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I Can Feel Your Pain by Gyptian

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I Can Feel Your Pain by Gyptian

I Can Feel Your Pain by Gyptian

By John Fenwick on Saturday, October 11, 2008 - Comment

A landmark album that sets a new standard for contemporary reggae.

Sampler

This new album by Gyptian is full of remarkable contrasts and deserves to be widely heard. Gyptian, who brought us the milestone ‘Serious Times’ on his debut in 2005 - a true redemption song for the twenty-first century - begins here by offering Keep Your Calm, a slow, heartfelt acoustic song that opens the album strongly. This highly melodic feel is followed-through with songs including the title track which betrays the influence of R and B as well as reggae.

Just as we might start to think that the style of the album has been set, Where Is My Baby offers strings and a smooth arrangement strangely reminiscent of US soul, Philadelphia-era. More surprises are provided by the none too upbeat Love Against the Wall and World Caving In, slow anthems that it is almost possible to imagine being performed by a stadium rock act during that tearful part of the proceedings when lighters are held aloft and arms are swaying. As for reggae, that’s here too of course in the conventionally recognisable sense: Nobody No Cry (a riskily titled track, sailing so close to the Marley legacy) and Too Badmind are straightahead workouts, while Sensi is dancehall-tinged reggae recalling the early 1980s when Gyptian was born.

The album demonstrates an unusual range of influences, the vocoder start to several of tracks giving way to songs of immense range. All of them are melodically strong; the production values balanced and unobtrusive. While the message in the title and in several of the songs might seem pessimistic and melancholic, it is redeemed by the warm lovers’ rock feel of More Love as the album draws to a close.

This album is unusual in its range, and outstanding in its quality, and can confidently be expected to become a classic.

Tags: Gyptian