Lucky Dube
The Way It Is
Shanachie (www.shanachie.com)

Inspirational, anthemic and catchy, South African Lucky Dube's moral pop tunes are always consistent, but not overtly political like Fela or even Alpha Blondy. Dube has an "us" and a "them" but doesn't name names, leaving lyrics like "If you stand for the truth/You always stand alone" open to interpretation. Still, the music is solid and infectious, and he inserts nice details like lyrical nods to Marley classics "400 Years" and "Concrete Jungle" in his own "Man in the City". Overall, The Way It Is is a strong, mature album that represents Dube's best work in several years. - Craig Tower