I-Octane - "Life Ain't Easy"

Where there is smoke, fire is sure to follow.

And where there is fire, Shotgun Willie is not far behind as he chases the trail of smoke left behind.

Country western is part of the American psyche. Obstinate to change, the music is highly melodic and the lyrics are far from uplifting. Just one look at his extensive canon and readers will find that the Red-headed stranger is no exception. Still, Willie Nelson is not the average country crooner. Despite a now advanced age, the man is still every bit an outlaw as well as a secretly smooth capitalist. The man, the myth, the legend is even considering opening a chain of marijuana dispensaries under the guise of "Willie's Reserve."

Suddenly, the connection between Jamaican music and the sound of the Appalachians is slightly less strained.

Shared last week on reggaeville, what follows is a new riddim set to be released in early April by Chimney Records called "Country Bus." The style is rootsy and the tempo is slow. Foregoing diverse instrumentation, the track's elegance comes in variation. Reverb washes over the guitar like black light on a poster; and the track is all the brighter for it. Harmony is provided by light synth in addition to backing vocals and adlibs. Rhythmically, the drums alter from verse to chorus; preferring snare and woodblock respectively

Although merely one selection from a field of fourteen cuts, the selection below comes on behalf of I-Octane. Titled "Life Ain't Easy,"  the clean vocals deliver social consciousness song. Laid out as Intro-Chorus-Verse-Pre chorus-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus-Outro the number is primed to be mixed in a club setting, although it does not take away from the song as a whole.



Notable Mention: Tarrus Riley - "Honesty"

For the sake of continuity, a song of Jamaican origin will receive second billing as well.

The similarities between the two numbers, however, are decidedly limited.

Yes, Tarrus Riley did cut a record using the "Country Bus Riddim," but what follows is much more elaborate. Titled, "Honesty," the subject matter is love rather than society. As such, the song below follows a traditional pop song structure. The instrumentation is much more diverse as well. Horns may only be heard during the introduction but plenty of synth and piano follow like a coughs after the still. But perhaps of greater interest is the hard rock guitar that appears in the bridge and outro. Digital claps are suddenly heard as a Hammond organ carries the harmony. Where rhythm is concerned, though, the track is far from static; tambourine assisting in syncopation.

But the real treat - nothing short of pleasurable - is listening to Riley's vibrato


- J.N.

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