Make your soul feel good with Bobby Alu’s “Keep It Tropical”
Gold Coast, Australia native Bobby Alu is here to offer an assist in extending summer with his 5th studio long player, Keep It Tropical.
Setting things off in fine style, B.A. knew the assignment and nailed from the onset with the uptempo opener, Would It Feel Nice.
I absolutely love it when an artist goes for the gusto from the first note, and this man does that with a breezy, almost tranquilizing voice that just makes the soul feel good.
Piquing my interest for more, he ushers along the chill with a moderate skanker, on Pay Now or Pay Later.
Noticeable immediately on Keep It Tropical, is amazing musicianship where alongside the traditional sounds of reggae, he imparts the ukelele and slide guitar into his wheelhouse to great effect, particularly evident on the fourth track, Usually An Avalanche.
Not your first instrument of choice for most artists, Alu imparts them stunningly adding extra heft to his vocals. Luckily enough the DR conductors here don’t limit the music we review for you to JUST your typical offerings straight out of “yard”, but bring you artists both in the US and abroad, who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty and experiment a little with their sounds to give the fans the top shelf sounds we love and crave.
Alu dabbles in straight pop/rock with a little island vibe on the title track, and Floating and both totally work for me. I’m not always the biggest fan personally when it’s done, being a staunch traditionalist, but will bob my head happily when executed at a high level.
Please don’t get it twisted though, this is a reggae album. Pay Now or Pay Later, is as sweet as sugar cane offering a respectful nod to the I-Threes.
The appropriately titled rub-a-dub banger Sunsets (With You), an ode to being with the one you love watching the day slowly cede to night is just plain special, and lyrically satiating.
“Sit with me here and watch it till it’s gone There’s magic in the air, but not for too long. Every time is different and I know for sure, that it’s a lucky day, when I get to see more of you. I want to see the sunset with you”. Hallmark card-worthy sentiments like that make you both thankful you HAVE someone that special in your life, and appreciative of the simple things you can share with that someone.
Thirdly, Ready For Your Love, the next banger possesses that deep, slow whine bassline that is perfect for romance, and truly allows Alu to take his time and work his vocal magic.
Closing out the proceedings, with Take To Take Time Out and Far Away, B.A. flexes his Ukelele playing with little to no accompaniment, and serenades you right out of your flip-flops.
I truly never thought that an artist from the land down under would do such a number on my musical sensibilities as this brother did.
From an island vibe you wouldn’t think it possible, but Bobby Alu has joined my infinite, personal playlist and has prompted me to dig further in his catalog to further enlighten myself to his talent.
Listening to Keep It Tropical, I’m reminded of what the late great, R&B legend Frankie Beverly, who recently passed away, observed on one of his most iconic songs, “When the wind is soft and warm Ooh, it makes the flowers sway.
When the sun settles down and it takes a lovely form. That's the golden time of day”. Thank you both Bobby AND Frankie for creating memories, both brand new and old.
By Yankee Nupe
