Good writing from Dylan Murray on White Wing Roots.

Anyone named Dylan who picks up a guitar had better come good as a songwriter. Talk about name pressure.

Dylan Murray does not disgrace the famous name on his release White Wing Roots, which in these days of one score songs on a CD is dubbed an EP, not an album it does has all of eight tracks.

The name is not unfamiliar, as Murray entered the IRIE FM Big Break competition last year. And for those who attended the contests eliminations the first song on the EP, Money Thing, will not be unfamiliar either, as it was his entry in the competition. It got good response live and the recording justifies that initial enthusiasm, as Murray's lyrics, laid over an acoustic guitar, have an impact. He sings that once you pull the trigger and kill your brother man, mean sey yu kill yourself, you understand the government and the media make the people fight in the city yah, confuse their minds, chaos within, and the people at the top jus a grin, cause it's a money ting.

Good, very good

Not bad at all, the same going for the other two acoustic guitar backed tracks on the set, Don't Wanna Sit Around being a lyrical bombshell that deserves several rewinds, mixing life philosophy with a lover's wistfulness.

It is good, very good.

Of course, White Wing Roots is not all acoustic, reggae rockers having their fair share of EP time.

However, on Babylon Will Fall, which features Dark Angel, the lyrics (like the topic) are stock in trade and, coupled with a saxophone that is way too loud in the refrain, it is not a significant addition to the set.

And on the rockers of This Is My Life, the writing and the reggae come together in a beautiful description of this big big music from the little rock. As Murray sings, he put this reggae music here and just say use it as your vest, fe keep we all afloat till the day we can res.

Love makes the cut on I Love The Way You, but not in any very striking way.

White Wing Roots is short, but contains more than enough substance to make it a worthwhile listen.

Track listing

1. Money Thing

2. Babylon Will Fall (feat. Dark Angel)

3. If You Wanna Live

4. I Love The Way You

5.Don't Wanna Sit Around

6. Batti Ryda Raid (feat. Dark Angel)

7. This is My Life

8. So Far From the Earth

- Mel Cooke