The Tuff Lions – Spirit

by Dec 2, 2017Artist, Reviews

The Tuff Lions - Spirit
Jahvie of The Tuff Lions

Release Info

Title: The Tuff Lions – Spirit

Label: Khanti Records | Format: CD–DR | Street date: November 10, 2017 | Website: The Tuff Lions

  1. New Day
  2. So Long
  3. Come To Fight
  4. Good Livity
  5. Wanted To Live
  6. My Lord
  7. Spirit
  8. Zion Way
  9. Woman Soul
  10. Still Alive
  11. Green Queen
  12. This World
France has a lively reggae scene with some real good roots reggae bands. One of those bands is The Tuff Lions from Toulouse, which was formed in 2011 and comprises of Jahvie (lead vocal/rythm guitar), K/ (lead guitar) Karigan (drums), Jo (bass), Filo (keyboards), and Tony Bongo (percussions). Although having different backgrounds and cultures as they come from the four corners of the world and represent various generations, these six musicians share the same love for music. The members of The Tuff Lions draw their inspiration from the big names of international reggae such as roots veterans Israel Vibration and The Gladiators, but also Stephen Marley, Midnite, Rootz Underground and Grammy-nominated Chronixx.

Three years after the release of the “Come To Fight EP”, The Tuff Lions present their first full length studio album entitled “Spirit”, which was recorded in Studio 809 and mixed at Fab Wize’s Wise Studio. Although being a French band, all lyrics are in English, which of course makes the themes they touch in their songs easy to understand for anyone outside France. This certainly is an advantage, but on the other hand by doing so their limited knowledge of the English vocabulary makes it almost impossible to write multilayered lyrics, something one expects when you hear the band playing outstanding full sounding roots reggae riddims.

“Come To Fight”, “Zion Way”, “Still Alive” and “My Lord” were all included on the 2014 released “Come To Fight EP” and are here supplemented with six brand new tracks. One of them is “New Day” across a Nyahbinghi driven riddim, which opens this set in fine style. It’s followed by the matching “So Long”, actually a nicely done rendition of the Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari’s anthem “So Long”, also known from versions done by Dennis Brown, Dillinger & Trinity, Ranking Super Star, and Culture. When it comes to the new tracks, “Green Queen” (not the obligatory ganja tune) is certainly one of the highpoints, with “Good Livity” and album closer “The World” not being far behind. Of the (refurbished) previously released offerings, it are the huge “Come To Fight” and the beautiful praising song “My Lord” that stand out.