Beres Hammond presents different 'moments'

Veteran Beres Hammond

We are accustomed to (and love) Beres Hammond the balladeer (One Step Ahead), Beres Hammond the voice of encouragement and resilience (Putting Up Resistance) and Beres Hammond the nostalgic (Rock Away). On 'A Moment In Time', his latest 16-track set from VP Records including a bonus DVD with his Sumfest 2007 performance, an interview and music video for the CD's opening track, he is that and more.

Identifiable hit

Hammond also gets as philosophical and spiritual as we have ever seen him on a single set, the result being a predominantly reggae album, which, although it does not have an immediately identifiable hit dancing song, as a whole is an outstanding body of work.

The musicianship (almost all live instruments, with members of his standard live gig outfit, plus hornsman Dean Fraser, keyboard player Robbie Lyn and bassist Errol 'Flabba' Holt among the numerous other players) and sound quality are superb. And it all comes together around Hammond's voice and his superb writing.

It is that writing which carries across something as ordinary as a man dancing with a lady in a concise, descriptive way on I Feel Good with the line "and then your hair dances under my chin", as well as the relief that "I feel good because your perfume isn't loud". It is that voice which delivers a particularly emotional, rasping 'I' on the chorus of the spiritual I'll Live Again, a standout track on an excellent album.

It is clear from almost the get-go that Hammond is in tune with current events, as on the third track, Picking Up the Pieces, he sings "this war is not over yet another is starting/hardly any time to say goodbye to our dearly departed". Just past the mid-way point of the set, on Talking Africa, Hammond turns the accustomed concern for the continent into a personal statement with just three words: "shouldn't need donation".

Body and Soul

There is more anti-war philosophy on Body & Soul ("now let's talk of war and see how many suffer/then lets talk about peace and see how many prosper"). Then in the slow- closing title track (which is heavily jazz influenced), Beres Hammond advises "nothing is worth the value of you" for an excellent end.

Relationships are addressed from different angles. There is renewal (Cry No More), commitment (A Place For You), giving in to emotion (I Surrender), impending separation (Dark Clouds) and the beautiful Still Will Be Heaven, in which Hammond expresses his joy with absolutely nothing as long as he has his lady's love:

"If I live to be a hundred years or so

And oceans where green trees used to grow..."

Then there is that most precious and fragile of relationships, Friends, Hammond requesting "tell me the truth even when it hurts, no matter what it might be".

A Moment In Time is given the upmarket packaging it deserves; a glossy hardcover nearly book-style casing, an excellent design with a clock as the motif and four different presentations of an unsmiling (but certainly not unpleasant) Hammond. This one is a keeper.

One gets the feeling that this is a landmark album for Beres Hammond, where he is making a statement about his artistry. The fact that he is the writer and composer on five of the songs reinforces this notion.

And one also gets the distinct feeling that he is aware of the limitations he faces as far as writing his feelings is concerned, as on Picking Up the Pieces he sings:

"Cause if I speak my mind, chances are you won't have a Dad"

Track listing

1. I Feel Good

2. No Goodbye

3. Picking Up The Pieces

4. Still Will Be Heaven

5. Can't Say I Never Tried

6. Friends?

7. Give It All You've Got

8. I'll Live Again

9. Talking Africa

10. Dark Clouds

11. I Surrender

12. A Place For You

13. Bring It On

14. Body & Soul

15. Cry No More

16. A Moment In Time

- Mel Cooke