We all know Bob Marley had some girlfriends, we know that he had some children, we also know he made some great music. Ziggy Marley made some fame already, but know it’s Domain’s turn, after two albums (Mr. Marley and Halfway Tree), which didn’t bring the fame he wanted; now he’s going to try it again with Welcome to Jamrock.
To begin with, you shouldn’t think he is just using his name to make it in the music business, his first 2 albums got good reviews in the press especially Halway Tree. You also should keep in mind that his music is really different of what his dad used to make, as
Bob Marley used to make straight reggae music, Damain mixes that with hip-hop and his own style of rapping, which is called Djing (Jamaican style of rapping) it’s difficult to understand sometimes but it sounds really cool.
Confrontation
The album starter starts of with some sort of prayer for peace in the Rastafarian way (of Bunny Wailer). The peace/rastafari theme stays the whole song. The drums give the sad/angry expression of the song some extra feeling. The catchy violin melody makes the song complete. Good album starter and one of my favorites of the album.
4/5
There For You
“There For You” is more in the style of his father, it a softer song a real reggae song I should say. But it’s not great. Lyrics a to cliché, the melody not catchy enough and Damians voice is just not made to sing like this. One of the weaker songs on the album.
2/5
Welcome to Jamrock
The title song of the album is also the first single and the best song on the album. The song is about the living in the Trenchtown.
“Welcome to Jamdown, poor people a dead at random
Political violence, can't done!”
One of the examples Damian gives about Trenchtown and Jamaica. The lyrics are good chosen and follow up real fast, In his style of rapping its hard to hear what Damian says but if you listen well, he wants to bring a message. The cracking sound effect that they put over the song only strengthens the idea of a really Trenchtown feeling in the song. At the end of the song you hear a gun reloading, amazing song. On this album Damian can expect some help from his brother Stephen, Bobby Brown, Nas and more
5/5
The Master Has Come Back
Again Damian raps about rastafari, the song has some cool guitar sounds and annoying/catchy background vocals, just like in that song of Akon “Lonely”. Pretty cool song but not one of the best .
3/5
All Night (feat Stephen Marley)
The song starts of in some sort of bleus style way, with Stephen Marley (one of Damians older brothers) saying
“she wants my loving all night”.
Although the song starts of in a cool unexpected way it gets boring en repetitive. Which makes this song a album filler.
2/5
Beautiful (feat Bobby Brown)
Again a little softer song but now Damian continues rapping and Bobby Brown fills in the chorus in a nice (singing) way. The song reveres to some family members
“So we listen couple speech of Martin Luther chat
Dennis Brown, Bob Marley and some Super Cat”
Nicely done. This song also is the second single from “Welcome to Jamrock” and in the video some pictures of Bob come along. The trumpets in the song are gonna stick in your head for a while if you listen to this song. Good song.
4/5
Pimpa’s Paradise (feat Stephen Marley & Black Thought)
Again Stephen comes around on the album and it wont be the last time. The song is about a girl that’s using drugs and again Damian tries to sing. But know Stephen is rapping and his style is like Dr. Dre, it sound pretty good. Damian’s singing is better in this song. He also raps some parts of the song, its not that fast as usual but that’s OK. The song is slower then the others on the album and feels like a ballad.
3/5
Move!
Now Damian does what he does best, rapping. Its may get boring but again it’s about rastafari, but then when you think ahh, I should skip this song the chorus starts. Then you hear Bob Marley sing
“Exodus...movement of Jah people”
Damian sampled his dad for this song, and it fits the song so well. Also the drums are really catchy again. I love this song, O my got I really do!
4.5/5
For the Babies (feat Stephen Marley)
It feels like there’s a curse on the work of the 2 brothers, cause again this song feels like a album filler. Damian is singing again which he really shouldn’t do. His voice is cracking and it’s just not sounding well. This song is one of the most annoying I heard in times, just sad its on the album it could have done without this song.
1.5/5
Hey Girl (feat Stephen Marley & Rvleta Fraser)
Yes, Stephen is back again, and no this song is not different from the rest. This song fits the recruitments for a hit nowadays with a good dance bass line a girl on the chorus and Stephen is acting like he is Akon or something, but still I don’t like it. It might be a good dance song but it doesn’t fit on the album its just so different from the rest, it has nothing to do with reggae at all.
2.5/5
Road to Zion (feat Nas)
So Damian’s singing isn’t his strongest part as I said. Yet again he sings on this one again, his voice isn’t really made for it, but on this song that doesn’t care, cause the lyrics an the rhythm and all of this song is great! After the first verse and chorus, Nas comes in and raps a little, which he does great. The drums on this song are very catchy again, and cover some of the annoying sound of Damians voice if he sings. One of the better songs on the album.
4.5/5
We’re Gonna Make It
No help on this track except from some girls singing on the background. “We’re Gonna Make It” is one of the happier songs on the album, and it makes you want to jump just like on Bob’s songs! The lyrics are catchy, Damian is half singing, half rapping and its all cool.
4/5
In 2 Deep
“In 2 Deep” has the same feeling as “Welcome to Jamrock” It has that same angry style of rapping and a catchy line “In 2 Deep” that’s said after about every sentence. Which makes it very repetitive after listening to it for some times. Still the clapping background sound, and the lyrics make up for it, not a great song but its good enough.
3/5
Khaki Suit (feat Bounty Killer & Eek-a-Mouse)
This song is a good, funny closing track. It’s other than most of the track but fits in the album. You hear some sort of cry through the song, I can’t describe it but it’s really cool. The song is like a conversation between Damian and Bounty Killer, and Bounty Killer is some sort of Santa. Its sound really fun and happy. Nice album closer
3.5/5
I enjoyed listening to this album although it had some lame songs. But the good songs are so good that you just forget about the rest. I hope this album is Damian’s breakthrough so we get more albums of this reggae/rapper. As its looking now it’s gonna happen Damian won Best Reggea Album on the 2006 Grammy’s and his first 2 singles were a success (at least here in the Netherlands:P)
Pro’s
- “Welcome to Jamrock”, “Move!”, “Road to Zion”
- Damian’s rapping style is really cool
- Work with Nas
- Best Reggea Album Grammy
Con’s
- “For the Babies”, “All Night”
- Work with Stephen Marley isn’t that good
- Damain Marley’s singing
P.S.
Don’t be to hard on my, its my first review. And since I`m Dutch my English isn’t that good as yours. Just give me tips so I can change things.
