Eek-A-Nomics

About

Ironically, as Eek-A-Mouse moved further into mainstream consciousness, he became more and more eccentric. 1988’s <i>Eek-A-Nomics</i> is the first LP where his pop ambitions and his peculiar behavior fully merged to create something that's at once bizarre and wholly enjoyable. The influence of funk, rap, and rock continued to mutate Eek’s reggae roots, as evidenced by “The Freak,” “Lies,” and “Goon a Goon.” While many Jamaican artists have attempted to assimilate as a means of gaining crossover acceptance, Eek’s penchant for non-reggae styles only served to heighten his individuality. Here, even when he embraces traditional reggae forms—as on “Come Back in the Morning” or the brilliantly vicious “Glamity”—he sounds like he’s trying to do something new with the genre rather than stay with the pack. “Oh Me Oh My” is emblematic of the album’s aesthetic. A collision of dub bass and buzzsaw guitar, the song is at once claustrophobic, poignant, menacing, and celebratory. Its schizophrenic genius suggests that Eek could well be reggae’s answer to Sly Stone.

via Apple Music