It doesn't take much to make the reviewer happy; a bass-heavy, but still dynamic mix with drums from the Sledgehammer brand is enough - i.e. drums that you can not only hear, but above all feel... Drums of the powerful kind, affectionately called "skull splitters". Then a few more Dub- Effects in addition - that's really all you need for that little happiness, the ear orgasm.
Jah Myhrakle's "Who Keeps The Seals? Dub(Gold Den Arkc Recordz). So give the album five stars and you're done. Thank you for the conversation!
No way - I like to dig out the acoustic magnifying glass and take a look behind the scenes; such a classic Dub doesn't suddenly appear out of nowhere. This also applies to Jah Myhrakle, on whose vocal album "He Who Keeps The Seals' the one to be discussed Dub-Release based.
Mr. Myhrakle himself likes to use funny spellings and puts out one album after the other - all with more or less beautiful cover artwork. He prays down his sometimes difficult to understand, probably profound texts mercilessly and emotionlessly, come what may. If you now feel reminded of Vaughn Benjamin aka Akae Beka, you are right: we are dealing with a clone here. Or with a cross between Akae Beka and Jah Rubal - that's probably the best way to describe it. And the same applies there as there: Less would have been more, because maximum output is not synonymous with maximum quality.
Back to Dub, back to Who Keeps The Seals Dub“. As stated above, the dynamic acoustics are delightful; the Dub Effects are well done, even if they are mostly placed pointlessly. If you go a little deeper and pick apart the structures of the tracks, you unfortunately can't get past the irrelevant, uninspired basslines - a big shortcoming in the Dub-Universe where the true hooks are mostly found in the basslines. Taking all the pros and cons into account, the bottom line is - despite the mediocre source material - an album with hammer dynamics: by no means bad, but 5-star material must be able to offer more.
24 Responses to “Jah Myhrakle: Who Keeps The Seals Dub"
That me the review of Ras Vorbei speaks more from the heart, I guess I don't have to explain gtk.
I haven't delved into Jah Myhrakle nearly as much as you have. I only "know" him since this one Dubalbum and was / am very enthusiastic about the tune "Key Kode" with Bigga Haitian. For this reason, my phrase - great artist - was maybe a bit overzealous, or it could not be an informed judgment of me. If it is similar ( structurally identical ) to Vaughn Benjamin, I would probably have problems enjoying the music as a whole over long stretches, since I consider too much text to be a lack of ability to express oneself "lyrically - musically". In other words, good songwriting doesn't need that much lyrics. Anyone who wants text should read a book, go to the theater or read poems. That's just my perception and my feeling about the "thing". Reality is always in the eye of the beholder (unless I'm wrong). But even if Vaughn Benjamin, like since Sizzla, just like Capleton and actually Antony B and many others, has talked so much "in between", you still find a real big tune with every single one, the then perhaps even despite a lot of "babble" (out of respect I should probably write "text" after all) really well "hit in". And that's probably how it is with Jah Myhrakle. Maybe his album "He who keeps the seals" is just as positive a slip as Sizzla's "Da Real Thing". One of max. 5 albums that I listen to at all from what feels like 50 “negative slips”.
Whether here in the DubI really can't judge if "meaninglessly placed effects" really exist. I guess I'm not really an expert on that. There are a lot of effects that annoy me too and therefore don't make sense to me, but for me that's more due to the type and sound of the effect than to the space and time of its placement. After all, you concede in your review that the DubEffects are well done and hence our "differences" in perception of this Dubalbums are not completely contrary. Or was there something else …………… ?
Yes, exactly ! The uninspired, even "inconsequential" basslines. No one understands it better than I do when the BassLines, so to speak ( so to speak ), miss the mark. I'd love to argue about that, but I don't think it really makes any sense, since BassLines seem to be perceived and felt very individually. I don't think there is a reggae connoisseur anywhere in the world who would claim that the “Cuss Cuss” or the “Stalag” or ….. or or …. could not be good in any form, but apart from that you have to allow everyone their individual feelings, I've realized in the meantime.
Nevertheless, I always find it very fascinating that even a simple bass line - such as "East Of The River Nile" (which I could play immediately without bass knowledge) conveys much more magic than any bass line, no matter how virtuosic, from a university graduate with a focus on bass and a special fondness for jazz. Mind you, this is also primarily my perception and does not have to be a fact for anyone else, except for me.
And so I come to the contrary realization that the BassLines have at least the necessary magic here in the context of the whole tune, me into Dubto send Nirvana. Also with Midnight the bassist was and is – for me – THE MAN !!!
Basically, I think this sentence is 100% correct:
"Less would have been more, because maximum output is not synonymous with maximum quality."
It's better to have one good album a year than 10 bad ones in a month. However, it's also ok if you manage to always have a good one with "50" bad albums a year, because then the ( my ) bill will add up again at the end of the year.
Otherwise, the stars here are not assigned according to a specific scheme. I think that's often a gut decision and for me, for example, it "tingled in my navel" just as well as with Ras Vorbei and, as you can read, some others too.
Greetings ………………… lemmi
The great art of reggae and thus also of Dubt is the simplicity, see the simplest bass lines with a pleasant head-nod potential - almost 100% made in Jamaica. See the riddims you mentioned. Something like that is rare these days, unfortunately. Nowadays you have to turn over a lot of empty stones to find a (semi-)precious stone.
The awarding of a star is definitely not a gut decision, the reviewer has to work out that with considerable effort (at least that's how I do it). Of course, your own personal approach serves as a basis. That's the exciting thing about reading reviews here, I think.
Only 1 good thing with 50 albums a year? Then 49 were for naught ;-))))
……. for the cat or just for the duncehall. Ex and hop…. the next ro(o)ts riddim please. The casio is still running ….
The star rating may carry more weight than I feel, but that's not the most exciting thing about a review for me. For me, the background information about the musicians involved and any known anecdotes and stories that were found about the album, the producer and the musicians are the icing on the cake.
I don't think the stars are given in the riddim at all, if I'm not mistaken. Or I've never paid attention to that.
But that doesn't mean that I can do without it completely. I think it is a good summary of the reviewer's impression of his critical analysis. It doesn't matter whether it's in your head or in your stomach.
But you, the reviewers, have to make up your own mind about that, I don't want to get caught up in that. Or is it already too late for that?
In any case, as a commentator, I like to claim the right ( I don't even know if I have the right to do so, but it doesn't matter ) to "babble" from the gut. I like it very much here in Dubblog and (like before) in every other reggae forum to really kick ass with my enthusiasm for reggae. If not here, then where?
Cheers ………………. lemmi
Ultimately, the star rating only reflects the subjective point of view of the reviewers. The number of stars is not a seal of approval... not a "dubblog approved" :-)))
Four and a half stars for Echobeach's Bowie crap and three and a half here. Honestly guys, I'm throwing myself out and I'm out. One should understand that!
Hey Mark,
different reviewers, different points of view, different star awards. Try this review: https://dubblog.de/jah-myhrakle-who-keeps-the-seals-dub/
Hey GTK,
Thanks for your answer!
Perhaps you can explain to us readers where you get the knowledge that Jah Myhracle prays the lyrics down "mercilessly and without emotion". Don't you think that when he was writing the lyrics he already had emotions about the themes of the songs? Otherwise he would certainly not have written them.
Where are the Dub-Effects mostly pointlessly placed?
Then you hear "inconsequential, uninspired basslines". Could you give a few examples for better understanding?
Thank you very much, I am curious and look forward to your answer.
Hey Mark,
yes, it will be true that Jah Myhracle was thinking and feeling something while writing it. Whether he can convey it is a completely different question. He didn't make it for me.
The Dub-Effects run through the whole album, as well as the basslines. You probably see all this subjectively differently than I do, who also only have a subjective point of view to offer.
The only thing that matters to me is that the readers deal with the albums discussed (more intensively) through my reviews – regardless of whether they are received positively or negatively. Maybe out of indignation, maybe because of the star rating, maybe out of excitement. "Hook, line & sinker", as Bunny Wailer put it, on behalf of the Dub.
Thanks GTK,
Unfortunately, your answer was actually a bit thin. I also hear that the Dub-Weave effects throughout the album, but where exactly are they pointlessly placed? I would like to be able to understand and hear that too! Could you please explain that with a few examples?
Hey Mark,
You want to know exactly - but your own opinion should be the only right one... and not mine!
Meaningless is when the whole *duh* doesn't make any sense - like when there's no arc of suspense, no story, no climax, or when the vocal snippets just don't make sense. Even if the same effects can be found on all tracks and there are no longer any differences between them (even though the basslines don't have any hooks anyway).
I don't want to give you any factual help here, you either hear it or you don't - and if you don't hear it, so much the better for you - then you've probably found a new musical favorite. And I congratulate you!
Good Morning all. Sorry GTK for interfering with your conversation with Mark. Mark seems to have given up. Are you serious, why would Mark insist on his opinion? That is what characterizes thinking people in particular, that they also question the meaning of other opinions and try to understand them. If he stubbornly stuck to his opinion, he would be a narrow-minded blockhead. As I understand it, you should only briefly show an example, eg at track XY at 4:20, that there the Dub or the bass sounds uninspired. Answering the question seems to be more difficult than expected. GTK, I would like to emphasize one thing in general, even if only one asks, at least two thirds did not understand it - including me.
Hey Alex - all good, the comments are there for the discourse.
Yes, of course I mean it that way, because whether you find an album good or bad is subject to subjective perception. That means: If someone likes the album, unlike me, then they should be happy... because their positive opinion about the album counts, and not my negative opinion. I don't want to influence anyone - at best everyone should deal with the album themselves and form their own opinion. My review doesn't say anything else than there's a new album and that's my subjective opinion about it... it's sort of a guide. *groan* :-) Could I make that clearer now?
bass & Dub are imo consistently not even that good :-) Listen more closely, maybe you feel the same way as I do or just differently. I don't judge the album, nor do I have the ultimate opinion about it, nor do I try to influence someone's consumption behavior with intentionally good/bad ratings. After all, I'm just one Dubheads :-)
Then let's leave it that way, then everyone can form their own opinion. In my eyes, this is just tweaking, not facts that could help us better understand your review. All that remains for me is the impression of nagging at a high level.
It's a shame... but that's the fate of the reviewer: in the case of positive reviews, Payola is assumed, in the case of negative reviews, nagging.
However… readers of my reviews know that, unlike my peers, I am not the least bit interested in facts. Who, how, when, where, etc. is rarely if ever mentioned in my dubfind blog posts; I'm only interested in the feeling conveyed by the artist or the acoustic impression and how this could be caused. It is not for nothing that this should be implicitly conveyed or questioned with the examples (videos).
Oh gtk, now I have to sacrifice my lunch break to answer you.
Right, now that you mention it. A few emotional words and a few moving pictures, that's it. A little more lighting of the overall context would not only please me much better. If that meets your requirements for your readership and a good record review, then all is well. The main thing is colorful like in the children's channel. That is my impression of your somewhat vague explanations, because unfortunately there was no specific answer to very specific questions.
I think it's inappropriate for you to play the victim role.
Hey Alex, I see your attempt to take the discourse to a personal level.
I'd be happy to say it again or reformulate it: If the review and the examples given aren't enough for you, or if you don't think they're justified, you can study the album long and hard and make your own judgment if you wish. If you also don't like the form of my contributions, you can take a look at the fine reviews of the dubblog colleagues delight. Ultimately, what I am writing here is an offer that you are welcome to accept, but you don't have to.
Very good Gerhard Thomas Kriz, your reaction is just overbearing and arrogant. You're good at handing things out, but dealing with criticism sensibly is probably not possible at all. You have a massive problem there – too bad. Because of discourse. Look under "About" in the blog, it's written there in black and white:
"That's why today we are much more concerned with the following four points:
1. Scouting: For you to find the pearls in the infinite stream of releases.
2. Background information: To give you information about the background of the music and its makers, because knowing about it changes your reception.
3rd comment: To give you our opinion on the albums - shamelessly subjective.
4. Discourse: Discussing the music with you. So let us know your thoughts, opinions, likes and dislikes in the comments. We love the exchange with you.”
If I'm not mistaken, Gerhard seems to have misunderstood something.
Guess I'll stick with Ras Vorbei here. Heard it today and found the sounds endlessly interesting and intrincate, even if not all of the basslines are really memorable. It's one of those rare cases where the overlapping aural activity compensates for an eventual lack of groove. Anyway, it's always interesting when we can read contrasting opinions from the dubblog reviewers. And, as usual, thanks for guidance, guys!!!
Oh Alex… let it go. Just don't read my reviews anymore.
Thanks for the tip Gerhard, I will do that in the future. Your writing is just cheap and impertinent. True to the motto: “Knowledge is power. Not knowing anything does not matter". Also, the term "self-reflection" seems alien to you. Who cares, with such smug answers?
Honestly Gerhard, I'm hugely disappointed in you!
Well, I'm a bit irritated by the overall rather rough tone of yours here, Alex. That's generally not what I want to read here. Personally, I don't agree with gtk on the above album either, but I still appreciate and respect his review... and I applaud lemmi's amusing and drinkable comments, which very often touch and inspire me (thanks lemmi!!!)...
Dear Alex, instead of dissing and/or (pardon my choice of words, but there is no other way) arrogantly belittling, please try to season the whole thing creatively and with your own valid arguments and/or facts, to refute or present it differently. Otherwise, I would ask you to leave the comments better, because I don't want to read anything like you came up with on this blog anymore (I know, a repetition), it makes me feel completely different and it's very emotional (unobjective) and uninteresting.
Better find another platform for your bad vibes!
blessings…
*Duh* is a slang term. It is used in everyday conversation and in popular culture to express disbelief, frustration, or sarcasm. When someone says *duh*, it's best to stay calm and just acknowledge the remark.
No, dear Philipp, you can be as confused as you like about my answers. Anyone who comes off as stupid to their commentators shouldn't be surprised if the other person steps on the gas and becomes clearer. I hate it when people are arrogant and condescending. Hence the rough tone, which by the way also always resonates with gtk Gerhard.
Of course, Philipp is allowed to make a wish, the best way is to ask Santa Claus, the Christ Child or the Easter Bunny. I will not and cannot fulfill your wish. Apparently you and the reviewer still don't understand what this is actually about. So once again: where are the meaningless ones Dubs to find or hear? Are there any "meaningless" Dub-Effects” or is that bullshit? I don't even talk about the basslines anymore. That can not be that hard. If the reviewer "likes to dig out the acoustic magnifying glass and take a look behind the scenes", then he knows the places where the "senseless Dub-Effects” can be heard. If he can't, then I conclude that it's all just meaningless babble of a pompous bully who likes to make other people stupid. The good, bad or whatever kind of criticism from gtk is, with all due respect, basically schietegoal to me. I asked him a plausible question that must be followed by a factual, concrete answer and not a request to stop reading his reviews. To this arrogant answer maak ik mien muul op un geev dat contra.
Dear Phillipp, how I write or argue, you leave that to me. You can now use a text analysis to evaluate more precisely who started the “dissing”. What is your role on the blog now, other than commenting like me? That's why I'm also arrogant about gtklike and write you freely after gtk: If you don't like my comments, then just don't read them anymore. You can smear your sarcastic Rasta band wagon “Blessings” in your hair or anywhere else, dear Philipp. I just don't feel like peace, joy, pancakes! See you soon... have the honor!
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