Infallible (album)

Last updated
Infallible
TS Infallible.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 26, 2012 Free download, CD (with "Riddim" magazine only)
Recorded2006-2010, Tanya Stephens' home in Kingston, Jamaica.
Genre Reggae, Dancehall
Length72:13
Label Tarantula Records (Production/Publishing)
Producer Andrew Henton, Tanya Stephens
Tanya Stephens chronology
Rebelution
(2006)
Infallible
(2012)
Guilty
(2012)

Infallible is the 7th studio album released by Jamaican recording artist Tanya Stephens. This album was unique in the sense that it was a free download to all her fans. [1] Tanya released the album for free stating "Infallible by Tanya Stephens! Feel free to forward the link to as many people as you wish. The album is completely free of cost. Enjoy!!" Andrew Henton, Tanya's life partner and co-founder of Tarantula Records stated the reason the album was a free download was because Tanya wanted to do something special for her fans, the major reason being that there's a recession going on, and things are already hard on everyone, he then stated that Tanya believes that when she gives an album to a major label (e.g. VP Records), technically she's giving it away for free anyway, so she would much rather give it directly to the fans. [2] The website that originally hosted the album was BYM Riddim, although the website has since shut down making the album unavailable to download, although the album has been uploaded to other websites such as Mediafire & Rapidshare by fans making it easy enough to download. [3] Tanya approves of this, as it was a free album, she merely wanted the album to reach her fans. The album was also given away as a hard copy with Jamaican-based German magazine, 'Riddim' and can be backordered. [4]

Contents

Track listing

All tracks are written by V. Stephenson.

No.TitleLength
1."Spection" (Intro)1:08
2."Train Of Thought (Get On It)"4:10
3."No Strings Attached"5:45
4."Bury A Bone"5:14
5."Luv At First Grind"4:25
6."Siddung Pon It"3:40
7."Kiss My Brain"3:21
8."Itty Bit O' Money"4:04
9."Illusion"4:07
10."Still Alive"5:03
11."No Means No"4:50
12."4 Da Pain"5:21
13."Infallible"4:08
14."Just For Me"3:38
15."More Than I Love You"3:26
16."Try Me"3:38
17."Turn It Up"3:31
18."Pull Up"3:38
Total length:72:13

Reception

Reggae Vibes said of the album; "Infallible, Tanya Stephens' much anticipated new album and the follow-up to the 2006 released Rebelution , has finally seen the light of day, and has exclusively been given away free with this month's edition (#49) of German's Riddim magazine.

Tanya Stephens is ranked as one of our 10 favourite contemporary artists, not least because she's one of the most competent lyricists today. Her lyrical delivery is full of imagery and direct down to the last detail, which sets her apart as a perfect storyteller. Besides that she possesses an instantly recognizable passionate edgy, bluesy voice that perfectly blends with the musical backing of her songs. Musically most tracks on this "Infallible" set are very similar to those featured on the Gangsta Blues and Rebelution albums. This implies that the warm, distinctive vibe of these two albums, and even more in case of "Infallible", not always immediately sounds like reggae.

Just like "Rebelution", this brand new collection of tunes gets off with a fulminating intro. Next up is Train Of Thought (Get On It), a solid tune which comes across a R&B flavoured backdrop with bluesy guitar licks. The strong No Strings Attached, reminiscent of her hit song These Streets , brings us the songstress/songwriter at her very best. The melancholic Bury A Bone, a truly wonderful tune with a completely different vibe than the previous tunes, concludes the opening bit to Tanya Stephens' Infallible'. Overall a seamless opening which spearheads a well varied and expertly produced album. The remainder of this set maintains the high quality level throughout with Luv At First Grind, Siddung Pon It, Itty Bit O'Money, No Means No and 4 Da Pain being the shining stars. With the last three songs, Try Me, Turn It Up and Pull Up, Tanya Stephens shows that she's still capable of delivering decent dancehall tunes." Then giving it the ratings of: 4/5 for vocals, 5 for backing vocals, 5 for Andrew Henton's production, 5 for sound quality, 3 for cover art. [5]

The Jamaica Star also gave it a good review, giving it 4/5 stars and stating "It's been four years since the release of her last album Rebelution, and with her latest release, Infallible, deejay, Tanya Stephens, proves that she's far from being out of lyrics. The 36-year-old lyricist proves that she still has new ways to talk about sex, love, relationships, 'Joe Grind', and spices up her catalogue with serious issues such as HIV and rape. The seventh studio album from Stephens, Infallible shows the many sides of the talented artiste through the course of 18 tracks. A mellow listen, Infallible mixes genres well, ultising sounds from the dancehall, reggae as well as the blues.

In No Strings Attached, Stephens starts off the song by asking forgiveness for her transgressions of needing a man on the side, one who can still party and grind. In Bury A Bone she catches the listener from the outset with a telephone message she leaves on a guy's phone as she says, "Hi this is Tanya remember you gave me your number bout a month ago and I said I had a man and you insisted I kept it for a rainy day, well surprise its raining," as she eagerly looks for a next guy to be her ex-guy.

Siddung Pon It has a current dancehall flair that the girls will want to 'wine out' to with lines such as, "we should be wining in the back of the bar or grinding in the back of my car or if we can't mek it that far, tek it anywhere we are, cause siddung pon it, mi waan ride pon it."

Songs like 4 Da Pain, Just For Me and others talk about love and relationship. The title track Infallible, Stephens wrote for her daughter as she asks for understanding in the lessons she tries to instil, as she is only human. Two of the more touching songs on the album are Still Alive and No Means No. Still Alive talks about "Johnny" who is living with HIV but everyone sees him as a dead man while he proclaims that he wants to be seen as alive. Infallible is another well put together album from Tanya Stephens that showcases her strong point - her lyrical content." The album was given by Jamaican Star; the Star of the Week award. [6]

Related Research Articles

Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word "rhythm". In the context of reggae and dancehall, it refers to the instrumental accompaniment to a song and is synonymous with the rhythm section. Jamaican music genres that use the term consist of the riddim plus the voicing sung by the deejay. The resulting song structure is distinctive in many ways. A given riddim, if popular, may be used in dozens—or even hundreds—of songs, not only in recordings but also in live performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Paul</span> Jamaican rapper and singer (born 1973)

Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques is a Jamaican rapper, singer and actor who is regarded as one of dancehall and reggae's most prolific artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sly and Robbie</span> Jamaican rhythm section and production duo

Sly and Robbie were a prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo, associated primarily with the reggae and dub genres. Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare teamed up in the mid-1970s after establishing themselves separately in Jamaica as professional musicians. Shakespeare died in December 2021 following kidney surgery.

<i>Gangsta Blues</i> 2004 album by Tanya Stephens

Gangsta Blues is the fifth studio album by Jamaican recording artist Tanya Stephens. This album was probably the most politically driven album with tracks like "What a Day", "The Other Cheek" and "Sound of My Tears". The album also has a lovers rock feel to it with songs such as "Good Ride" and "It's a Pity".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanya Stephens</span> Musical artist

Vivienne Tanya Stephenson, known by her stage name Tanya Stephens, is a Jamaican reggae singer and deejay who emerged in the late 1990s. She is most known for her hits "Yuh Nuh Ready Fi Dis Yet" — later featured on the Reggae Gold 1997 compilation album — and "It's a Pity", for which Stephens achieved international recognition. She and business partner Andrew Henton have together co-founded Tarantula Records.

<i>Rebelution</i> (Tanya Stephens album) 2006 studio album by Tanya Stephens

Rebelution is Tanya Stephens' sixth album, released more than two years after her last release, Gangsta Blues. Production came from her boyfriend & life partner Andrew Henton.

Reggae fusion is a fusion genre of reggae that mixes reggae and/or dancehall with other genres, such as pop, rock, hip-hop/rap, R&B, jazz, funk, soul, disco, electronic, and latin, amongst others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebelution (band)</span> American reggae rock band

Rebelution is a reggae rock music band formed in Isla Vista, California. The current members of Rebelution are Eric Rachmany, Rory Carey, Marley D. Williams, and Wesley Finley. Each member attended and completed school at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teacha Dee</span> Musical artist

Damion Darrel Warren, best known as Teacha Dee, is a Jamaican reggae singer and former educator. He is best known for his hit singles "Smoke and Fly", "Reggae Souljahs" and "Smuggling Weed". He was a full-time employee for the Ministry of Education Youth and Culture in Jamaica when he recorded all three songs. His stage name was derived from the Jamaican creole for "teacher" and a shortening of his childhood nickname "Demus".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sadiki</span> Musical artist

Henry Buckley Jr. aka Sadiki previously known as Pancho Kryztal, is a Jamaican-American singer, songwriter and producer.

Kemar McGregor, also known by his nicknames, DJ Flava and Flava McGregor, is a Jamaican-American pop reggae producer. He has recorded and produced music for the most renowned artists in the music industry, including Sinead O'Connor, Musiq Soulchild, Syleena Johnson, Jon Secada, Maxi Priest, Sizzla, Marcia Griffiths, Beenie Man, Wayne Wonder, Buju Banton, Capleton, Sanchez, Freddie McGregor, Luciano, Sugar Minott, Barrington Levy, Gregory Isaacs, Morgan Heritage, Half Pint, Tanya Stephens, Gyptian, Cas Haley, Beres Hammond, Glen Washington, Etana and Cocoa Tea, among many others. McGregor is the owner and chief executive officer of FM Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarantula Records</span>

For the defunct punk rock record label, see: Tarantulas Records

<i>My Way</i> (Lady Saw album) 2010 studio album by Lady Saw

My Way is the seventh studio album by Jamaican recording artist Lady Saw. The album featured guest artists such as Eve, Camar Doyles, & Ding Dong. A duet with Ali Campbell on "I Do Love You" was recorded for the album, but not included on the final track listing.

<i>Free Expressions</i> 2011 studio album by Etana

Free Expressions is a studio album by Jamaican reggae female singer Etana, released on February 8, 2011, under VP Records. Free Expressions is 14 new songs that display her unique brand of pop-reggae, soulful voicing and personal lyrics on progressive one drop riddims with rock flavored instrumentation. Etana's debut The Strong One (VP1800) garnered multiple hits and established Etana as a fresh new female voice on the international scene. Her sophomore effort will elevate her to an even broader audience with infectious hooks of "I Know You Love Me", "My Name Is", "Free" and the first single "Heart Broken".

In Between Words is the independent debut album by Jamaican singer-songwriter Tessanne Chin released digitally on December 6, 2010. After going on tour for three years with Jimmy Cliff as a back-up singer, Tessanne decided to launch her solo career. she began writing songs for her the album after she left her band Mile High.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spice (musician)</span> Jamaican musician (born 1982)

Grace Latoya Hamilton, professionally known as Spice, is a Jamaican dancehall recording artist, singer, songwriter, actress and businesswoman. Often cited as the "Queen of Dancehall", Spice is recognised as one of the most prominent dancehall artists in the world. She is known for her aggressive flow, musical versatility and outspoken lyrics. Spice first gained recognition after performing at the annual dancehall festival Sting in 2000. She released her first single "Complain" for record producer Dave Kelly's Madhouse Records in 2003. She continued release singles "Right There" and "Hype", even being featured on songs with Jimmy Cliff and Beenie Man in 2004 and 2006 respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Easy Star Records</span> American independent record label

Easy Star Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996. Based in New York City, the label primarily produces and releases albums in the genres of reggae and dub.

The Expanders are an American roots reggae band from Los Angeles, California.

Through The Roots is an American reggae rock and pop band based out of San Diego, California. They are described as "easy-listening music with positive Cali-vibes and inspiring messages".

<i>10</i> (Spice album) 2021 studio album by Spice

10 is the debut studio album by Jamaican dancehall artist Spice. It was released on 6 August 2021 by VP Records. The album's writing and production were primarily handled by Shaggy, who executively produced the record, along with other members of Ranch Entertainment. It features guest appearances by Shaggy, Sean Paul, Nicho, Olaf Blackwood, and Melissa Musique. 10 was nominated for Best Reggae Album at the 64th Grammy Awards in 2022.

References

  1. "Release: Tanya Stephens - Infallible - reggaeville.com". www.reggaeville.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03.
  2. "Dancehall.Mobi » Tanya Stephens Releases New Album – Infallible – Gives It Away for Free!". Archived from the original on 2013-07-28. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
  3. "MediaFire".
  4. "riddim.de/shop - Riddim Ausgabe 03/10 - Mai/Juni 2010 (inkl. CD - exklusivem Tanya Stephens Album) - Riddim-Magazine -". shop.riddim.de. Archived from the original on 2011-10-03.
  5. "Review : Tanya Stephens - Infallible". www.reggae-vibes.com. Archived from the original on 2010-06-15.
  6. "The Jamaica Star :: Features :: Infallible review :: May 5, 2010". Archived from the original on 2010-05-08. Retrieved 2012-09-10.