Hm. As received via PR mailout today:
For nearly sixty years, the Jolly Boys have been integral to the fabric of Jamaica's musical landscape and culture heritage. Yes, you read that correctly, sixty years!! Masters of mento, one of Jamaica's original musics, this band has rocked innumerable private soirees, charmed the traveling elite and toured the world, leaving an indelible mark on everyone who has heard them. Their new album, Great Expectation, introduces a new sound and direction, making them more unforgettable than they have ever been.Maybe you're unfamiliar with mento? Mento was the music of the Jamaican dancehalls before ska, rocksteady, and reggae came along. A people's music typically played in the countryside on acoustic, sometimes homemade, instruments, dating back to the late 19th century. Its lyrics generally dealt with rude or slack topics, or addressed the social issues of the day. Although often confused with calypso (largely because calling it "calypso" was a handy way of marketing it to tourists who didn't know any better), it has a rawness and rhythmic feel that is uniquely Jamaican.
"All Jamaican music, ska, reggae, dancehall, come from mento," declares the Jolly Boys' lead singer Albert Minott, 72. "My grandparents told me when the slaves were tired they would sing mento songs in the sugar cane fields."
Modern mento is the next stage. The new development takes the tradition's old-time style, its instruments, rhythms, and timbres and introduces it to the songs, beats and vibe of contemporary pop music. Which brings us back to the Jolly Boys' new record, Great Expectation, out May 3 via EOne Music and Geejam Recordings.
Great Expectation was produced by Jon Baker, founder of Gee Street Records, the seminal UK hip hop label that first brought the likes of the Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah, PM Dawn and the RZA to the attention of the British public and that also developed a domestic roster with acts such as the Stereo MC's, and DJ Richie Rich. Now based in Jamaica, Baker recorded the album at his Geejam studios in Port Antonio. It was mixed by Tom Elmhirst who has worked with the likes of Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson, Hot Chip and The Kills. Baker, together with his long time friend and creative partner, Wall of Sound's Mark Jones, chose tracks from artists like The Clash, The Stooges, The Stranglers, New Order, Amy Winehouse, and more.
Great Expectation track list:
01. The Passenger
02. Perfect Day
03. Rehab
04. Nighclubbing
05. Hanging On The Telephone
06. Do It Again
07. Riders On The Storm
08. Golden Brown
09. I Fought The Law
10. Ring Of Fire
11. Blue Monday
12. You Can't Always Get What You Want
13. Interlude
14. Dog War **
15. Night Food **
16. Emmanuel Road **
** bonus classic mento song
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 4 April 2011 15:43 (fifteen years ago)