Words by LargeUp Crew
She-la-la-la-la-boom-boom-boom-she-lay! Mr. Vegas has a new album out today. She-la-la-la-la-boom-boom-boom-she-lah…
Okay, then… Well, Reggae Euphoria is either Vegas’ sixth or seventh LP, it drops today and he’s given us a few choice tunes from the 15-track set to share on release day, exclusively through LargeUp.
Of these, three are covers: “Hallelujah,” “I’ve Got a Date” and “Once Upon A Time (I Was Lonely),” originally by Leonard Cohen, Alton Ellis and Delroy Wilson, respectively. The remaining track, “God Good” is a new version on dancehall’s classic Answer riddim, with a country twist.
Most notable is “Hallelujah,” which puts a truly Jamaican spin on Cohen’s adult contemporary classic (which has been covered over 300 times, in numerous languages) with the additon of Nyabinghi drums. But we’re also pretty hyped about “Once Upon A Time,” which reunites Vegas with Jovi Rockwell, a LargeUp favorite and Vegas’ collaborator on “You’re Gonna Need Me” and “Can’t Stop.”
Stream all four below, buy the album here, and tell us your favorite track from the set in the comments below.
And if you’re in California’s Bay Area, Reggae Euphoria is headed your way next week. LargeUp presents the Reggae Euphoria album release party Oct. 2nd, with Jah Warrior Shelter Hi Fi, the West Coast’s premier reggae DJ collective, at Atmosphere, 447 Broadway, San Francisco. To RSVP, e-mail: RSVP@thextraordinairegroup.com.
