Jab Jab rag/flag".
14 OVERALL	Fair

One other thing I noticed that i didnt like abou this song and also in many other songs. The Ego trip! If it is one thing i find unnecessary is an artist saying "who he/she is" in a song. LET YOUR MUSIC SPEAK FOR YOU.  It is totally unnecessary to say who you are unless it had absolute bearing on on  the song you're singing....Example of appropriate ego trip 'Eminem - My name is' (slim shady)... any other situation is just ridiculous. If your music is any good people will know who you are, quite Frankly Iwer i Knew it was you from the first word that came out you mouth...sheesh!... I didn't need to hear it in a airy voice hovering over the song reminding me that you are the singer....

Soca Artists Please For the love of soca, ego tripping  does NOT make Good Music!

Anyhow even though i gave a Fair Review to this song Guess what, I am 100% supporting Iwer George - Come tuh meh, for Soca Monarch 2011...

Why you may ask..?? Duh... the song was made for Nocturnal Bacchanal  and if the Live drumming Is as intoxicating and Infective as the  recording he is going to reduce the crowd to a mass of puppets compelled to "move" on command.. a disaster to pinkie toes everywhere but a absolute "Recipe for  2 million dollars"..

"Come tuh meh, Money oye , aye ya aye" :)

Its Here Review #1:Michelle Xaviar - Fetting For days

Im sorry Destra you know Youre my #1 But sadly I feel More Inclined to review the Underdog who is even more Underdog to You. But Talented non the less....

So On to the Review

When I first hear this song I didn't know who was singing it i thought Hmm it didn't sound as powerful as the other voices iv'e heard, and after a few seconds of listening i realized "wait nuh" that unified background vocal sounding very "Imij & company-ish" I soon realized my suspicion was correct but even more surprised to Realize That Michelle Xavier was the lead vocal.. Wow she's certainly stepping away from the background.

So now ah open meh ears and listen a little more attentively to the nuances of this song. and i must say listening 5 times to a song and picking it apart is Very Difficult and im glad i did because usually we take for granted a lot of what we listen to.

First off the Intro and Opening Lyrics create a really sublime mood which is mirrored in the words "Do You feel de Pressure building Up" it really sets the tone for the song with the subtle harmonious vocals which the lead vocalist interjects and punches trough to give you a sense of disrupting the calm of the pressure building. at at the end culmination in a synchronous jarring "Hurr", which ushers in the chorus that exude the "Fetting For Days and Night " etc. (listen to the Link)

The progression of the song tend toward a typical soca a-la Destra very Pop-ish , with enough varying lyrics describing the experience and scenario of fetting For Days, and at the same time encouraging the non fetters to desist from Blocking the fetters who seem to want to "fete for days"...?... Make sence.... It described many of the sentiment of the typical partying Trinidadian, Unity, Rag flags in the Sky etc Typical of the Carnival experience but generic in every sence of lyrics. But executed fairly well as the focus is not really Flags,rags etc. Is more the feeling of "fetting for days".

Rating	Description
Out of 5
3.5	Lyrics Great Opening mood setting at the beginning, tends to get generically obvious with over done words, Rags Flags etc.
4	Vocal Performance Backup singers have harmonious fills and support the lead. lead singer has been Help With a noticeable level of "Auto-tune" in the recordings. Bridge section has "exposed lead vocals" a which demonstrates the singers vocal ability.
4	Musicality Great Drumming in the Background and keyboard playing the almost unnoticeable Brass like instrument. Far from the super-synthesized background music usually hear in a lot of Soca. You can actually notice there is live music in there.
3.5	Replay Worthiness and lasting Appeal Sadly its a song lyrically locked into Carnival because of Heavy references to carnival , but ignoring the lyrics the emotion the Chorus "We Feteing for days" could give this song a life beyond Carnival.
3	Originality Utilizing Background Vocals is nothing new but i really appreciate music that sets a tone. nothing ground breaking in originality. But original enough to set it apart from the Mundane and uninspired.
18 OVERALL	Big Chune!!

In my final analysis i have decided this song is a true representation of musicians Just By the mere Fact that the song follows a tried and true recipe of including a bridge ie" intro- chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus". Nothing New or exciting is introduced in the Lyrics but i has its moments where you wanted to follow the instructions, but it fell a lil flat because of the lack of absolute moving power i.e Attitude in the lead vocalist voice. Playing this song in the Correct Forum I.e the Road on carnival day would present a different Scenario as when it is amplified, the Emotion and Expression would Present itself in a different way.

I'm glad to hear this offering From Michelle and Imij & Co. Fetting For Days is a Great Hit and defiantly Not a miss.