Genesis 1 Is Easily One Of The Most Stunning Reggae Albums of 2019
Genesis 1 is a delightfully coherent album of 15 tracks by legendary hit maker/ Producer Courtney “Blemo” Crichton. Press play and you dive into a musical journey characterized by earthy bass lines, rootsy, subtle beats, heavenly keyboard melodies adding musical depth, rocky guitar licks, all accentuated with carefully inserted, angelic background vocals. Both the music and the lyrics immediately evoke the golden heydays of roots reggae and some of its greatest legends. The melancholic keyboards in Keep Away have an almost Lucky Dube-esk feel, while tunes like The Ransom recall Burning Spear with their deep spirituality and jazzy brass sections.
Thematically, Life and Relationship are the head cornerstones on Genesis 1. Nuh Left Yuh Man advise the young ladies to be careful of the con artist. If You Want Good promotes self-esteem and self-acceptance within the world‘s Black communities. Nothing Never Done Before Time advise to be patient and keep the faith while working toward your goals.
“Sometimes its good sometimes it’s bad, it’s just the vibration. Some people want to see you make it and some want you go down but from Jah is on your side he will see you through.” (The Vibration): Genesis 1‘s music awakes, it encourages you to take action in a very positive way. Be that in Kingston, New York City, Miami, or elsewhere.
One Of The Most Stunning Reggae Albums
Genesis 1 is easily one of the most stunning reggae albums of 2019. Reggae has not sounded as sweet, as spiritual, as easy, as powerful for a while. Asani Ali endorses this album and strongly suggests booking agencies and festival organizers to help promote this fresh and healthy sound.
Homie Almaya wrote about the album “Just listened to this three times, and I really f&@#ing dig it. I’m a huge Blemo fan but I had yet to listen to an Levi Bong before this project. The production on this album is great. Lot of great beats and there’s a really good mix of grittiness and soulfulness to the album instrumentally. I honestly think this might be my favorite Blemo produced album. I think his production is better on True Love but I like the production on this album better. ‘Genesis’ is really damn good.”
Pad Anthony
Pad Anthony born Hartley Anthony Wallace. He was from a musical family; his brothers were part of a group called Rags and Riches who won the 1976 festival song competition entitled “Big Heel Boot and Bellfoot Pants” with late, great Freddie McKay. After moving to the Waterhouse district in Kingston, he started singing on local sound systems and eventually performed an audition at the Channel One recording studios, run by Joe Joe Hookim. His first recording was two cover versions, one by the late, great Alton Ellis entitled “Blackman’s World” and Ray Charles’ “Crying Time”. His first two hits were “See Them A Come” and “Champion Bubbler”, both on the Sunset label, responsible for also producing early hits from Half Pint. After that point, Anthony was picked up by King Jammys, recording numerous hits with the King and singing over the immensely popular sound system of the same name over the course of the mid-to-late 1980s. Pad Anthony is most well-known for his “soundboy” tunes (45 records which a rival sound system is called to task) and his recording of dubplates for all top tier sound systems, in both Yard and abroad.
Johnny Osbourne
Johnny Osbourne (born Errol Osbourne, 1948) is a popular Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer, who rose to success in the late 1970s and mid 1980s. His album Truths and Rights was a notable roots reggae success, and featured “Jah Promise” and the album’s title track, “Truths and Rights”. However, he is probably best known for his mid 1980s dancehall reggae hits “Buddy Bye” (based on King Jammy’s Sleng Teng riddim), “Ice Cream Love” and “Water Pumping”. During 1967 Osbourne became lead vocalist of The Wildcats, and recorded for producer Winston Riley, although nothing was issued. The Wildcats’ manager then financed a session at Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One, from which his debut single, “All I Have Is Love”, was released. In 1969 he recorded an album, Come Back Darling, again for Riley. On the day that he completed the album, Osbourne emigrated to Toronto, Canada, to join his family. After singing with various soul and reggae groups, he became lead vocalist for Ishan People, and recorded two albums with them. The group broke up in 1979, and Osbourne decided to return to Jamaica.
Connect With Asani Ali & The Crichton Clique
On first listen, it doesn’t take long to understand why this album is referred to as “classic rock reggae.” “New York City,” the opening track of this album Genesis 1, wastes no time establishing an atmosphere that’s equal parts enigmatic and epic. Defined by fluttering guitars and soaring vocals, the song summons the vast expanse of the Sonoran in all its chalky reds and grays, its dry shrubs and saguaros. The song’s shuffling beat, accented by terse cymbal strikes, introduces the album’s fondness for duality. .
Throughout Genesis 1, the album strike a balance between liveliness and patience—think the cozy, lackadaisical pacing of Westerns like Rio Bravo—with innovative results.
This album is one of my better projects. I know these artists from way back since we were recording at Waterhouse so it’s a pleasure for me to showcase their talents.
Courtney ‘Blemo’ Crichton
CEO The Crichton Clique
Overall, Genesis 1 in my opinion is a SOLID effort and I don’t think anyone will be disappointed with what they hear. If you’re looking for a more exciting type of current Roots project, definitely Genesis 1 is something you’d be interested in.
“Genesis 1” Is distributed by Asani Ali Music through Believe Digital Worldwide and is available on all major Digital Platforms.
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