CD Reviews - Traffik/Shurwayne Winchester
X to Board - Traffik

                                    X to Board marks the 10th anniversary of Traffik  one of the hottest                                               bands out of Trinidad and Tobago. With just one listen you'll know why                                         they are so hot. Track 5, the song with the unlikely title of You Make Me,                                       is my favorite cut on this sensational CD. I've heard this song called "So                                          Hot", "I Get Hot", "Sexy Thong", and even "Don't Find Me Fast", but                                         the actual title is You Make Me. No matter what you call it, this track                                             alone is more than enough reason to get your copy of X to Board today.                                        Shurwayne Winchester has never been better.

From beginning to end, this 16-track CD is filled with tunes that are sure to make you dance. The opening track, Sean Caruth's very popular Accident - Bounce Meh, sets the tone for what is sure to be considered as one of the best soca/party CDs of the year. The energy keeps flowing on tracks like J'Ouvert Jump Up and the very entertaining Doh Blame Me. Superior production quality on Eddie Charles' Party Like We makes this one of the standout tracks. The irresistible beat of Partner Gal will make you dance and sing along. If all that dancing wears you out, you can catch your breath when they change the tempo to a slower pace on You Alone. I really like the vocals on this one.

The closing track, Sound of the Ghost, is written and performed by the band's drummer Kernal Roberts. The song is a tribute to his father, the late Lord Kitchener, Grandmaster of Calypso. This is a fitting way to end such a phenomenal CD. X to Board is a must have CD for every soca music fan.

CaribPlanet
CaribPlanet - Your Portal to the Best in Caribbean Music
                           Track Listing  
1. Accident  Bounce Meh
2. J'Ouvert Jump Up
3. Hump It
4. The Party Hot
5. You Make Me
6. You Alone
7. Party Like We
8. Doh Blame Me

  9. Partner Gal
10. Unleash the Beast
11. Hopping
12. Undress
13. Shadow's Jumbie
14. Revenge
15. All Ah Want is a Wine
16. Sound of the Ghost

                       Overall rating: 5
Rating Scale:
6: Off-the-Scale!!!
5: Excellent
4: Very Good
3: Good
2: Fair
1: Poor
Visitors since July 7, 2001
Under My Spell - Shurwayne Winchester

Label: UnDaGround Music

Genre: Soca


Refreshing, fun, risqué, danceable, thoughtful, these are just some of the adjectives that can be used to describe Shurwayne Winchester's solo effort Under My Spell. As one of the lead singers of Traffik, Shurwayne's voice and style has distinguished him as one of Trinidad's most dynamic soca stars. Under My Spell, a 14-track mix of previous hits and fresh new material showcases the talent of the singer awarded "Male Vocalist of the Year" 2000. Included is the smash hit Wine Down. Released in late 1999, the unique and captivating sound of Wine Down kept it on the charts for most of the year 2000. Outstanding vocals and brilliant production make Wine Down a soca classic.  The next track, You Make Me Feel, or as I like to call it "So Hot", was included on the Traffik CD X to Board. This, in my opinion, is the best soca song of 2001. The arrangement here is slightly different from that on X to Board, but close enough so that you'll hardly notice the difference. You Make Me Feel and Wine Down are more than worth the cost of the CD.

If you're still not convinced that this is a fabulous CD, just Take Your Time and listen to the other 12 tracks. Under My Spell opens with the international top-10 hit Take Your Time. Picking outstanding tracks is difficult since there are no filler tracks, just hits and future hits. However, one of the more memorable songs is the somewhat risqué Doctor On Call. Catchy lyrics and a driving rhythm combine to make Doctor On Call an exceptional song. Another standout track is the energetic Keep On Moving. I especially like the guitar solo midway through the song, though it could've been longer. It's a departure from what we typically here in the soca genre. Deadly Enemies, a song about bad dreams, has a horn section reminiscent of the days before hip-hop influenced the style of so many soca artists. This is unadulterated soca, pure and refreshing. The CD ends on a serious note with the thoughtful and inspirational Some Day. This mellow tune with conscious lyrics is a departure from Shurwayne's typical wuk up songs.

Producer Darron Grant is to be commended on his outstanding production work. All songs on
Under My Spell were produced by Darron Grant and written by Shurwayne Winchester.

It should be noted that the order of the song printed on the label differs from the actual order of the songs on the CD. Other than that, hardly any fault can be found with this CD. Guaranteed to make you feel good, even in these troubling times, Under My Spell is an excellent CD. Under the spell of Shurwayne is truly a very good place to be.

                            Track Listing

1. Take Your Time
2. Adeyeo
3. Road March
4. Final Countdown
5. Freedom
6. Splash
7. Doctor On Call

X to Board - Traffik
Under My Spell - Shurwayne Winchester
8. Keep On Moving
9. Excuses
10. Deadly Enemies
11. Wine Down
12. You Make Me Feel
13. Jouvert
14. Some Day

                                  Overall Rating: 4