| Many reggae music historians feel that the rocksteady period of Jamaican music only lasted for a brief period of time from the years 1966 to about 1968. Clearly, they have not been in tune with what the legendary rocksteady duo of Keith & Tex have been up to in this modern era of reggae music. Since reuniting in the late 1990's, Keith & Tex have released five albums of original material grounded in the solid foundation of the sound called rocksteady, with their newest album, `Gun Life', being number six, following that same traditional path. This album, the third with Toni Face' Liquidator label, shows the level of partnership between Artist, Producer, and Label, and the level of excellence consistent with their relationship. During this reformation and reconnection of these longtime childhood friends from Kingston, Jamaica, Keith & Tex have traveled the globe thrilling audiences in the US, Mexico, South America, Japan and across the European continent with their version of modern rocksteady. Their performances are full of mega hits of the 1960's like 'Stop That Train,' `Tonight', 'Don't Look Back,' and 'Down The Street,' as well as the new songs they have penned, embrace timeless themes that always play well to audiences young and old. One minute the songs of Keith & Tex have people skanking hard to messages of love, life and good times. Then the next minute their melodious harmonies have listeners thinking and reasoning about life in these current times. Without missing a beat, `Gun Life' proves to be another album that provides all of the things fans come to know and expect from the duo along with the pleasant inexplicable novelty enthusiasts crave. `Gun Life' is another collaboration with the highly regarded and proficient producer from Spain, Roberto Sanchez, and his Lone Ark Riddim Force. The band backs Keith & Tex with authentic, bubbly, driving rocksteady riddims freshly created for this project. The music carries the gamut of universal topics of life such as the trials and tribulations of love with songs like 'She's Gone' and 'Gave You My Heart.' The track 'Give Me One Reason,' where Babylon has taken the resources of Africa under false pretenses -- 'Give me one good reason to trust you...the good book in one hand and a weapon in the other'-- is an example of a song that gives a common theme a new twist. The album also includes songs that allude to current issues such as 'Everyone Has The Right,' 'Gun Life,' 'For A Better Life,' and 'On The Streets.' The Marvin-Gaye-Inner-City-Blues vibe intertwined with a classic Aggrovators riddim sample of Johnny Clarke's 'None Shall Escape the Judgment' creates the unique musical ambiance for 'On The Streets' that adds interest to the album. Moreover, the album's title track, 'Gun Life,' confirms what everyone knows all too well here in the western world--that guns have taken over the inner cities and towns, destroying lives every day. Keith & Tex state logic that is the simple solution when they sing, 'Remember when guns were not around, there could never be a showdown...gwaan go put down yuh gun and mek we have some fun!' But it is songs like 'One More Dance', complete with its quirky false start, and 'Country Living' stating, 'Let's raise a glass to this way of life where love and kindness conquers all strife!' that remind the world why Keith & Tex are the rocksteady feel-good kings. Not many artists in any genre of music can say that they have stayed together as friends and bandmates for over 50 years like Keith & Tex, not to mention stayed true to their rocksteady roots. And they are not finished yet. As Keith & Tex stated in a recent interview, 'The thing is that there is so much more music left in us. There's life experiences to write about. We have a lot more lyrics to write. Experiences allow you to draw from different things to put into a song.' With attitudes like that, the sound of rocksteady is in good hands with Keith & Tex. Jerry O'Brien aka 'Selecta Jerry' (Sounds Of The Caribbean Podcast New Jersey, USA). |
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