Mind Control (by Stephen Marley, Reggae)

The daunting shadow of Stephen Marley's father might partially explain the fact that, although he's got loads of talent, this reggae artist is just now releasing his first solo album, MIND CONTROL, after more than two decades in the music business. Stephen Marley was a member of older brother Ziggy's Melody Makers band in the '80s, and has spent most of his career writing and producing for his brothers and a host of others. He's collaborated with the likes of The Roots, Erykah Badu, and the Fugees, and he produced the acclaimed 1999 Bob Marley tribute/mashup album, Chant Down Babylon. The songs lean toward the soulful side of reggae, but more than any of his brothers, Stephen recalls his father's voice and singing style.

Mind Control is a soulful, modern reggae album on which the songs generally fall into three categories. On tracks like "Mind Control" and "Chase Dem," we get bouncy protest music in the vein of Marley's father -- anti-establishment, but not in an overtly antagonistic way. Songs like "Iron Bars" (featuring Julian Marley, Mr. Cheeks, and Spragga Benz) and "The Traffic Jam" (featuring a lively beatbox and some fantastic vocal work from Damian) take on the police and drug laws. Marley also spends plenty of time talking about love and life, as in "Hey Baby" (featuring Mos Def). With a solid debut album years in the making, Stephen Marley has done his father proud.

Released on: March 20, 2007
Label: Tuff Gong
Genre: Reggae