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Island Mele

Friday, June 2, 2000

By John Berger

Dawn heralds
reggae traditions

The Healing Dance:
By Jesse Dawn and the Kind (World Changing Records)

BIG Island resident Jesse Dawn and his band epitomize the rural roots-reggae music of the neighbor islands. They play basic reggae rather than Jawaiian or local reggae lite, and uphold the Jamaican rastafari tradition of addressing specific political issues as well as celebrating the general themes of unity and "one love."

Dawn calls for the legalization of marijuana, opposition to irradiated produce programs, and an end to "greedy little minds" in local government. "Green is the Future" invites reggae fans to "beat Babylon" by voting "Green" on election day.

Mpeg Audio Clips: Rasta Fire - (Live) Green In The Future Free Up The Laws Quicktime | MPEG-3 info

World Changing Records: 808-736-3922 / 808-934-7942

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Hawaiian Lullabies:
By William Daquioag (Small World Music)

RECORDING languid arrangements of local standards is an interesting idea but the results here are rougher than they should be. It isn't William Daquiaog's synthetic music tracks or the uneven quality of his singers that's the problem; there's simply too much studio hiss on some of the tracks to consider the project completed.

Daquiaog's New Age-style instrumental versions of "He Aloha Mele" and "Lovely Hula Hands" are actually more interesting than the vocal arrangements, and, used as lullabies, babies won't notice the technical shortcomings elsewhere.

Mpeg Audio Clips: He Aloha Mele Singing Bamboo He Aloha Mele Quicktime | MPEG-3 info

Small World Music: 808-671-2547

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You Can't Lie:
By DisGuyz (Afterthought Entertainment)

DISGUYZ has a new record label and evidently a major attitude adjustment as well. This CD-single shows them looking either mournful or downright sullen. The good news is that the title song is by group member Jason Lent and his writing partner élan; élan also did the synthesized music tracks.

DisGuyz still ranks well behind Brownskin on the local "boy band" scene but the arrangement shows Lent and élan are astute acolytes of Boyz II Men and BIIM's many white pop group counterparts.

There's a fresh idea or two in DisGuyz's remake of The Deele's 1988 hit, "Two Occasions," but it is obviously the lesser of the two. DisGuyz still needs to find something to set it apart from the other "boy bands" on the market.

Mpeg Audio Clips: You Can't Lie Two Occasions (radio edit) Quicktime | MPEG-3 info

http://www.afterthoughtmusic.com

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See Record Reviews for some past reviews.
See Aloha Worldwide for locals living away.

John Berger, who has covered the local
entertainment scene since 1972, writes reviews of recordings
produced by Hawaii artists. See the Star-Bulletin's Today
section on Fridays for the latest reviews.