David Kirton

Kirton won Barbados’ Reggae Artist of the Year for his song "Green Camouflage,” an inspiring track about the destructiveness of war and the role the media plays in desensitizing citizens to the horrors of such brutality. In the song, Kirton insists that the green camouflage worn by Rastas is a symbol of protest as peaceful soldiers of Jah’s army. This is an exceptional song, in a conscious, roots reggae groove, and well deserving of the award. The problem is that it is an anomaly on this album. Not only is it the only reggae track amidst scrubbed clean pop R&B, it’s also the only song of substance. Lead-off track "Miss the Water” is little more than an over-worn proverb that you can dance to, "Sugar” could have been penned by a 14-year-old-boy in love and even the title track badly needs a muse. Kirton’s earlier work from Stranger and Modern Roots is far stronger than this and it’s a shame that this album is the change he felt it was time for. Grab "Green Camouflage” on iTunes and forget the rest of the record.