Dean Fraser ADD

Review

Album Review: Prince Malachi – Third Rock

10/02/2015

"There'll be better days to come!" As much as these words create an overall positive outlook by pointing to a brighter tomorrow, they also imply that things are currently amiss. And indeed, the release of Third Rock falls into perilous times, with millions of people uprooted all over the world.

Intentionally or not, Mark Wynter aka Prince Malachi addresses many crucial issues that are on the global agenda right now. Starting his album with the beautiful Great Welcome, he picks up the subject of migration, for instance. The title is an ironic assessment of the no-welcome-culture still prevalent in the UK, where the singer was born and raised and obviously exposed to signs saying "No Blacks, no Irish, no dogs". What? Building Walls likewise looks at the issue of constructing artificial borders. With a symbolic reference to the ancient city, he says "Jerusalem belongs to all, Salem Aleikum, Selah and Shalom. More barriers is not the solution, we need a whole lot of love, communication!"

Directly connected to these musings about people who have left everything behind to find a better future elsewhere is Fallacies, an acknowledgement of the need to change from greediness and vanity to generosity and truth. The track is a feature with the man whose voice I would call on if pushed to compare Malachi's: Luciano! Together they provide the vocal frame that keeps the riddim from tipping too far to the jazzy lounge side. Another guest appears on Gideon Rough (and a few other tracks), where we are immersed in the bittersweet sounds of Dean Fraser's saxophone while Malachi shares our universal struggles lyrically.

But this wouldn't be a proper Reggae album if there was no upliftment as well. Strength and Hope does this job nicely, as does the conscious Open Book. The title track Third Rock is another meaningful tune, a livication to the creation of our planet (third rock from the sun!) and us. "Don't you try to harm no one, cause you will only harm yourself!". Along these lines, the initially mentioned quote is from the acoustic, Nyabinghi-style Better Days which is not only sung by Prince Malachi, but for which he provided Bass, Kette and percussions also. By the way, he is responsible for the drums in most tracks, as well as acting as executive producer for the whole release, recruiting musicians such as Cyril Meunier (guitar), Adrian McKenzie (keys), Christopher Meredith (bass), Patrick Tenyue (trumpet) and many more. After more than a decade of silence around this artist, this is a wonderful come-back.

Worth mentioning, unlike the last three songs, are finally the two covers that round off the album. Gregory Isaacs' If I Don't Have You shines in fresh glory, while the 1970 release Come Back Darling by Johnny Osbourne has been re-arranged, including new lyrics as well. Don't Turn Your Back On Us is a plea that can be extended to the voices of refugees all over the world. Lend an ear to them - and to Third Rock!