Ghetto Life (VP, 2003)

Although he's currently serving time in jail for a controversial rape conviction (reggae's answer to Kobe Bryant?), Jah Cure continues to release wonderful material for those yearning for positive, righteous messages.  Just as strong as his debut, Ghetto Life is a worthy follow-up, chock full of emotional piety and love sung over a modern digital roots and lovers rock musical landscape (if you want a more organic, live-band sound, you may be a bit disappointed in that regard), courtesy of producer Beres Hammond.  The album grabs you from the very first track, the evocative "Every Song I Sing," which is perhaps the best tune here, followed up by the Sizzla-featured "King in This Jungle," the rousing "Western Region," "Zion Way," "Zion Await," and the lovers jam "Run Come Love Me," previously featured on Hammond's compilation Harmony House of Hits Volume 2.  Now, that's the way to start an album!  The rhythm is thrown off a bit with the overly gospel "Hail to the King," but picks up again with the lovers tune "Trust Me" and the wrenching title track.  While the remainder of the album isn't quite as classic as the first 9 or so cuts, Jah Cure manages to throw in a several more nice tunes, headed by "How Can I," "Dung in Deh," and "The Love of My Life" (there's a bit more of a lovers vibe on Ghetto Life than on Free Jah's Cure).  Let's hope that his personal trials won't derail Jah Cure's life's work, ensuring that we'll be treated to many more great works to come from this rare talent.

True Reflections...A New Beginning (VP, 2007)

One could argue that Jah Cure's eight-year stint in jail, justified or not, actually helped his career in terms of the martyr-like attention he received. Of course, sympathy alone doesn't account for the depth of his fan base and the length of time they've devoted to his music. If he was just a hack who was wrongly convicted, he wouldn't still be scoring hits like he's done. That said, it's gotta be more than a coincidence that his newest album was released only a couple of days after his release from prison -- timing that implies that "the powers that be" in his camp are well aware of the attention that his incarceration has generated. If True Reflections reveals anything, it's that Jah Cure's jail time has not diminished his talent, nor has it seemingly impeded release schedule very much. All of these tunes, of course, were recorded while he was behind bars, and most have been released as singles over the past two years. In fact, at least 11 of the 15 tracks are readily available on albums released since 2005, including: Biggest Reggae One-Drop Anthems 2005 and 2006, Reggae Gold 2005, Reggae Hits 35, Strictly the Best 36, Toe 2 Toe, Riddim Driven: Lion Paw, and Rackaz. It's nice to have all of the singles on one album, but chances are good many of these songs will already sound old to Jah Cure fans. Their familiarity doesn't detract from their quality, though; hits like "Dem Nuh Build Great Man," "Longing For," "What Will It Take," and "Love Is" still resonate with emotional depth. Unfortunately, four songs are lassoed from the dull Richie Spice collaboration Toe 2 Toe -- "Jamaica," "The Sound," Most High Cup Full," and "Share the Love" -- dragging down the album's second half. Overall, the messages delivered on True Reflections don't reflect the bitterness you'd expect from someone jailed for so long. Love songs abound, and the easygoing lovers rock sensibility of tracks like "To Your Arms of Love," "Searching for a Girl," and "Same Way" dominates. It'll be interesting to see how freedom impacts Jah Cure's material and his career, but for now, he seems to be headed in the right direction.

The Universal Cure (Sobe, 2008)

The first album of material recorded since his release from prison in 2007 finds Jah Cure picking up where he left off -- crooning tender love songs as emotionally as he does righteous statements of his Rastafarian faith. The lead track, "Sticky" (featured on Reggae Gold 2007), epitomizes his ability to deliver pious sentiments with a lover's touch -- which makes the follow-up hip-hop tune "Hot Long Time," featuring Jr. Reid and rapper Flo Rida, such a jarring experience. It's not bad, though; it's an envigorating jam, but it may as well be just a Jr. Reid tune, the other two add so little. After that sidebar, Cure settles into his usual relaxed mode -- perhaps a bit too relaxed, however. The Universal Cure is disarmingly ballad-centric, most of them undestandably introspective tunes in which he takes stock of his life and recent stint in jail ("Reflections" declares, "I swear I can be a better man."). Some of the slow jams, like "Reflections" and "Soon Come," are poignant and evocative, while others, like "My Life" and "U Believe in Me," plod along at a cloying pace. "Freedom" is OK but threatens to drown under the weight of its overwrought rock edge. Not to worry, though; the primary sound of The Universal Cure remains smooth 'n easy roots reggae. "Sufferation," "Journey" and the old-fashioned guitar one-drop riddim of "Mr. Jailer" all shine, as does his rendition of "Burning & Looting," one of the best Bob Marley covers I've heard in a while -- primarily because it's not slavishly obedient to the original. Jah Cure fans should eat up this album, but the lack of edge could put off some listeners-- only "Hot Long Time" and the ganja anthem "Green Grass" have any sort of pace. Plus, Cure puts so much into every song; everything is such an an over-the-top, emotional experience that you begin to get numb to the impassioned wailing after a while. It's hard to criticize an artist for getting so deep into his craft, though.