Ja-Makin' me Happy

Artist: Ziggy Marley
Album: “Family Time”

Four-time Grammy Award-winning artist Ziggy Marley’s third solo album “Family Time” shows the son of legendary reggae icon Bob Marley taking a slightly different direction on this release with his first children’s album. The entire collection seems like it could be used in a Disney cartoon, with its vibrant, happy-go-lucky feel and its beachy reggae/pop sound.
The album begins with the title track, which stands out among the collection of sunny songs. The upbeat nature of the tune can best be summed up with the opening lines: “Lift up your hearts with a smile / Lift up your feet with a dance / Lift up your spirits with a song / It’s family time.” Here, Marley’s voice sets the tone, singing over an even blend of pop and reggae music. His 4-year-old son Judah appears at the end of the song as a guest singer, marking the first of many guest singers scattered throughout this release, such as Willie Nelson, Paul Simon and Jack Johnson.
“Wings of an Eagle” is an acoustic number in which Marley shares vocal duties with Elizabeth Mitchell. Her incredibly soft voice complements Marley’s distinct vocals. In the latter stages of the song, the two sing together in perfect harmony, almost sounding as one. With the exception of the reggae rhythm of the drums, this number sounds like it could be on a folk release.
While Marley succeeds in making a happy, fun collection of songs that both children and adults could enjoy, many of the tracks on “Family Time” quickly start to sound like one another, making the album sound like one song broken into several different verses (and guest vocalists). Still, there is enough depth and creativity here to please fans of all ages of world music and reggae music.