Title
Artist
Label
Format
Date

 Crucial Times
Sizzla
Greensleeves
CD
January 30, 2010

Sizzla - Crucial Times Track list
  1. Precious Gift
  2. Crucial Time
  3. Take A Stand
  4. Agriculture And Education
  5. Charming
  6. Jolly Good Time
  7. Rat Race
  8. There's No Pain
  9. Sufferation & Poverty
  10. Foundation
  11. Atta Clap
  12. Progress
  13. Get Rid Ah Dem
Rate this album!
Cast your vote below.
Essential -Votes: 13-
Very Good -Votes: 16-
Good -Votes: 8-
Average -Votes: 3-
Disappointing -Votes: 0-
A Waste Of Time -Votes: 0-

Total votes : 40
Rating : from 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor)
Vocals : 4/5 Backing : 4/5 Production : 4 Sound quality : 5 Sleeve : 4
Sizzla's brand new album "Crucial Times", is compiled from sessions throughout his 15 plus year association with producer Homer Harris. The latter is the owner of the 'Jamstyle' label and was actually the man who first worked with then fifteen year old Miguel Collins, at that time known as Little One. Sizzla approached Homer Harris when he was running training sessions in Grove Road, Kingston 10 for upcoming talent, and managed to impress him with his precociously deep lyrical content and verbal attack. The rest is, as they say, history.

Eight of the tracks featured on this album are taken from the early recording sessions Sizzla did with Homer Harris. Actually one of the tracks included here, "Foundation", was Sizzla's very first recording. Also included is the killer tune"Crucial Time", which became a massive hit in 2008. Furthermore this set includes "There's No Pain", a tune that originally appeared as "No Pain" on the 2001 "Black History" album which was released on Sizzla's own 'Kalonji' label. In particular the first four tracks of this album -- the strong single "Precious Gift", the already mentioned "Crucial Times", the excellent "Take A Stand", and "Agriculture And Education" -- along with the awesome "Rat Race", the wonderful "There's No Pain", the fiery "Progress", and the solid "Get Rid Ah Dem", sound very familiar and will certainly please his early fans. The other efforts included here range from the R&B inflected "Charming" to the disco funk of "Jolly Good Time" and the drum&bass sound of "Sufferation & Poverty".

"Crucial Times" isn't a Sizzla album to rave about, therefore it lacks balance and consistency. However neglecting it would be a real mistake, because there are enough above par tracks around to make this set worth checking out.