Tanya Stephens – Guilty (Album Review)

Tany Stephens admits guilt in her brand-new album titled ‘Guilty’

It’s rare that an artist can come along at one time on a given album and reach a level of lyrical perfection. What Tanya Stephens does on is just that, and she does it without pulling any tricks or doing anything irregular. ‘Guilty’ (a very apt title) finds Tanya Stephens in many different moods and I’m glad for it. Inside the reggae community Tanya Stephens has always been known as a good artist, but she hasn’t found the success that some of her more well-known peers have (particularly Lady Saw, Patra, Diana King), but what she proves on this album is that when you take everything else away and leave her with a pen and a riddim, this woman is perhaps the finest female talent the Reggae Dancehall industry can boast of.

Released digitally on the 20^th of December under the patronage of Sanctum Entertainment and produced by Vivienne Stephenson, the album ‘Guilty’ is, hands down, one of the most surprising Reggae Albums of the year. Actually, I am not sure you could call it a Reggae album since she dares to dabble in other genres such as R’n’B and Pop but who cares, she’s got enough talent and ambition to do whatever she wants to do when it comes to music. Consisted of 16 tracks, it includes hit singles ‘Broken People’, ‘Unapologetic’, and also ‘Bible Or The Gun’. This album shows why Tanya is (still) considered one of the best lyricists of her generation.

Tanya Stephens pleads ‘guilty’ in the intro of her new album ‘Guilty’. When she confesses to God she even go as far as saying that she is unapologetic. Tanya sings the blues, and her sorrow is emphasized by the austerity of a military marching band beat. As she claims that she has ‘killed enough to go federal’ but she’s still ‘stuck in this county jail’, she somehow illustrates a general lack of appreciation of her talent. She also raises the issues sex inequality when she refers to conformism and standard industry, which lead to a certain sexism on the Dancehall scene and the underestimation of her achievements because she is a woman. ‘She killed it good for a girl. But I’m confused. Is it less dead?’ Nevertheless, Tanya is a bad gyal and she won’t change. She’s a strong woman and she doesn’t care what other people have to say, she stands her ground and does whatever she wants.

Up next is ‘Pon Di Side’. It is a pleasant R’n’B track that unostentatiously conveys her nonchalance of having someone on the verge of the relationship. It is about as sensual as Tanya gets on the album. It sounds wondrous and rides on a really great riddim. The album’s longest song ‘Hit And Run’ is tinted by a sad and mellow piano melody alongside a section of soft strings. It is a track with a pop-rock feel to it. Not a particular stand-out, but overall a solid track. ‘Too Real Fi You’ is somewhat extraordinary. In keeping with the intro of the song, she undoes any claim to normality by being so uncommonly candid on this R’n’B-flavored track.

In this album, Tanya will not only surprise you with the versatility of her lyrics but also with her ease to ride any kind of riddim. ‘You Can’t Be A Baller’ is a blistering record on a modern hip-hop beats with a twist of folk and gospel music. ‘Bible Or The Gun’, tinctured by an uptempo R’n’B beat based on a strummed guitar, is a searing lead single that ignites a precisely calibrated detonation. Another song to which anyone who has been through some rough times can relate to. ‘By the Bible or the gun, under the moon or inna the sun. Poverty a try fi hold me dung but food haffi run.’

The best song here is probably ‘Broken People’ which is unarguably the deepest piece on the album, just straight emotion about a particular situation that is unfortunately real in current society around the world. On a nu-roots riddim underpinned by a violin and the sweet melody of a soft guitar, she sings: ‘And we’re all just a little bit broken. We hurt, broken people hurt. We feel, broken people feel. We bleed but we heal.’ 

‘One Time’. An organ, a piano laid on a simple drum beat are all it takes for Tanya Stephens to make a very soulful song filled with sadness and a nostalgic streak that churns with a mysterious energy. ‘The moral of my story is, one time is all it takes to get caught like this […] So much pain, so many tears, so much heartaches’

‘140lbs Of Love’ positions Tanya‘s bold, adventurous, poetic vocals at the luminous heart of a production style that nods to a classic old school Reggae riddim. It is followed by ‘More Music’, a song that openly challenges artists to enhance their creativity. Next on the set is ‘Crazy’, which is a cute amusing song that’s stuck in my head as I write this review. Definitely be sure to take a heavy listen to that one. Sappy titled ‘Never Let You Go’ is tinged with the kind of innocent romance. Tanya imbues it with such seriousness thus rendering a genuine emotion. Not her best song on the album, but still worth listening to. 

‘Corners Of My Mind’, that features Sanjay, is a beautiful song with Tanya emoting powerfully over the top, her voice more real and vital than any modern pop warbler. ‘Get Up & Dance’ is a definite head-bobber. Her lyrics remain a joy: dynamic, springy and spunky. Top! Next station is ‘Unapologetic’ on the “Pepperpot Riddim” produced by Coppershot Music. It is an anthem for just being your damn self. Make sure you give this one a few spins before passing a final judgment. The album is closed by ‘The Beat Goes On’, which, in essence, can be described as a lyrical tirade that addresses those who refuse to give her due credit.

All told, Tanya Stephens defies boundaries and features an eclectic array of ear candy. This album is witty, thoughtful, reflective and beautiful. Tanya‘s tongue in-cheek style and acerbic wit shine through in this album. It is full of catchy melodies and great lyrics. ‘Guilty’ defies conformism and that’s definitely a good thing. With this creation she transcends the label of “Reggae artist.”  Tanya Stephens has been making music for 20 years now, but ‘Guilty’ proves that she’s absolutely free of any signs of creative stagnation. She is an ARTIST. The album is available for purchase on major digital outlets like iTunes and Amazon.

Written by Emin Bayramov & Krazy Gyal for Jamworld876