Critiques CD: Jojoe | Magnum Opus

Jamaican-born Montreal singer Jojoe’s Magnum Opus is classic reggae. Tightly and expertly played, it’s almost too tightly wound at times and thin production does Jojoe and the band a bit of a disservice. On “Just Another Day,” Jojoe disconcertingly breaks into disco with Ardesco delivering the diva while he raps – giving me flashbacks to reggae’s early commercial crossovers. In fact, the attempted gloss gets in the way of potentially great tracks like “O.A.U.,” which would have benefited from a grittier, bassier, more studio-oriented production style. With 19 songs, Magnum Opus hasn’t shaken off a bar band style that’s usually better live than recorded.