MORGAN HERITAGE PLAY LA SUHAAG BANQUET HALL (75 HEDGEDALE, BRAMPTON) JULY 11.
Pop-reggae band Morgan Heritage features five siblings with contrasting vocal styles. They’re a dynamic live act, but their recorded output is heavily streaked by crossover misfires. Mission in Progress contains few abominations, but it’s still an uneven listen that will sound better on stage. A cover of Steel Pulse’s jazzy “Raid Rootz Dance” seems like a good idea, but this version features the vocalists and the overexcited band jockeying for position in the mix. Only when the crew throttles back the histrionics does the album shine. “Nothing to Smile About,” on the Rub-A-Dub riddim, is a highlight, with a searing narrative detailing the non-irie sides of Jamaica. The vocals make this good riddim even better; that’s the foundation of good pop music.