Search - Various Artists :: Soca Gold 2003

Absolute Bangers, Mixed With Mediocrity

Achis | Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM | 06/13/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I just started really listening to soca earlier this year, and of course, annually the biggest soca release is the gold album, so I had to pick it up (putting Camille Marshall on the cover didn't hurt too much either). Now I'm Jamaican, by birth, and of course soca has always been around, mostly in the form of Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, so I've always had an ear for it, i just never really got into it.
All of that being said, i seperate this album into 2 halves. The mediocre half, which is just that, its not bad, its just completely in the middle. Songs like Ride It, by Krosfyah, Dom Perignon by dancehall's TOK, Power Drill by Burning Flames, and the Spanish Mi Droga by Kali, are all mediocre, i can still listen to them, and I even like some of them in spurts, but for the most part, they are completely mediocre to me. However,songs 1-8 with the exception of By the Bar by Treason (now called the 3 Suns)are exceptional. By the Bar is good as well, but having bought the Treason album, Word on the Street, its familiar to me, and i'm pretty much tired of it. There is a song on here called Soca Bhangra by monard Bunji Garlin and chutney artist Shammi was a song that I could not stand when i first heard it, now it is totally growing on me. Nasty by FLO PG is also very good and addictive, this album should be subtitled ADDICTIVE, as the word also describes my 3 favorite tunes here. Tempted to Touch by Rupee is a very good song that would undoubtedly blow up in the US if we loved Wayne Wonder's No Letting Go so much, and we did. The song that is probably my favorite here is Bounce by Dawg-E Slaughter, that tune is powerful and hard and to my ears has a dancehall tinge to it, which is always good to me. If Bounce (or Wine and Bend Over by Denise Belfon) isn't my favorite song then Ah Home by Iwer George is. I can (and have) played that song and strictly that song for about an hour and still have yet to tire of it, i think its that good. Later on in the album, songs like Doh Want to Know by KMC and Dance For Me are somewhere between mediocre and good. My only complaint is that, the number one soca tune in the world currently, Snake Oil, by Bunji Garlin isn't on here. VP usually is amazing at getting songs like that.
Overall, I say sure get it, why not. With my beloved dancehall blowing up in the US, i'd be very interested to see if some of these songs wouldn't have a market in the US as well, especially Tempted to Touch.
I DON'T KNOW WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE, OR WHERE THEY COME FROM BUT THEY ALL SEEM LIKE THEY'RE HAVING THE MOST AMAZING TIME EVER! The second cd is mostly specials and remixes which unlike reggae gold every year, is a welcome addition. Try something new, pick this one up."

5 stars for V P's

PURPLE | BRONX, NEW YORK United States | 04/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love this collaboration of soca hits. I especially love the spanish version of Musical Jumbie "Mi Droga" I as a vocalist would like to see the lyrics given with the C.D. as done with other genres of music. V P's is infamous with releasing quality recordings and look forward to purchasing their products.
signed Purple"

Perfect for a jam session

divineemperess | miami,florida | 11/21/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this album was very well put together and the mix cd which was included was a good mix cd for soca. i used this cd the day it was released instores for a session a few friends and i put together and everyone was intrigued by the way song after song seem to fall right in place after the previous song. i think this was the best soca collabo put together yet. i wonder what 2004 has to give. also check out treason family's album"