10.4.06

Sizzla's latest proves why he's beloved


"Sizzla, "Ain't Gonna See Us Fall" (VP Records)
Rastafarian hero Sizzla doesn't jeopardize his position as Jamaica's most beloved roots reggae star on his latest album, "Ain't Gonna See Us Fall." Unlike his bump-and-grind-prone peers, the dreadlocked veteran delivers exactly what his fans expect of him
after 10 years in the game - sweat-soaked songs of spiritual salvation. No greater is the message of cultural pride than on the choir-backed title track, a defiant yet tender prayer for Jamaica's citizens. "People Need Love," a steel drum-supported plea to the government to improve the plight of the poor, sums up the album's core dogma, that love makes the world go round.
Not surprisingly, Sizzla's love theme transfers perfectly into the bedroom. It's there that he employs his trademark falsetto, tapping into his inner Gregory Isaacs for sugary grooves like "Somewhere" and "Knowing Each Other."-
TOMIKA ANDERSON