Posted on: January 15, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Amerijah start off their “Project Won” with a track in “Dove Wing Rhythm” that has a lot of energy, but does not do anything with it in the nearly four minutes that the track has. If there was some more experimentation or a voice to break up the music during this track, the chance is that the band would come out as something more than more bouncy elevator music.

This general sound is continued during “Leads to Treasure Beach”, but the inclusion of Loxy Odessy is enough to breathe a new life into “Project Won”. Continuing the vocal assault with “Love Fada God”, the overall feeling is that Amerijah succeeds in many more ways with a set of vocals at the helm than when the band decides to set out on their own path. It is not only that there is a story telling aspect to the vocals on this disc, but rather that the vocals have a harmony and a musicianship present that gives Amerijah a fullness that simply is not present at any other point during the disc.

Throwing a number of different instruments into the mix for “Love Fada God”, this album improves on some of the only other reference points that I’ve had the chance to hear; this is dsimply not the same song twenty times as it tends to be with Shaggy. However, there are ties made with each track on “Project Won” that makes this album something that is a full entity, instead of a launching ground for singles and a hell of a lot of filler. The style of “Project Won” is predominately reggae, but there are other styles that peek their heads through on “Project Won”. This is evidenced with “Don’t Try To Hurt Her Love”, a track that uses the style specific to ska in the upstrumming of the guitar and throwing in a set of horns for listeners’ delight. Throw out the introductory track, and “Project Won” will be an album that will serve admirably in all of the CD players throughout the world, especially those in which a party is centering around. Try to find a copy of this album and pick it up; the music lends itself just as well to a party as it does for a good day at work or even just zoning out. Here’s to hoping that Amerijah comes out with more albums in the near future and that they can be heard by a larger subsection of society.

Top Tracks: Don’t Try To Hurt Her Love, Leads to Treasure Beach

Rating: 6.5/10

[JMcQ]

Amerijah – Project Won / 2005 Self / 16 Tracks / http://www.amerijah.com /

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