Burning Spear
Rocking Time

THE REVIEW

Burning Spear is the most powerful and radical artist in Jamaican music. And, to understand this, just think of a few things: the name borrowed from Jomo Kenyatta, hero of Kenyan independence; the continuous references to Marcus Garvey, the dreamer who preached the return to Africa of all black brothers; a voice, spirited and shamanic, which at times takes on the tones of a true cry of battle.

And above all, a lot, a lot of Africa. Even though...

Even though, looking at him on the cover of “Rocking time”, Burning Spear seems to have very little to do with his fabulous stage name. Could this be Flaming Spear, the spiritual warrior? Oh no, it's not possible; at most, you might say he's a fisher of souls or, conversely, a soul about to be fished. But don't be deceived by this!!!

For if here Burning does not yet have that magnificent appearance of a visionary and wild superhero (beautiful and proud gaze, dreadlocks, imposing physique), the voice, however, is already the one that will always be. And the perfect description of that voice lies precisely in all that his battle name evokes. And that name, let's repeat it again, always repeat it, that name is Flaming Spear.

_________________________________________

Ah, I swear, the power has never been so hypnotic... yes, yes... hypnotic... and the hypnosis, in this “Rocking time”, is a strange kind of dub. That when you listen, you ask yourself: how can such skeletal and jumpy music, sometimes even funny, bear the power of such an archaic voice?

Later (already from the next “Marcus Garvey”, to mention) robust horns and tribal rhythms will join that power, and, thanks to a sort of “joyous war machine”, that power will become fury... incredible hypnotic fury.

But here, here in “Rocking time”, there is something different... something that perhaps I can't quite put into words and may resemble a little the feeling one gets looking at the cover photo.

It's as if, in addition to that hypnosis musically achieved with minimal means (the modernity of that almost dub sound), there remains a fragrance of the sixties and early reggae. But truly, I cannot explain it better. Sorry...

If it helps, it's something that moves and exalts. Like that voice between Africa and Blues (and thus between Africa and Africa) moves and exalts.

That voice is both a mantra and a lament, both a mantra and pride, born when the storyteller meets the shaman, when the dreamer meets the rhythm.

_____________________________________________________________________

Boh, have I managed to capture this album? I read again and see that I've written several times the following words: Africa, power, hypnosis... there you go, then yes, maybe I've captured it. And, if I've been a bit rhetorical, sorry, but when it's needed, it's needed. The fact is that Burning is one of those who make you feel twenty years younger...

And, speaking of age, go on YouTube and watch a recent concert of his. Ah, I think we really need to ask these Rastas how the heck they manage to age like that...

Aloha...