Jahmings Maccow
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12/11/2007 5:37:53 PM
CD Reviewed By: Bob Ciampaglia
Current Issue: VOL. 3 - NO. 8 August 18th – September 17th, 2007
Jahmings Maccow
Los Angeles, California
Unsigned
www.rebelsproduction.com
Reggae/Rock
By: Bob Ciampaglia
I didn’t know what I was expecting when I started to listen to selected tracks by Jahmings Maccow. Not being seasoned in reggae, I was hoping to lend a good ear. Needless to say, this falls under the “pleasantly surprised” category.
Starting from the humble beginnings on the isle of Anguilla, Maccow showed talent at an early age for singing and poetry. He took that talent to New York and California where he was part of many reggae projects before his newest venture I am listening to here.
This well formed and tight trio consists of Jahmings Maccow on guitar and vocals, Cliff O’Donoghue on bass, and Robert Mansfield on keyboards. Each blending their sounds together like a smooth tropical drink that you can’t get enough of.
I had the pleasure of listening to three new tracks off the new disc, New Way. The first cut, the mandatory and political “Scamper Dread”, was mix of familiar reggae with rock guitar that I found to be a great combination of sounds. Try in your mind to blend Bob Marley’s words and vocals with the guitars of Carlos Santana or Clapton. This will give you a good idea of what I was listening to.
The title track is my favorite. “New Way” is about redemption and committing to find a new start. Maccow sings about “not really meaning to hurt you / not really meaning to desert you”. Sounds like a necessary hurt in order to step towards improvement and starting anew. The music mixes the smooth beats and melodies with ocean waves and sounds that make you think you’re in a Corona commercial.
The third track, “Leave this Town”, has a quirky sound that makes this track stand out. The rhythm of O’Donoghue’s bass really accents the song and gives more meaning to the music. The lyrics about wanting to move away due to being unwanted and unappreciated are basic and uncomplicated. But the lyrics are not the strength of this track. It’s a fun song to listen to.
Picking up this CD would be a great idea for reggae fans as well as rock fans. There are plenty of both to enjoy.
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