That's it. They are out: Jah Cure from prison, and his new album, "True Reflections", in the shops almost simultaneously. It was a long time coming. The renown of Siccature Alcock (his real name) was made behind bars. A rare, almost unique fact. His undeniable talent was itself amplified by this incarceration, which many of his peers (Capleton, Jah Mason...) denounced in the studio or on stage, propelling him to the status of martyr. Behind bars, Jah Cure kept on spreading that vibrant, poignant voice, releasing singles in dribs and drabs which, over eight years, were compiled on albums; the most recent ones are now gathered on "True Reflections". It must be admitted that Jah Cure's fourth opus will bring nothing new to those who know the singer from Papine inside out, apart from one quality unreleased track (To your arms of love, on the Guardian Angel riddim). For those who wish to discover Jah Cure, True Reflections is essential, so full is it of classics: Longing For (Drop Leaf riddim), What Will It Take? (Istanbul riddim), Most High Cup Full (Sun is Shining riddim)... to name but a few.
Will "True Reflections" lay the foundations of what Jah Cure will become in the future? A curious challenge now awaits him. The future will tell whether he can find his place in a milieu where some, no doubt, will try to use his renown and his release to make big money. While waiting for him to reach a new level, one thing is certain: Jah Cure sings of love like few can, like a Gregory Isaacs for modern times. Just listen to Love is (Seasons riddim), in particular, to be convinced. At times he has an unfortunate tendency to rest on his laurels, but his ability to string together "number one hits" is disconcerting. Was it the "prison effect"? Not sure. Jah Cure's fifth opus, which we hope will be crammed with unreleased tracks, is already awaited with some impatience.
