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Snow - Two Hands Clapping Urbnet.com Review
It’s been ten years since a young Darrin O’Brien entered prison and eight months later emerged as an international star, the result of his breakthrough smash hit “Informer”. Two Hands Clapping sees the man better known as Snow return to his dancehall reggae roots and incorporate the sounds of pop, R&B and hip-hop for a balanced attack that will keep the dancefloor moving into the new year. The first single “Legal” is a good indication of what to expect here, a perfect blend of reggae and pop that sounds like the Snow of old. Elsewhere he teams up with rapper Chris Black on the aptly named “Black n’ Snow”, a hip-hop song that finds Snow delivering his lyrics in a melodic sing-song reggae style. Their second collaboration “Mistaken Identity” revisits “Informer” territory, a track about being wrongfully accused of a crime. Other highlights include “That’s My Life” (featuring Jelleestone) where Snow questions with the motives of his so-called friends and “Missing You”, a potential hit song with ballad-like lyrics accented by a lively beat. Rounding out the album are catchy, radio-friendly tracks that could all be released as singles. It’s the stellar “Whole Nine Yards” that steals the show, an uptempo song where Snow uses a similar vocal style to the one made famous by Barrington Levy. On his fifth album, Snow has created a focused, well-produced package of likeable music and marks his welcome return to form. [Bradley Miller]
Snow’s the only white guy who makes reggae work, and he’s making it sound genuine. The first single, “Legal,” is just one of many potential hits on the album. He gets candid with “That’s My Life,” and it’s heard in his voice, making each and every word sound convincing. This album will bring Snow back to the U.S.
****/*****
By Adam Gonshor
SNOW Two Hands Clapping
It may surprise some to hear that Two Hands Clapping is Snow’s fifth album to date. Despite his tremendous impact on the international reggae scene, he has had a relatively low-key presence in hometown Toronto since his 1993 breakthrough hit, "Informer." Snow’s latest effort finds him revisiting his dancehall reggae roots while continuing to incorporate pop, R&B, and rap into his song writing. Fans of his earlier work will not be disappointed by the smooth "Missing You," the grooving single "Legal" and guest appearances by the likes of rappers Jelleestone and Chris Black. For those about to dance, we applaud you with Two Hands Clapping.
The Sheaf Online - Michael
Holoday
Snow came to town on February 14 to Louis' pub, and I must confess that
I did not have huge expectations for the show.
First off, it was Valentine's Day, and I'm sure that Snow is not most
people's first pick for a romantic evening out. In fact, I would wager
money that most of the attendees were single.
Secondly, I was certainly not his biggest fan to begin with. My friend was
thrilled about the concert, however, and her enthusiasm towards the
Snow-man rubbed off on me. By the end of the night, I had succumbed to the
styles of one of Canada's most successful hip-hop acts.
The show had the feel of a MuchMusic Intimate and Interactive. Snow
conversed regularly with audience members, and his sense of humor was
almost as entertaining as the music. He took questions and freestyled a
few songs on request. Snow, his partner, and the two female dancers
onstage with them kept the energy level high despite having a crowd of
less than 100. His biggest fan was on hand to tell him how much she loved
him, and he seemed to enjoy the small but intimate setting of the concert.
Snow had an entourage. Enough said.
He came on stage at about 11:00 p.m. and opened the night with "Crazy
Feeling." There was a good mix of songs spanning his whole career,
and about halfway through the show, he whipped out "Informer."
The memories of grade nine came crashing in as we made our way to the
dance floor. He also played a lot of his recent material such as
"Plumb Song" and "Everybody Wants to be Like You,"
which kept the die hards on the dance floor until the end. He came out for
one encore, and then stayed to hang out and sign autographs after the
show.
I am sure that had Snow come to play on a different day there would have
been a much larger crowd, but it was a great show that benefited because
of the low turn-out. After it was over, Snow commented that he enjoyed
playing the small crowd at Louis' even more than he had enjoyed playing
for 2000 in Calgary the night before.
My friend and I have become converted Snow fans, and I must say that I was
humbled by the skill and hard work I saw. Brother Snow is an extremely
talented Canadian musician, and it is evident from the outstanding
performance he gave that he loves what he does.
Edmonton Sun Psykoblast Review - Steve Tilley
Next up was Snow, the former rapper whose transformation into a
radio-friendly pop artist sounds weird on paper, but actually turns out to
be a positive career move for the talented Torontonian. Joined on stage by
a DJ, an MC and a couple of fly girls, Snow's reggae-tinged set was
energetic and musically solid, including current hits The Plumb Song and
Everybody Wants to Be Like You from his latest CD, Mind On the Moon.
The lulls between (and sometimes during) songs were filled with Snow's
mile-a-minute sing-song rap, making him sound like a Jamaican auctioneer
trying to meet quota. Except with positive messages, like, "We don't
want no trouble business" and "love your mudder and fadder"
and "mumblemumblemumble Edmonton mumblemumble." He still seems
like the odd man out on PsykoBlast, but that's not necessarily a bad
thing.
Those who remember Snow’s blockbuster hit "Informer" may be surprised to hear that the Canadian singer is still going strong with his latest album, Mind on the Moon. The album’s sound is upbeat and sophisticated, with tracks that will set your feet tapping.
Songs like "The Plumb Song" and "Everything’s Fine" are excellent examples of Snow’s imminently singable tunes. You may need to check the liner notes for some of the lyrics, but the tunes will be in your head for days—whether you liked the songs or not. One thing to note is the conspicuous absence of any ballads. One can only guess at the reason for this—the album’s producers may not have wanted to break up its "feel good" vibes with anything slow, which listeners will appreciate.
Fans and newcomers alike will enjoy playing these tracks in the car, at home, or wherever good background music is called for. Excellent stocking-stuffer material for the music-lover on your list.
Virtually absent from the music scene since hitting it big with
"Informer" in 1993, Snow tries to garner more of that success
with a new sound on Mind On The Moon.
This new album sees Snow stray from his previous hard-edged roughness and
try his hand at a softer sound. "Everybody Wants to Be Like
You," the album's first release, displays this more melodic style.
"Nothin' On Me" and "Little Did They Know" have a
similar sound, with lyrics that are obviously personal and introspective.
Snow also showcases his vocals by minimizing the rap and reggae charge.
The rapid and barely understandable dance hall vocals of
"Informer" accent songs like "Jimmy Hat," "Scrub
Off" and "Joke Thing" without overpowering them. The tracks
on this album don't require much vocal range, so Snow's mediocre voice
proves sufficient enough to sustain each song.
The slower, mellower beats are met with some pop-infusion and even some
Latin groove. "Everything's Fine" is ruined by too much record
scratching, while "Funky Martini" mixes way too many sounds
together.
Mind on the Moon shows a very different side of Snow. This slower,
smoother and sometimes sensual side works in "Everybody Want to Be
Like You" but not so well in "The Plumb Song," which leaves
you wondering which Snow – old or new – is better. With this new
album, Snow isn't absolutely effective either way.
–Jenny Benincasa
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One of Canada’s most successful musical exports, Toronto
singer-rapper Snow burst onto the scene in 1992 with the wildly popular
single “Informer,” taken from his debut album 12 Inches of Snow.
Since then, the reggae artist has continued to add a more diverse backdrop
of influences into his music in an ongoing process of maturity and
evolution. Mind on the Moon serves as an emphatic response
to critics that thought Snow’s popular allure had melted away, offering
12 brilliantly crafted tunes that mix reggae, hip-hop and R’n’B with
fantastic flair. From the sly innovation of “Anti Love Song” to the
infectious chorus of the lead single “Everybody Wants to Be Like You,”
Snow’s silver tongue navigates a satisfying stretch of musical terrain
with exceptional results.
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Toronto's original "Informer" is back with his Virgin Music
debut. Darrin O'Brien (better known to the world as Snow) has shot back
from relative obscurity with the success of Mind On The Moon's first
single, the easy, listener-friendly, Everybody Wants To Be Like You. The
rest of the CD is a wonderful surprise, with Snow showing off his singing
and unique "quasi-rapping" on song like "Funky Martin"
and "The Plumb Song". This is the CD for those who liked the
first single, and who won't be surprised by a good and fun pop record.
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Informer? More like Reformer. Reggae-pop toaster and dancehall bad boy
Snow cleans up his act big-time on his fourth CD Mind on the Moon. After
the heavy Jamaican vibe of his '97 flop Justuss, Darrin O'Brien takes
blatant aim at the pop charts here. Rubba-dub rhythms and Caribbean
melodies are tossed for silky smooth soul and boy-band hip-pop, and even
Snow's boasting toasting -- arguably his main strength -- is literally
pushed back in the mix to make room for crooning vocals on songs like
Everybody Wants to be Like You, one of several numbers that could be an
outtake from a Backstreet Boys demo (not surprisingly, BSB and 'N Sync
cohort Mike Tucker had a hand in the production). It ain't totally Snow
White -- the song Jimmy Hat is about exactly what you think, in no
uncertain terms. But in the main, Snow's latest leaves us cold.
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It's been a long climb back for Snow (nie Darren O'Brien) since the
massive success of "Informer". His follow-ups didn't fare as
well and his occasional run-ins with the law proved to be hot fodder for
tabloids. This newest album (his first for Popular) smacks of all the
things that made his first release so special: superb riddims, dope
rhymes, hot music beds. And today, rightfully, he's earned a place of
respect for bridging the gap between pure reggae and today's ragga rap.
The inside information on Mind On The Moon: it's one of the year's most
pleasant surprises. Welcome back!
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SNOW Mind On The Moon (Virgin/EMI)
Gone the way of Vanilla Ice, Canada's favourite rapper had his 15 minutes
of fame with "Informer," then disappeared into oblivion. But
what's this? There's a new Snow song playing on heavy rotation on radio?
"Everybody Wants To Be Like You" might be a smooth little
R&B dance ditty to play at the clubs, but the rest of the album is so
lame. There isn't any ruffneck reggae material that Snow was known for in
the past, but it just becomes positively B4-4 near the middle. Weak,
without much of a beat and just lame, lame, lame. Snow should take his
mind off the moon and on his music.
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SNOW IS BACK - make no mistake! The Canadian reggae star returns to
center stage with his newest offering, MIND ON THE MOON. Gone are
real-life tales about incarceration and being tossed in the back of a
police cruiser that inevitably wound up on his 1992 smash 12 INCHES OF
SNOW. Instead, the multi-platinum artist is older, wiser, mellower, and
sober, continuing to create inarguably viable music that speaks to the
masses.
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