CD Odyssey Disc 163: One

The CD Odyssey is in one of its "all over the map" phases again, and it has landed upon one of the only reggae records in my collection. Not true reggae, really, more of a reggae/pop/rock thing going on.

Disc 163 is...Smokin' The Goats

Artist: One

Year of Release: 1994

What’s Up With The Cover?: I believe this is some sort of tie-dye feeling colour scheme, with a close up graphic of a goat's horn (no doubt for smokin' as per the title). I think up close the goat's horn looks like the end of a rattlesnake's tail.

How I Came To Know It: I heard about this album through my friend, Kelly, who brought it over a couple of times. Kelly was into reggae back in 1994 as I recall. Nowadays he's more for the death metal. I'd say something nasty here, but I've got enough of my own musical skeletons, without shakin' anyone else's bones.

How It Stacks Up: I've only got this one "One" album. I don't know if they have any more. I think they are a pretty obscure Canadian band - I'm not even sure if they are still together.

Rating: 3 stars.

This was a fun album to drive home to with the top down. There is something about a reggae beat that makes you relax and feel summery. I relaxed, kicked back and sang along from time to time. Don't worry though, I kept my eye on the road, friends. Enra-ha and all that.

This album's best song is a five star bubble-gum pop classic, "Wide Load". It is a playful track about heavy girls - the best since Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls". It incorporates pretty much every goofy one-liner joke on the subject (She's got more rolls than a bakery shop/you'd be crushed if she were on top," etc.) but manages to avoid being mean. In fact, the final stanza is all about how we overemphasize someone's weight, and how we oughtta cut that out.

Of course, you could argue that is a bit rich after all the joke lines that fill the first two thirds of the song, but it just never manages to cross the line, despite all evidence to the contrary. I think it must be the reggae beat - it just makes everything seem so much more relaxed and uncomplicated.

The other tracks aren't as memorable, but there are quite a few good ones, and no real stinkers. The album is just a good groove, and the band even manages to sneak in some serious topics into the discussion, including that ubiquitous topic for all reggae music - legalizing marijuana. They also have a couple of great songs decrying rude people ("Bully On the Dance Floor", "So Rude"). These appealed to me, as I can't stand rude people. For starters - tailgaters and people who talk at the movie theatre.

Um...cut that out, rude people!

Mostly though, the album is just a good groove. Fun for hangin' out, or maybe a little goofy dancing commonly associated with outdoor concerts. I'm sure I've danced that way to it, but mercifully in the privacy of my own home.

As an aside, this album was up for a 1995 Juno (it didn't win). That year, Celine Dion's "Colour of My Love" beat out Blue Rodeo's "Five Days in July" and Pearl Jam's "Vs." in a couple of different categories.

Wow - some facts are so awful, not even a reggae beat can make it seem OK.

In summary, if you want a fun summer album that'll make you feel like relaxing on the beach, or driving with the top down, this is a good one.

Best tracks: Wide Load, 54-46, Bully On the Dance Floor, Kind Buds, So Rude, Magdelin