Spoiled by a good single
Patrick G. Varine | Georgetown, Delaware | 06/01/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"When I heard "Ganja Man Live On" from the "Big Blunts" collection, I immediately searched to find more music by Yankee B. I remembered seeing an ad for "Mucho Dinero" in an old issue of the Source, and tried to find it here on Amazon.com, but got the "label out of stock" message. I finally found it after a month or so at Half.com, and picked it up. I had set my expectations too high.Yankee B's inimitable voice was the major reason for my purchase. I had never heard a voice quite like it. It kind of sounds like Tricky on helium. A real ashy, weed-tainted voice. In the "Ganja Man" single, Yankee makes a staccato rolling sound with his throat that occurs regularly in his singing. But the album is not all that fantastic. It has some inspired moments. The first song, "Pass the Chronic," has a syncopated dancehall beat that's easy to dance to, and "Live By the Gun" pairs stomping drums with a horn section. The single, "Mucho Dinero," is easily one of the best tracks on the record, riding a bouncy nasal-bass beat, followed by Yankee's rapid-rasta slang and a sweet R&B hook.Another notable track is a loose cover of "War," featuring Mr. Nesta's son, Ky-Mani. The militant track doesn't quite evoke the original, but is enjoyable none the less. It appears again in a slightly lower-key version at the end of the album.Most of the rest of the songs are forgettable, but not unpleasant. If you like Yankee B's voice as much as I do, the album is worth the money, but if you're not a big dancehall fan, this might be your strain of chronic..."
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1