My Children Riddim – Joe Frasier

Joe Frasier’s 2002 outing with My Children feels a little more vocalist-driven than some of the label’s deeper roots cuts, and the songbook is strong enough to carry that shift. The riddim sits in that warm early-2000s reggae pocket, with a clean, steady groove that leaves room for the singers to lean into the message rather than race the beat. George Nooks’ title tune gives the project its centre, while Marcia Griffiths on “Piece By Piece” and Bunny Rugs on “I’ll Be There” keep the tone soulful and grounded. Don Campbell and Lloyd Brown add a tougher edge and a bit of uplift, and Shinehead’s “You Got It Bad” closes things out with a more contemporary feel. The instrumental version lands at track six, which says plenty about how the riddim itself was meant to hold its own.