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Reality Check (VP, 1999) The trio LMS is comprised of siblings of Morgan Heritage who I assume are the 3 members of the original Morgan Heritage who dropped out around the same time the group got, well, good (Coincidence? It remains to be seen.). I'm not sure what the letters LMS stand for, but I'm tempted to say "Lesser MorganS," since: 1) they are somewhat slimmer than their other brothers and sisters, and 2) they are somewhat less talented than their brothers and sisters. Containing one male singer, one female singer, and one male DJ, LMS has a positive rootsy dancehall sound similar to Morgan Heritage, with a harder edge due largely to the DJ. The singing is OK, but not as strong as Morgan Heritage's. It's the DJ (whatever his name is) who both makes and breaks Reality Check. He provides lead vocals in a competent, Sizzla-like manner on the 3 best tracks -- "Wicked Manslaughter," "Selassie on My Mind," and "Royal Foundation" -- but he utterly ruins otherwise strong cuts like "Cease All Wars," "Shine & Glow," and "Wicked Man Clique" by rapping. I repeat, rapping, not chatting like a dancehall DJ, but rapping like a hip-hop rapper. I personally do not like rap in my reggae (or peanut butter in my chocolate), but it it is there, at least make it good. This guy is a piss-poor MC, and as such, he should stick to DJing (What were they thinking? Talk about needing a reality check.). He raps on other songs like the jazzy, hip-hop reggae tune "Think Twice," but that is such an annoying song anyway, he doesn't ruin it. Morgan Heritage guests on "Think Twice" and "Saddle Up," but these cuts are underwhelming and cannot save this sinking ship. Even without the rapping, weak tracks like the sappy pop ballad "Girl From Kingston Town" and "Dance" -- which utilizes the overrated rhythm from Beres Hammond's "Can You Play Some More" -- make this album so limp that decent tunes like "Here We Come" and "Trod On" can't support it. |
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