After listening to Something A Gwaan you will undoubtedly feel like you have been transported to the era of 80's roots. Utilizing live musicians, background vocals and horns the vibe of this album is very pure and clean....untouched classic roots reggae.

Albert Griffiths is the only member left from the original Gladiators, and although Clinton Fearon has gone on to develop his own band, Clinton Fearon & the Boogie Brown Band, Albert is the one that continues to utilize the Gladiators name.

It is rather amazing how rootsy this album sounds. It is a very good thing. In a time when digital rhythms and minimal horns and background vocals are utilized Something A Gwaan is truly refreshing.

On "Trouble" Griffith's sings about protecting his sons and daughters from turning into bandulus . "Something A Gwaan" talks about a stirring reggae hit song sitting in a place between "Mile Gully and Balaclava", waiting to be discovered. "Slim Ting" and "Hug Me Up" finds Albert Griffiths singing some sweet love songs. "Hug Me Up" is on a skanking beat, guaranteed to make you move your dancing feet. "Sick And Tired", a social commentary, starts off with a nice horn session followed by a riddim that is so very smooth. The catchy & spiritual tune "Hold Me Jah" asks Jah to cast away those evil spells. On "Follow You", Albert Griffiths tones down his vocals on a song which says to avoid the paranoia of someone following you, you should "Love Jah And Be Free". "Reggae Genius" is a vivid track, warning some critics to realize that roots and culture is as important than anything learned in school. Another skanking track "Head To My Toe", closes off this album. "Head To My Toe" asks Jah to guide us from the confusion that "leads us astray".

Something A Gwaan will appeal to any fan of classic roots reggae. The vibe from this album feels completely unadulterated with modern music making technologies. The harmonies are superb, horns add a great touch to many of the tracks and the rhythms have a classic feel to them. Unfortunately with only 10 tracks, you'll find yourself begging for more.






 by Quatty, ReggaeTrain.com
 E-Mail: info@reggaetrain.com

Perhaps the Gladiators' most acclaimed album, Trenchtown Mix Up is the group's debut, featuring the best-known line-up of Griffiths, Clinton Fearon, and Dallimore Sutherland. Their style here is a bit like Culture mixed with Israel Vibration -- a vintage sound, to say the least. This album is made up of a mixture of originals and remakes such as Bob Marley's "Soul Rebel", Nicky Thomas' "Hello Carol" and "Bongo Red," here re-titled "Mix Up." This recycling of material may cause a bit of a sour taste in some listeners' mouths, but there's not doubting the consistent quality of the songs here. Aside from "Mix Up," "Looking Is Deceiving" and "Eli Eli" are quite strong, although I can't help but feel that Trenchtown Mix Up isn't necessarily the absolute classic it's often claimed to be.






 by Quatty, ReggaeTrain.com
 E-Mail: info@reggaetrain.com

Rumor has it that Father and Sons is the last Gladiators' album that Albert Griffiths will participate in as he turns the reins of the group over to his sons, singer Al Griffiths and drummer Anthony Griffiths, both of whom are featured prominently on this release. The elder Griffiths founded the Gladiators in 1967 in Jamaica, and the name has been synonymous with quality roots reggae and harmony ever since. If Father and Sons is indeed Albert's swan song as a Gladiator, then he has chosen to step back on a high note, since every track here is solid, with wonderful vocals and a bright, warm, and slightly nostalgic tone augmented by crack Jamaican session players Dwight Pinkney, Dean Fraser and Bongo Herman, among others. Griffiths' voice is a little more hoarse than in the old days, but it cracks and breaks in all the right places, giving his singing a comforting wisdom on strong songs like "Promise Me," "Can't Get Around Me," "Holding On," and "Captivity," all of which have a distinct autumnal tone, as if he is indeed summing everything up one last time. Son Al Griffiths handles some of the leads here, but it is nearly impossible to tell which vocal lines are his and which are his father's, and it would appear that the future of the Gladiators is in good hands. The proof will be in the songwriting, though, since the elder Griffiths penned everything on Father and Sons. A delightful album of bright, warm roots reggae, Father and Sons, if it is to serve as Albert Griffiths' retirement speech, certainly lives up to the Gladiators legacy.

Review by Steve Leggett