Search - Tippa Irie :: Rebel on the Roots Corner

Irie Fire

Michael Striegl | Chicago | 03/31/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was first drawn to this CD after listening to Tippa Irie's contribution to the Long Beach Dub All-Stars effort, Right Back, where he sings the best song on a very good album. Rebel on the Roots Corner lays out Tippa Irie's strong points--excellent vocals, a compelling rhythmic flow, and lyrics focusing on social justice. The only problem I have with this CD is that there's just not enough Tippa on the album--he sings over perhaps half of the tracks, and in his absence, the beats lose their urgency and fade into a dub ambience. Still, this is a promising contribution from an artist I hope we will hear more of."