Champions

2001 has been a very good year for Square One. On the heels of their Missing Files CD comes
Champions - another blazing-hot recording from one of the most successful bands out of Barbados. The opening track is a bit too hip hop for my taste, but once we get past that the CD shifts into high gear. Starting with O'shaka Riley's Road March contender tune Wine Back, this CD is loaded with tons of high-grade soca, mixed with some steel pan and African music influences. Great lyrics and a variety of energetic rhythms from some of the hottest producers/arrangers out of the Caribbean, including Nichloas Brancker, Terry Arthur and Peter Coppin make this a must have CD.

Wine Back, probably the best tune on the CD, is sure to make you "put your bumper in reverse and wine back your bumper baby wine back oh yeah." Cecil O'shaka Riley shines here and again on Fishing Rod - a tune that is sure to hook you. If I had to pick two tracks as my favorites, it would have to be Wine Back and Fishing Rod. O'shaka has out done himself.

If you like the sound of steel pan, you'll love Pan. This is a knock-out tune with Andy Armstrong on lead vocals. Alison Hinds is up next on Move, a song sure to keep you moving. Alison, Andy and Cecil share lead vocals on Take Me Home, a song with captivating lyrics penned by Ian Wiltshire. I love the vocals on The Water, which shares the same rhythm as the title track
Champion. Inspiring lyrics along with an great pre-chorus hook line make Champion a real winner. Anderson Armstrong's Saltfish Water is another champion tune along with his big Crop-over hit Bandannas. Soca queen Alison Hinds does Girls Bam Bam, an entertaining song written by Stedson Wiltshire (a.k.a Red Plastic Bag)  a man who knows all about the girls Assets.

Square One takes us back to our roots with Don't Stop The Carnival, a fabulous remake of an old Lord Invader classic from 1939. The CD closes with Do As You Want, a hot track featuring Alison Hinds with guest vocalist Peter Ram. They've done it again, Champions is a must have CD for every soca music lover.

                           Track Listing

1. Put It Up                              
2. Wine Back                           
3. Pan                                     
4. Move                                   
5. Take Me Home (Soweto)    
6. Carnival Jump Up                 
7. Bandannas
8. Girls Bam Bam
9. The Water
10. Don't Stop The Carnival

11. Fishing Rod
12. Going Down
13. Free Up
14. Saltfish Water
15. Take Me Home (Middle Passage)
16. Fire Man
17. Champion
18. Raise Ya Hand
19. Juckin
20. Do As You Want

                                               Overall Rating: 5
Champions - Square One
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CD Reviews - Square One
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Missing Files
Rating Scale:
6: Off-the-Scale!!!
5: Excellent
4: Very Good
3: Good
2: Fair
1: Poor
Higher Heights
Missing Files Collection +

Missing Files Collection + is a collection of Square One tunes that were released on CDs other than the band's along with never released tracks and remakes of some Square One gems. Guest vocalists including David Rudder, Lil Rick and Natahlee Burke along with excellent production work make this yet another Square One winner. Producers and arrangers include Nicholas Brancker, Terry Arthur, Peter Coppin, Chris Allman and others.

Glow (Islandstyle Remix), featuring David Rudder, is one of the standout tracks. The remix includes a rap segment by Gauge. The song is better without the rap but still very enjoyable. David Rudder and Alison Hinds make a great combo. Other standout tunes include Think, a jamming remake of an Aretha Franklin classic, Come Together, a great song of love and unity, Stick On, Andy Armstrong's commentary on women in tight pants, Sweetest Wine, and the entertaining Man Shortage, which urges all the lonely girls to share.

They've also included a remix of their number-1 smash hit Aye Aye Aye from the Sweetness CD. Doing a remix can be risky when the original recording has such an incredible sound, but they manage to pull off a splendid remix. Aye Aye Aye (Carnival Mix) is another winner. If you're a Square One fan you'll want to add Missing Files to your collection.

                         Track Listing

1. I Gotcha
2. Glow (Islandstyle remix)
3. Think
4. Come Together
5. Rub Me All Night
6. Wuh Ya Want?
7. Stick On

8. Ruff Wine
9. Sweetest Wine
10. Bandit Dance
11. Man Shortage
12. Aye Aye Aye (Carnival Mix)
13. 25 (Carnival Mix)
14. French Roll

                                     Overall Rating: 4
Higher Heights

This CD is OFF DA HOOK!!! Just when you thought Square One couldn't get any better, they soar to higher heights. From beginning to end, this 18-track CD is incredible beyond belief. It's hard trying to pick standout tracks because they are all so remarkable, but here goes. Hot Galz, composed and sung by Cecil Riley is a hot, hot tune. The production work and arrangement by Chris Allman is outstanding. This is one tune that I can't get enough of. Dominque is a remake of the 60s classic originally done by the Singing Nun. A soca version of Dominque! Wow. Alison Hinds may be no nun, but God must've smiled when she recorded this one. Dominque has an extraordinary sound. I love the musical arrangement on this one. Lead and background vocals a first-rate. This is an all around great song. Another track that I play over and over again is Sexy Fever. This one is hard to get out of your head.

If you like salsa, you'll love La Bilrrubina. Even if you're not a fan of salsa but just enjoy great music, you'll still love this one. Guaranteed to make you dance, La Bilrrubina will leave your breathless. The final track, Top Class Bubbler is a top class tune with a pulsating rhythm and great vocals by Alison Hinds and guest vocalist Peter Ram.

Higher Heights is a CD of phenomenal quality. Higher Heights is an essential part of the music collection of every true soca lover.

                 Track Listing

1. Pokemon
2. Go Girls
3. Hot Galz
4. Carnival Baby
5. Ready To Get On
6. 2 Much People
7. One Blood
8. Dominque
9. Judging Point

10. 69
11. Tabanca Wine
12. Sexy Fever
13. Love In The Air
14. Do Dis, Do Dat
15. La Bilrrubina
16. Wild Meat
17. Murder
18. Top Class Bubbler

                                    Overall Rating: 6
Visitors since July 7, 2001