RAS MICHAEL & THE SONS OF NEGUS
A Weh Dem a Go Do Wit It (ROIR)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

---

Unless you're a dedicated Rastafarian, you probably won't consider this album a masterpiece because there are a few very weak tracks. Considering the fact that the running time is an hour and two minutes and the rest of the music is deep, moving, heart-felt Nyahbinghi, I would have recommended cutting out the deadwood, had I a voice in that decision. We all either have programmable CD players or "next" buttons, so we can make our own decisions on that. We're still left with plenty of wonderful Nyahbinghi music, which is a form of Jamaican gospel music with a lot of singing and a minimalistic approach to the instrumental backing that emphasizes hand-held drums. There is also full-on reggae of the trancy variety, over which Ras Michael delivers sermons in an informal talking style. Some of this is interesting, if over-long, some of it would have been on my cut list. And it is. I have my own track list programmed in with 9 of the 13 tracks in place, and hey, I very much recommend my version of A Weh Dem a Go Do Wit It. Your version will probably be different, but you'll be recommending it, too. There's another reason to snag it, by the way, and that's the cast of musicians behind Michael, which includes the unbeatable drums/bass team of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespear, guitarist Chinna Smith, and keyboardist Robbie Lynn. That's what you call the dream team.

© 2003 - DJ Johnson