Rankin Scroo - Godfada

Bay area resident and veteran performer Rankin Scroo describes his music both as urban reggae and “Jawaiian” for its exotic blend of cultural elements from the islands of Jamaica and Hawaii. Whatever classification is used, the songs on Godfada possess a definite spirit and life, capturing the worldview of an artist whose art has benefited from exposure to a variety of sounds and peoples. With the aid of collaborator and co-executive producer Ginger, Rankin Scroo has created an album marked by silky, laid-back vocals, propulsive bass and an abundance of percussive beats. Just as the songs on Godfada draw their inspiration from a variety of cultural and musical sources, they prove adaptable to a diversity of settings and musical tastes. The album’s best moments, tracks like “Bad Treatment”, “I Want You So” and “Strong”, marry an appropriately serious handling of personally affecting lyrical topics with a smooth and lively sound. These songs make it puzzling to note that just as many moments seem to be marred by overzealousness, either lyrically or musically. For example, “Wyle Syde” and “California Gangster” contain unnecessary lyrical bravado while “Vengeance” suffers from equally bombastic guitar riffs and chorus vocals. There is much that fans of reggae and hip-hop should find to like about Godfada and Rankin Scroo is certainly an artist to take note of. Those without deep affinity for such genres are unlikely, however, to be won over by this album. [www.rankinscroo.com]