Lenn Hammond - Lenn Hammond

Title Lenn Hammond
Artist Lenn Hammond
Label FiWi Music
Date 17-12-2000 

After being around in music business for some ten years by now the sweet-voiced Lenn Hammond finally delivers his first, untitled full length album. 29-year-old Lenn Hammond was born in Port Maria, St. Mary, Jamaica and counts renown uncle Beres Hammond and cousin Yogie, a rising balladeer, as most notable relatives. In 1989 Lenn migrated to Canada where he decided to pursue a singing career. Lenn honed his writing skills by working with his father Winston Hammond, the late great Jackie Mittoo and Danny "Maestro" Lee. Lenn's studio experience started in the early nineties, which coincided with his charismatic stage appearance. These experiences helped Lenn developed his sweet melodic vocals and actually provided him the opportunity to record for some of Jamaica's top production names, namely "Bulby" York & "Fatta" Marshall, Syl Gordon and Barry O'Hare.

On his well produced debut album one captures singer/songwriter Lenn Hammond in fine form mainly delivering songs in the lovers rock vein. Besides the previously released singles "Mixed Up Moods", "Just The Other Night", "See You In Zion", "It's Over" and "You and I" - the latter earning Lenn Hammond 'Male Vocalist Of The Year 1998' at the Canadian Reggae Music Award - one is treated to some previously unissued pieces.
The album opens with a fine ballad, actually a cover of the Fantastic Four's 1977 smash, "Mixed Up Moods", expertly delivered by Lenn Hammond.

The next track, "It's Over", continues the lovers mood and can be qualified as a decent effort too. The same goes for "You & I" which is delivered over a great reworking of a classic Studio One riddim. "Just The Other Night" is Lenn Hammond's entertaining debut single from 1996 on which he rides an updated version of the classic "Uptown Ranking" riddim, also utilized by uncle Beres Hamond for his hit tune "Can't Stop A Man". The Barry O'Hare produced "See You In Zion" is a solid cultural delivery and showcases that he is equally at home with lovers songs and cultural tunes as is once again underlined by the excellent, self-produced "Never Give Jah Up". With the outstanding "It's Up To You", the modest "Devotion" with its appealing Spanish style guitar picking Lenn Hammond brings back the lovers mood.

Then a very danceable tune entitled "Shout", which unmistakably shows Lenn's musical influences; calypso, soca, dancehall, reggae, and rock. "Feeling Sorry" is a nice effort, which is followed by more niceness in the Syl Gordon produced "Get Up Shine". The combination with his cousin Yogie, "What You Gonna Do", is another conscious piece and one of the standout tracks. "Home At Last" and "Work Me" round off in fine style. Lenn Hammond has delivered a solid debut album showing his different sides as a producer, songwriter and performer. Regarding the efforts on this album Lenn Hammond is poised to become a household name in reggae music. So, check him out!