Review: Vaughn Benjamin and Phillip
Merchant demonstrate their musical versatility on "The
Cipheraw". Recorded in St. Croix around the same time as "Seek Knowledge Before
Vengeance", The Cipheraw
features a different side of Midnite on the Glamorous Records
label.
The Cipheraw is laden with brutally thick
bass lines accentuating jazzy rhythms and horns. Vaughn Benjamin's
poignant lyrics are superimposed over these tempos in his own unique style. At times
his haunting voice on this album reverberates as if sung in a tube. Amazing!!!
Selections such as "Suffara",
"Check Yu Self", "Broke Man Dan" and "As Da
Ga" are among this writer's favorites. Given the intensity and depth of
what Vaughn has to say, lyrics should be included on all of his
recordings. This album has something different to offer each listener, and like all
of Midnite's music, The Cipheraw
seems to offer something different each time you listen to it.
The Cipheraw is currently only available directly from
St. Croix. Hopefully, someone will undertake to see that The Cipheraw gets the wide-spread distribution that it
merits.
Daniel - Ireggae |