Rocker T - Hold On Strong (Zionway Records)
review by Ras James
rating: 9/10

"Hold On Strong" is the new album from bay area based reggae favorite Rocker T. Making his return a little over a year after the release of his PSM Recordings, Hold On Strong starts out with the title track, which really comes off as one of those songs you can listen to and say "This is an anthem". I first heard this tune at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, and I knew then that it's a solid tune that you can find yourself singing along with the chorus too (ed. note, nobody wants to hear me singing along with anything!).

The next track is is "Backbiters", another tune I first heard at Sierra Nevada. This one is a hard hitting dancehall track, and what can I say except there's gotta be something in the air in Colorado, cause Zionway makes some crucial riddims. "Woe be unto the backbiters" is the message of the song, while still mentioning that "Praises be to Almighty God because. Jah is the Ruler in Zion". The next track on the album is "Jah Is Amazing", which starts off with smooth guitar and nyahbinghi drumming, before going into another Zionway dancehall track, with T singing the chorus and deejaying the verses. One thing I've always liked about Rocker T, is he's versatile enough of an artist to where He can sing flawlessly, rap, and play the instruments in one song at the same time.

"I'm Gonna" is a keyboard laced track, saying that no matter what they say, T will continue to do his thing. "Tune Haffi Dem" starts off with Rocker hitting the high notes over a relaxed guitar, and going into his signature delivery over a relaxed digi riddim. "As the Hour Pass" is a steppers style track warning that everyone has to work to change their ways before everyone's out of time. "Fiyah" features T burning fiyah on racism, facism, and other social ills, while forwarding Liberty, living together in peace, and other positive aspects of life.

"Youth Pon the Street" is a tune with Nyahbinghi drumming throughout the track, with T giving a little story/lyrical tour of his old hometown, NYC. "Who Will Be My Guide" is a call of thanks to Jah for always being the guide. I love the little piano groove going on throughout this track.

Track 10 "Babylon Need Love" is a duet with Zionway's Jus Goodie, another steppers track with Goodie and T teaching that what babylon needs above all it's wicknedness is Love. "Could Have Been Gone" is a straight up hip-hop track, with T reminicing about his life, thanking Jah for still being alive. This is a really heavy track that you can both blast out of your car with the bass way up, while also seriously thinking. the next song is a remix of "Hold on Strong", that starts off like the normal track, before wheeling out with a new beat, the lyrics changed around in order a bit, and another one of the beats you can really blast around town. the last track on the album is "Nyah Matta Dub" which is a relaxed dub track, with T's signature Melodica leading the track.

Overall, this is an excellent album. My only complaint, which isn't even really a complaint per se, but more of my personal musical prefrence, is that i'd love to see more live instrumentation. However, Zionway does an excellent job with the digital riddims, and T really knows how to ride the riddim, so no complaint on that. This album is a definite buy, and was a great album to listen to for the end of 2004. Hopefully 2005 will bring big things musicall for Rocker T and the entire Zionway crew. So overall, this album gets a 9/10, as well as being a recommended purchase.

by,

Ras James