Brymo’s second release,
“Merchants, Dealers & Slaves” was a triumph for what afro beat was originally
intended to be. And now there is Tabula Rasa, which I believe is much more than
what has become expected of today's African albums. It is in infusion of afro
beat, jazz, and RnB. After listening to yet
another masterpiece by Brymo, I came to a conclusion that he can be counted
among the true vocalists of our time. Writing this review has been somewhat
difficult because he happens to be my favorite Nigerian artist, so I will try
not to come off as biased as possible.
From the opening "Back
To Love," you realize how Brymo is going to take you into a view of his
life with no pressures from a corporate producer interfering with the honesty.
The albumn jumps into clever jumps of samples on "Fe Mi", which is a
song you listen to it and think “Yea, this is totally Brymo!” to give you a bit
for your palette to know what is yet to come.
One of the best songs on this album is track 9:
1 Pound. The instrumental arrangement is done well, making it a pleasing
listening experience.
Track 3 “Prick No Get Shoulder” is just as
sunny and bright as the title suggests. Brymo reminds us that the “just the tip
in” method does not work… at all. So, when you decide to have sex, be careful.
Another notable track is “Nothing’s Ever
Promised Tomorrow”, a feel-good song that anyone can vibe to. I love this track
because it is filled with strings and
brass interlaced with timeless beats and unforgettable lines.
I also found out that Tabula
Rasa is currently one of the top selling albums on iTunes Nigeria. Shocking? I
think not. With little to no publicity, I had to give lots of props to Brymo
for this album, especially after listening to track 7 “Alone”. I guess it’s not
so rare for an art singer like him to not only sing but also blow my mind away
with spoken words. I found myself snapping my fingers when he said these
soul-baring, life-defining words: “How
come I walk alone on a busy street, I see a pretty girl walk past on beautiful
feet. Just when I am about to speak, I realize we want one same different
thing. I pray, God, I want to be a man. It’s clear she wants a man, but I am not
clear if that’s the man that I am, so I act like I do not care, neither of us
nigh our hopes and dreams…” and then “I
gotta be alone, cause even when I am with you, I still feel alone…” and
then “Poetry, my only companion is why I
keep keeping on, none stopping, keeping on, rom dusk till dawn, on and on and
on.” There is a sadness surrounding this track and it happens to be one of
my favorite tracks. He truly poured his heart and soul out in this piece.
His songs may not focus as
much on partying, women, and drinking, but as times change so does music.
He is still having fun, whether singing a ballad, doing spoken words, or just
letting everyone know how much ass he kicks.
So, that’s the story, folks.
There’s much more to be told, but I think this is good enough. You will also
agree with me that Tabula Rasa is worth your time and your love. So, hopefully,
this helps you make a decision about getting the album … if you haven’t.
PS: Tabula Rasa means "Blank Slate" in latin. At first I thought it meant "The Gift", as shown on the album cover. Now I wonder if Brymo intended for this album to be a gift to us all. There was barely any publicity for this album release and I was really upset about that.
- @OluwaSparkle
