Don Hartley – Word You Speak – Review
Don Hartley Word You Speak Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com.
Veteran Roots artist Don Hartley has been a staple on the conscious Reggae scene for over three decades. Now, he’s back with another superb release – following on from his recent EP Song Of Creation and also cuts reviewed here on Pauzeradio: The Third Day and Black Moses.
Word You Speak, released via Don Hartley Music and mixed and mastered by Mighty Drop Productions in Portugal, sees Hartley at his very best: discussing his faith and how it interacts with his everyday life across a classic Roots cut – but with a delicious touch or two. The arrangement by Hartley and production comes from his fellow musician and Twelve Tribe brother, Elston Benji, the track is classic in its composition.
It is swaying, swaggering Roots that meanders at a thoughtful pace across a brooding minor key which sets the tone for the entire track. Across Word You Speak, there are rudimental Roots staples in play. Benji’s keys run a choppy bubble rhythm in the mid-range of their register which rarely deviate from it – except for the lead into the bridge, where they run off on a solo tangent. Pedro Queiroz performs an incessant bass line that runs up and down a riff, low down its register and with a resonant sound – albeit without dropping a beat, unusual for Roots. His drums also are traditional, running a one drop where the first beat of the bar feels like a sharp intake of breath thanks to the snare and kicks emphasis on beats two and four.
Also present is an electric organ which runs across the track with some heavily vibrato’d chords that are shrill and somewhat startling. Benji’s guitar skanks in the background, while additional drums patter in and out. However, also central to Word You Speak is Benji’s flute line. Serving as almost a secondary vocal, he has woven a pleasing and expressive line across the track, showing his skill in woodwind performance. What has also been done so well is the build up to the bridge – where some of the instrumentation strips away and the keys go off-message (dropping the bubble rhythm). This works so well because at this point, Word You Speak changes style slightly – as Benji’s acoustic guitar comes in and performs a solo bridge with style and panache. It’s a clever and well-thought-out arrangement that should be credited.
Hartley is his usual expressive self – providing a solid vocal line, high up his register and with interesting attention to detail in terms of the melodic and rhythmic arrangement. He has a nasally tone to his voice, which suits Roots well and here delivers urgency to the lyrics. There’s some nice improv work too, seeing Hartley perform some decent riffs and runs. Lyrically, he told Pauzeradio that:
“Inspired by Matthew 15:11, this Roots Reggae anthem delivers a powerful message: it’s not what goes into your mouth but what comes out that defiles you. The song challenges us to guard our hearts and thoughts to speak life”.
Overall Word You Speak is a pleasing and extremely well-executed offering from Benji and Hartley. Expertly composed and arranged, and Hartley’s vocal and lyrics finish off the track well.
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Don Hartley Word You Speak Review by Mr Topple / Pauzeradio PR Services.
