Album Review: “Breaking News”, Clinton Fearon's new album is a must-listen for Reggae fans everywhere

Photo courtesy of Clinton Fearon.

There are music artists; those with a vision and message for the sound they want to communicate to the world, and there are musicians; those who are experts in the theory and technical knowledge of creating and performing music. Then there are those like Clinton Fearon, who is the talented embodiment of both. 

Fearon is a legend of reggae music who began his prolific career in the late 60s, first as a member of The Gladiators, and eventually transitioning to performing and releasing music as a solo artist. He also has been brought in on countless records as a session musician, becoming known as one of the best bass players in the genre. For his newest album "Breaking News", released on June 3rd, 2022, Clinton traveled to France to record and work with a group of talented musicians to create a record that he deems as one of, if not his best. 

What sets Clinton apart from many singers and music artists is his ability to hear all of the musical pieces and arrangements in his head, and then accurately communicate these ideas to the session musicians. Being able to quarterback the recording process and work with the team, musician to musician, is apparent in every song on "Breaking News", with all of the instruments and harmonies working together beautifully to create wonderful tracks that compliment Fearon's voice and lyricism perfectly. For any true fan of Reggae music this album is a must-listen. 

The first song on Clinton's new release is the title track "Breaking News". Fearon comments on the massive influx of negative news we are inundated with on a daily basis, and our need to face this with love and kindness. The bass, drums, and keys all sit perfectly together, giving space for the additional percussion and guitar riffs to sweeten the track. Clinton's vocal riffing towards the end of the song has a very live feel and helps the song simultaneously sound like a radio single and a local performance. 

Following "Breaking News" is the song "Don't Dump It", a call to action against pollution and needless waste that is slowly destroying nature and our planet as a whole. Clinton's expertise as a song creator comes through on this track. The lyrics are very direct, and in the hands of an artist with less experience would likely come off as too on the nose. The choice of pairing these lyrics with very upbeat instrumentation and happy vocal melodies gives them more power and meaning, and the song becomes an incredible anthem for the respect of Earth and its nature. 

The next song we really want to highlight is "Have Some Fun", a track that is the feel good jam we didn't know we needed and are so glad exists. The lyrics bring a smile to our face, and every instrument plays its own happy melody. Even the drum patterns are light and whimsical. Who doesn't want to have some fun? This life can get heavy, especially in times like these, so we are grateful for people like Clinton to remind us to enjoy ourselves and the life we are given.

Fearon's message of hope, love, and gratitude rings true on "I Am Thankful". Excellent arrangement choices, chord progressions, and musical performances run throughout the entirety of "I Am Thankful". The guitar parts and tones are especially beautiful, and give the reggae riddim a texture that is both jazzy and islandy. It's easy to focus on the things that go wrong and feel cynical; however, there is a lot of good in the world, and often the bad is what shapes us and brings us together. This track does an amazing job of seeing the world through the perspective of thankfulness, and it is perhaps our favorite song on the album.

We've been looking forward to "Breaking News" for quite some time, and are big fans of Clinton. To hear more of his story and inspiration check out our Artist Profile.

For info on tour dates and future releases go to www.clintonfearon.com

By Chris Lawrie.