LUCKY DUBE BRINGS HIS OTHER SIDE

The ‘King Of Afro Reggae’ Lucky Dube brings in more diversity in his new ten track offering ‘The Other Side’. From the cover design to flashy videos accompanying this set, and a surprise incorporation of kwasa kwasa (a tributary of Soukouss), the message man is back. But then he has never gone away. Since his early 80s departure from Mabanqa to Reggae due to audio contact with Peter Tosh, Dube has had a consistent career spurning over ten albums and affirming global popularity. Reggae as defined by Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals hit single ‘do the reggay’ was to do the regular thing .Several Reggae musicians stick to its one drop style through the years(do the regular).Lucky is one of these.

This album is clothed in his one-drop reggae style with echoes of the pan-pipe; drums, bass, keys and guitars inter mingling. Dube still features his female back up vocalists that are modelled on the I threes (Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt and Rita Marley) who formed Bob Marley’s choral section in the 70s. The advantage of the one-drop style is that it paves the way for a patient listening session where his thematic concerns are durably conceptualised. Sceptics often predicted a demise of the anti apartheid advocate with the demise of apartheid. Dube’s longevity has not only traversed this, it has also co-existed with new and departing genres in South African Popular music. He speaks with reggae as is in this album.

'The Other Side' CD cover

Number in the Book opens the album with a symbolic representation of a common African and Global problem of the last decade HIV/AIDS (Number in the book as a victim of the same).The pensive intro of both instrument and vocal depicts his acknowledgement of the crisis. The usual guitar riff with bass in a one-drop (reggae ballad) style allow for easy internalization of the message. The title track The Other Side is a case of false aspirations. It deals with the pains of longing for the unknown world with no appreciation for the known .He makes an analogy of two individuals who dream of a life abroad one always at the airport, the other constantly at the seaport wishing for a journey to the other side. Dube asserts ‘the grass is greener on the other side until you get there’. The lead guitar and the penny whistle are clear with the keyboard and drum fills. One strong point of Dube’s albums is he allows the instruments communicate with instrumental breaks.

His CDs are also an unplugged affair where live instrumentation dominates and so the stage performance is easily replicated with no hassle.

A celebration of life is in ‘Ding ding licky licky licky bong’. The soukouss intro melts into his usual reggae style capturing the joyous imagination of the audience. He offers a food for thought as to why tears don’t bring joy yet joy brings tears. Soukouss modulations interject mid way the song as Dube celebrates his new found ‘tear’ (of joy). ‘Joy thank you for another day’ is a worthwhile statement for a life full of stress.‘Cool down’ attempts a restoration of sanity to a relationship life full of doubt and physical absence of one partner.

In the calm appeal Dube suggests that it does not matter where I spend my other time. It all matters that I belong with you. From his earlier preoccupation with anti- apartheid themes that constructed his career, Dube has always managed to tackle the love theme well in past songs like ‘Remember me’.

With his young fan

The family link is a strong bond in African societies, however with global marginalization of specific identities, it is not uncommon to find disintegrated families in Africa.Dube deals with this condition lyrically. On Family Ties ,the vintage Lucky Dube rears its musical head with up-tempo reggae that has seen him turn stage performances into athletic events. A young female voice(possibly taking the place of a daughter) is conspicuous as he ponders the dislocation of family ties. ‘Do you know where your son is’? Another of the growing complexities of human relationships is the divorce that is cross-examined in ‘divorce party’. With the constant one-drop instrumental intro formula, Dube narrates an invitation to a divorce party to attend to what the partners called a freedom from each other after many years of living with each other.

‘Soldier’ brings an interesting edge to the CD. Starting with a chant in a call and response format and echoes of a militant march, the subject is clear from the outset ‘stand for the truth you stand alone’. Drum rolls form the intro clarifying a militant match and call for attention too. The guitars then bust into the trademark reggae vamps and then the verses and chorus reveal an outstanding dilemma of failing to justify one’s actions but rather pronouncing the influence of others. The manifestation of satire is in ‘Julie Julie’ where Dube takes a pick at superstition (the witch doctor scenario); in the regular one- drop reggae style he brings a punch of rock n’ roll vocalization that has had a tremendous impact on reggae music through the years.

On ‘The Bully’ acoustic density is recognizable with the bass undertones. Dube continues his comic narratives that add a lighthearted presentation to his recent albums. This time it is the ‘bully’ from Soweto who should be avoided. ‘If you can stay out of his way, he kills for fun’. The final track is ‘hero’ in which there is a transparent definition of the hero. According to Dube, if you are capable of causing satisfaction or a smile to those around you then you qualify as a hero. Of course Lucky Dube’s album is worth a smile. I have always considered Dube a veteran of African popular music and particularly an unsung hero of African Popular culture.