Rebelution

Album Review

A fine young singer in the militant lyrical school of Michael Rose and Junior Reid (who also shares with those singers a certain fondness for North African-styled vocal melisma), Yami Bolo has never exactly carved out a unique singing style for himself, but functions very well within an established vocal niche and brings a warmhearted positivity to lyrical concerns that other artists tend to deliver in a spirit of dour imprecation. Rebelution is among his most satisfying albums, which is high praise given the quality of his previous work with such A-list producers as Sugar Minott and Augustus Pablo. Some of the credit for this album's success goes to legendary producer Hopeton "Scientist" Brown, who was at the controls for these sessions, and some to the presence of legendary drummer Santa Davis, whose steady hand and subtly elegant flourishes make close listening a pleasure. But Bolo himself is the architect and guiding hand of this sound, and he deserves the lion's share of the credit. Highlights include the fiery "Liberation" (featuring a fine cameo appearance by DJ Capleton), the imploring "Sanctify Yourself," and a subtly nyahbinghi-flavored song titled "Hail the Conquering Lion," on which Ras Michael makes a guest appearance. Highly recommended.