Tarrus Riley - Love Situation (2014)

With his flawless tenor voice and sophisticated soulful pop roots sound, no one makes reggae quite like Tarrus Riley. But he and musical director Dean Fraser have taken care not to repeat themselves. Debut album Challenges stirred an eclectic blend of reggae and pop rock whereas critical and sales zenith Parables played up his cultural side. Third effort Contagious was a sprawling multi-producer ensemble that spanned the clever to the cloying, before the semi-unplugged Mecoustic stripped everything back for a still lavish mix of songs old and new.

Fifth outing Love Situation continues to step away from the glitz in tribute to reggae’s forebear – the rocksteady sounds of the mid-60s. Tarrus sailed close to this territory on Contagious when he recorded Young Heart over the Heptones Make Up To Break Up for London’s bygone rhythm revampers Peckings. Later he guested on his friend Konshens’ Rasta Impostor Remix which was an update of a Treasure Isle gem (Love Is A Treasure by Freddie McKay). Now he has taken the concept for a full set – co-produced by Fraser, Tarrus’ co-manager Shane C. Brown, Mitchum Khan Chin and Jordan McClure. It’s mixed by Brown and joint released by Canon, Jukeboxx productions, BMSG and Zojak Worldwide (who are acting as label rather than distributor for the first time).

Tracklist:

01. Intro - Love Situation
02. 123 I Love You
03. Lost For Words 'Speechless'
04. Welding Skit (taken From I-Roy Welding)
05. Burning Desire
06. A Lifetime Skit
07. Five Days feat. Big Youth & Mr. Cheeks
08. Cry No More feat. Dean Fraser
09. Dem A Watch 'Wanna See Us Break Up'
10. Cum Get Your Ish
11. One Drop (Remix)
12. Special Occasion feat. Whippa Demus
13. To The Limit (Remix) feat. Konshens
14. Thank You
15. Version Of Love 'My Story'
16. Sail Away 'Stepping Out' feat. U Roy
17. Food For Thought