Jo Mersa Marley: ‘Eternal’ EP Album Review

What do you do when you are the son and grandson of legends Stephen and Bob Marley but want to make a name for yourself as a Reggae singer? You either do your best to go far away from their image and likeness or embrace it wholeheartedly. On his new EP, Joe Mersa Marley does both. Titled Eternal, Mersa’s artwork channels Bob Marley’s Forever album cover with loose locs and head facing upwards.

Like a prodigal son, he starts off chanting Guess Who’s Coming Home, in thanksgiving, he hails his mother and acknowledges his father. He righteously laments that he has been elsewhere, artistically learned a few lessons and is now back home to his roots to show that he is heir to the throne. This song sets the tone for the project.

Even without a verse or production credit from his father, part of his inheritance is the “Ragga signature” sound which echoes throughout the album. That may or may not be a good thing.

As the young Marley announced his presence on the Riff Raff fusion beat he reveals himself as a lyric spitting melody-making contender in reggae music.

“Guess Who Is Coming Home Fresh Offa Di Road Just Bun Dung Rome No More Will I Rome,” Mersa paints pictures with words.

To fully appreciate the musicality and feel of Guess Who’s Coming Home, turn your speakers to max volume while driving in Miami during memorial weekend. For added aesthetics get in a vintage Chevrolet car, with oversized rims and a bright paint job. Even with the thumping baseline the song is convincingly still Reggae. As for standing out vocally from the other Marleys, this song is where it starts and stops on the EP.

On the surface, a title like Yow Dawg seems to be straying from his Grandfather’s Lion Pride roots to lyrically lay ground with Busy Signal who has experience as a bedroom bully street DJ. At a closer listen, Mersa is more ambitious and asserts his royal heritage with clever wordplay- a dominant theme throughout the project.

“Teach the youths dem them a Queen and King Cut from a different cloth me a royalty, me seh one family yuh a me Royal kin, look upon me royal locs, look pon me royal skin get a like princess from me royal ting”

At his lyrical best, he is reminiscent of a 90s DJ and what he lacks in tough talk and intimidating vocals to keep up with Busy Signal’s effortless raspy flow, he makes up for it by imitating his uncle Damian and father Stephen’s nuances.

Melii and Mersa blends well on Company. This formula was used by other reggae greats like Shaggy and Maxi Priest to gain international success. I can see this song on the R&B charts and even the hot 100 playing alongside other present-day hits. This is where Jo is most comfortable and he could make a whole album with these modern reggae fusions.

“Long love continually girl that’s my LLC gwan keep I company”

Melli’s voice is as clear as Nelly Fertado on the harmonies and the verse. She adds value to an already good song. Her Spanish lyrics mixed with the futuristic fusion beat separates this song from the rest and gives Mersa a potential hit.

On Made It, Mersa pivots from prodigal son to a bag packing jet setter. “Let me call my job and tell them find a replacement because I made it…pack my things up and move out of the basement”.

The subtle wailing over the modern beat is a summer jam style perfected by Wylcef Jean but there were times when I thought it was Stephen Marley singing on Mersa’s album.

Thinking is the shortest track and can be Mersa’s secret sauce to get the crowd riled up. Riff Raff’s hardcore production is the perfect beat to spit traditonal dancehall lingua “Innah pattern and style” . The riddim track itself could be released as a jugling with new songs. Mersa embodies Damian Marley’s Set Up Shop flow almost too perfectly. The “Hey” background vocals add a special touch. Time was spent producing and retouching to ensure quality. I found myself bopping the entire 2 minute and thirty-two seconds but this song would have had a better impact on the project as the last track.

That Dream is the social commentary that the album needed. Unconvinced that the life of crime is the dream life, Mersa states: “All I know I couldn’t sleep at night couldn’t dream that dream its all a nightmare to me…first things first mek me mek you know let it go let it go no likkle youth anuh so it go just cause the system set it so”

The job of an artist is to explain the times and condition of humanity, Mersa embraces that mission.

The 23 minutes, 7-track title gets a 3 out of 5. There are some good songs and Eternal serves as an improvement on delivery compared to his previous work. Where the EP stands out is with the great production quality on Guess Who’s Coming Home, Yow Dawg, Company and Thinking. Jo Mersa seems to be making a conscious effort to mimic the Marley style of singing on some songs. As his skills develop from mimicking to mastering the use of melodies with the wailing sound he will make more good songs. His strength lies in the music fusion.  Perhaps more latin/reggaeton collaborations will give him a winning edge.

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