Long before a term was coined for the genre, Jamaicans were big into the softer side of reggae. Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson and groups like The Heptones were pioneers of what became known as lovers rock.
Clatta Bumboo was weaned on that sound, and roots-reggae, in rural Westmoreland parish, Jamaica. ‘Attraction’, his latest song, is lovers rock with an old school feel.
The Rhode Island-based singer co-produced the track with Rohan Dwyer, one of the leading studio engineers in Jamaica. ‘Attraction’ has an entirely different feel from the songs on ‘Make Way Rasta’, Clatta Bumboo’s roots-driven first album which was released late last year.
According to the dreadlocked artist, many people, particularly in Europe and North America, associate reggae with Rastafari and social issues. Clatta Bumboo states that songs like ‘Attraction’ dispels that notion. “Our culture, the Jamaican culture is big on love and the expressions of love, especially in songs; and if we are to give attention to the Jamaican songbooks, the rebel too knows love. Isn’t that what it is all about? Love and togetherness?”
‘Attraction’ was motivated by Clatta Bumboo’s desire to do something different from ‘Make Way Rasta’ which featured a coalition of American and Jamaican musicians. It was released six years after ‘Future Water’, his first EP.
To get an authentic lover’s rock sound, Clatta Bumboo once again called on Dwyer, who worked on ‘Make Way Rasta’. So too trombonist Ray Gennari, keyboardist Moses Estick and guitarist Jhada Dwyer.