RASTA REBEL

By CHRISTOPHER JOHN FARLEY

Reggae, like rap, has always carried within its grooves the roots of rebellion. Classics such as Bob Marley's War helped establish it as music for dance parties and political parties alike. Recently, however, many of the reggae songs that have managed to bend American ears have lacked social content.

Messenger (Island Jamaica), the new album by the Jamaican-born singer Luciano, offers up something refreshingly retro. Musically, Messenger is a big, bouncy, pop album. But its lyrics are focused on the human condition--poverty, spirituality, the preservation of one's heritage. Luciano's voice is another thing that's special: his confident baritone is as warm and deep as Montego Bay.

The unifying theme of Messenger is simple but powerful: people should support their friends and family but resist the spiritually draining mores of society as a whole. "They would like to see me succumb into society," Luciano sings on the defiant Never Give Up My Pride. But message never overwhelms Messenger; its melodies, friendly and frisky, keep the listener disarmed and relaxed.

The 32-year-old Luciano (real name: Jepther McClymont) believes that reggae is a spiritual salve: "In Jamaica, when things got tough, the only thing we had for the solace of the soul was the music," he says. On the album's final track, Guess What's Happening, Luciano sings of seeing a man "toiling in the burning sun...wondering if and when he's gonna have his share." The song hints at revolution, but the tune is easy and carefree. It's smiling insurgency.

--By Christopher John Farley