NEW MUSIC FROM NEW PLACES

By Terry Paquet

Terry Paquet is an award-winning copywriter with more than 20 years’ experience. He is a regular contributor to SideOne.

Tan lines. Long necks. Flip flops. And BBQs. The dog days are finally here. To help you plunge in, here’s this month’s selection of artists specifically curated to bring the sunshine. Because after the last year and a half, who couldn’t use a little more of that? It’s the easygoing, breezy vibes that will make every drink a little colder, every day a little brighter and everything irie. So, break out the Hawaiian shirts, crack open a cold one, and dig in.

TO LISTEN WHILE YOU READ, CHECK OUT THIS MONTH’S SIDEONE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3XOfM9wFeOzDNfO5WuvHPU?si=ca42b60e7fa04bf7

NIKO MOON

To call Niko Moon a country artist is a bit of a stretch. His music is a catchy mash-up of genres that pull from traditional back porch country, reggae and hip-hop. It’s an unusual mix that sounds a hell of a lot better than it reads on paper.

This cross-pollination makes sense when you consider his upbringing. Moon was raised in Douglasville, Georgia, a town that sat in the middle of two very distinct musical sounds. On one side (30 miles away) you had artists like OutKast, T.I. and The Ying-Yang Twins. On the other side (and 30 miles in the opposite direction), Alan Jackson had “Gone Country.” Only seems right that Moon absorbed both styles to create his own thing.

“We were listening to country and hip-hop all at the same time and we were constantly flipping back and forth. I really wanted to figure out how to mix those two worlds together in a way that felt really authentic and genuine to who I am.”

Lyrically, the man is no slouch, having co-written five No. 1 hits for Zac Brown including Loving You Easy, Homegrown and Heavy is the Head, featuring the almighty vocals of Chris Cornell.

Moon’s first EP (Campfire Sessions), an intriguing mix of hooky melodies, clever lyrics and edgy electro beats is a solid debut. Although his solo career is just getting started, from the looks of things, he’s going to be around for a long, long while.

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

• Good Time from Campfire Sessions (2020)

• Drunk Over You from Campfire Sessions (2020)

• Dance With Me from Campfire Sessions (2020)

• Paradise To Me from Campfire Sessions (2020)

• No Sad Songs Single (2020)

ETANA

Etana’s first foray into the music industry was in Florida where she joined Gift, an all-girl band that required her to wear skimpy outfits and flaunt her sexuality. Definitely not for her, she walked away and went back to her birthplace, Kingston, Jamaica, to rethink her career. There, she earned a spot singing background vocals on tours throughout Europe and North America for legendary reggae singer Richie Spice. That’s when her soulful voice got noticed by Spice’s management who encouraged her to record a solo album. “I always knew that a solo career was in my future,” says Etana.“I needed to deliver music that was straight from the heart, straight from the soul and straight from the people.”

Her debut CD, The Strong One, spawned the international hit Wrong Address, a neo-soul, acoustic reggae number about the perils of living on the wrong side of the tracks.

One of Bob Marley’s legacies is not just the music he left us, but the offspring he produced. Ziggy is by far the most popular, but Stephen is no less talented and def worthy of your attention. He’s Bob’s second oldest child and, of all the siblings, his voice is, by far, closest to the legend. Check out Break Us Apart from his CD, Revelation Part 1: The Roots of Life or watch his live performance on Bob Marley 75th Celebration on YouTube for ample proof. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJfk4fs5Us

Since that first effort, she has released six more albums, each one better than the last. Her voice is undeniably powerful, and her lyrics are empowering. Her music borrows heavily from the Rastafarian lifestyle which glorifies all things natural and positive – two words that best describe her music.

In a genre that is largely defined by masculine artists and negative viewpoints, Etana is not just a presence, she’s a force to be reckoned with.

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

• I Rise from I Rise (2014)

• Reggae from Better Tomorrow (2013)

• My Man from Reggae Forever (2018)

• Little Thing Called Love Single (2018)

• I Am Not Afraid from The Strong One (2009)

• Lover Boy w/Paille Single (2020)

STEPHEN MARLEY

His reverence for vintage roots reggae sounds is clear throughout his discography, but he excels when he purposely veers into a more contemporary concoction of hip hop and dancehall. Like his father, his lyrics are super conscious, often political and deep.

In the studio he’s a powerhouse, producing most of his sibling’s work and seminal CDs for The Fugees, Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill.

His fi rst CD, 2007’s Mind Control, pushed the boundaries of what reggae music could be, mixing traditional reggae rhythms with an urban vibe to deliver an ear-pleasing mix of rebellious viewpoints and spiritual messages. It was a solid debut and a precursor of his immense talent that broke barriers for newer artists like Protoje and Chronixx.

Bottom line is, when your last name is Marley you have big sandals to fi ll. But the eight-time Grammy award winner does the family name proud.

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

• Hey Baby from Mind Control (2007)

• So Strong from Revelation Part 2: The Fruits of Life (2016)

• Medication from Indigo (2018)

• Break Us Apart from Revelation Part 1: The Roots of Life (2011)

• Small Axe from One Take: Acoustic Jams (2018)

DONAVON FRANKENREITER

Before Donavon cut his fi rst CD in 2004, he was a pro surfer. In his teen years, he scored a sponsorship with Billabong and moved to Hawaii. Serendipitously, he met Jack Johnson, also a surfer. The duo instantly became friends, jamming in between surf sessions. When Johnson’s music career took off and he started his Brushfi re label, Frankenreiter was a shoo-in on the talent roster.

His fi rst CD featured a collection of laid-back, breezy beach tunes built around acoustic guitar, bass and drums with hooky choruses that were hard to deny. His second CD amped up the production values and veered into more a funky, vibey territory and for my money, is his best to date. Tracks like Move By Yourself and That’s Too Bad have a retro feel to them that hit all the soulful notes.

What I love about Frankenreiter is that his creativity veers into unexpected territories that include a live recording at Abbey Studios and a whole CD devoted to bass and drum tracks so fans can jam along. He also released two cover albums with a varied collection of interpretations including Elvis Costello’s (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding and Bruce Cockburn’s Wondering Where The Lions Are. Where he misfi res is in his penchant for rearranging previous hits repeatedly. But it’s a trivial gripe for an artist who isn’t afraid to look back even when he’s moving forward.

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

• Day Dreamer from Donavon Frankenreiter (2004)

• Shine from Start Livin’ (2012)

• The Way You Catch The Light from The Heart (2015)

• That’s Too Bad (Byron’s Jam) from Move By Yourself (2006)

• Boom Boom from Single (2019)