Favored Nations
2006
Other True Self
About This Album
It's hard to say exactly what was missing from Vernon Reid's last album, Known Unknown. He had basically the same players and seemingly the same basic elements as on Mistaken Identity, but it somehow didn't add up to the same thrilling experience (despite being a fine album). Maybe it was the difference in production teams; maybe the songs weren't quite there -- who knows? Well, that certain something seems to be back with Other True Self. Longtime bandmates Leon Gruenbaum and Hank Schroy are still on board with Don McKenzie in the drummer chair, and Reid assumes sole producer duties for the first time this time out. This is probably the most diverse set of tunes to land on a Masque album, too. "Game Is Rigged" starts things out with some of the hard rock flourishes you might expect from Vernon Reid, but "Flatbush and Church Revisited" is a straight-up reggae number and "Prof. Bebey" is African highlife, Vernon Reid style. Leon Gruenbaum offers up a great hard rocker with "Whiteface" and drummer Don McKenzie wrote the atmospheric "Kizzy." Hank Schroy didn't actually write anything, but did a nice, spacy arrangement for the traditional Brazilian tune "Oxossi.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,11 and 12)

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