Online Reggae Magazine

Articles

Articles about reggae music, reviews, interviews, reports and more...

From Creation by Alpheus

Home
Articles
Reviews
From Creation by Alpheus

From Creation by Alpheus

By Angus Taylor on Monday, January 17, 2011 - 2 comments

Get ready to be impressed by this trip back in time...

Sampler

Neil “Alpheus” Martin's career has followed a path as unique as his character. From cutting his first album under the tutelage of Mr Dodd at Studio 1, through working with the dynamic French duo Bost and Bim, to now, swearing off one drop reggae all together to voice a ska and rocksteady set for A Lone’s Roberto Sanchez - his philosophy of fate (“everything for a reason”) is one he clearly lives.

Instead of using original recordings in the manner of the great Peckings, Sanchez has painstakingly assembled shiny new versions of ancient rhythms and fresh compositions in the same style. Over these Alpheus sings his mellifluous themes of love: previously released single Turnaround Ball reminisces on a night of dancing atop the rhythm to the Wailers' Studio 1 ska Do You Remember?; Freddie McGregor’s Need More Love base backs his confession that he loves a girl Inside Out; while Ultimate describes the ideal partner (with the amusing line "the fire we make could burn down an igloo. Let's make love without further ado") over Phil Pratt’s romping rocksteady instrumental Dirty Dozen. Better still, the Sanchez/Martin material such as the majestic, worldly wise In Time stands up just as well.

But although Alpheus famously countered the rather Eurocentric focus on roots and culture by saying, "It’s all reality music. It’s not just about how sad you can be, how poor you are, and if you are Rasta or not." - he always sings some deeper sides too. The title song, another single on another Pratt relick (Hemsley Morris' Little Things) calls for unity in humanity while Live and Learn, using the Kingston singer-producer’s own vocal Reach Out, deals with the aftermath of friendship. Two instrumentals and two dubs (in the mode of 70s revisits to Studio 1 and Treasure Isle gems - including a hand drum heavy flip to the title track) play us out.

Last year Bigga Morrison’s Skatroniks reminded the mainstream what real ska is like, now Alpheus consolidates this welcome revival, celebrating the great Coxsone Dodd and the equally deserving Phil Pratt for a new audience. Sanchez has already impressed reggae fans with his Earl Zero album 'And God Said To Man'. Get ready to be impressed again by this trip back in time...