#AHAlbumReview: A Review Of The 'Spotlight' Album By Reekado Banks

 

This is one album I have been waiting for, of course for so many reasons but particularly I wanted to hear want the controversial Next Rated had to offer. You should know that I am a huge fan of Reekado Banks and I believe in his talent but also I believe that he shouldn’t have won the next rated award and that was why after the award I kept a keen focus on the progress of Reeky.

One thing I expected from this album was top notch production considering the fact that Don Jazzy would be heavily involve and I must say I am well satisfied with the production on the album also considering that the work wasn't really dominated by Jazzy as other Mavin producer in person of Baby Fresh and Altims were allowed to show their production talent. So in terms of production this album is a yes yes for me.

Baby Fresh Produced Tracks: 2, 3,5,8,16,17

In a very funny way I find myself enjoying this song rather than I thought I would, I guess it was the message and the way he delivered it that is getting to me but whatever it is, Dangote (Track 17) is another decent song from the Spotlight album, though I felt Reeky was just trying to show off his choir skills because the song sounded more like a churchy kind of song. The rating would be 8/10.   

Okay I have to say it Baby Fresh just had to burst my head with the wicked production he did on this song, All Your Love (Track 8) no doubt is one of my best song in this album, everything about the song dope and of course D’Prince came through for his label mate on this on too. The rating most def would be 9/10.  

Biggy Man (Track 5) is another Baby Fresh produced track that I simply can’t ignore on this album and Reeky had to implore the service of the hottest artiste of 2016 Falz The Bahd Guy and together they gave us another 9/10 rating song.  

Killah Whyne (Track 2) has to be the best song on this album and no one else is responsible for this madt jam than Baby Fresh. Reeky wasn't alone on this joint has he brought on Patoranking and together they killah the beat giving me a perfect 9/10 song. 

Problem (Track 3) is indeed a problem song as Baby Fresh once again showed his magical touch on the track and as expected Reeky didn't dull the beat at all. The rating would be 9/10. 

The only track which wasn't really up to par amongst all the song produced by Baby Fresh is Today, not that it is a bad song as a matter of fact na decent song but it would fall under one of my weak songs on the album with a rating of 5/10.

Altims Produced Tracks: 1, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 20, 

Baby Oku (Track 7) was the first song I got to listen to amongst the new songs on the album and I must say I was impressed though I am still believe that Flavour on this track would have given this track that perfect Igbo highlife Reeky was trying to achieve with this song but like I said, he was able to come out strong and the rating would be 7/10.

  

Koloba (Track 4) has very decent and powerful instrumentals at the same time there is this familiar tone underneath but as for the song once again Reeky wasn't up to his game at all. The rating would be 5/10. 

With Ladies and Gentlemen it was clear that Altims is very good when it comes to highlife kinda song and Reeky also got it right on this one though it should be said that what would sell this song more aside the catchy chorus would be a good video. Of course the guitar played on this song by Femi Leye was on point, in fact it was the saving grace, the rating would be 8/10. 

Really, I am impressed with this song because both Altims and Reeky finally got it right with their combination because that Highlife thing wasn't just working. The reggae feeling in Move (Track 11) was cool and of course Venessa Mdee did perfectly well on the track and the rating would be 8/10. 

Gbagbe (Track 12) seems to be the best track that Altims produced on this track, the production was very cool, the way he funkified (pardon me for using that word) the afrobeat was super and how Reeky blended into it was perfect, the rating would be 8/10.  

Oluwa Ni (Track 20) remains one of my best track on this album, just like the original, this remix with Sarkodie also burst my brain and the rating would be 9/10.  Hey Stranger (Track 1) is not a bad song I must say, Reeky came through on this and Altims didn't also disappoint with the production and all in all the rating would be 8/10.

Don Jazzy Produced Tracks: 9, 13, 14, 15, 18, 

Change took us to another level entirely as Reekado Banks came hard on this afrobeat sound and I must say he nailed it. Good song with good lyrics and of course wonderful instruments and production from Jazzy. This is definitely an 8/10 rating.   

When Don Jazzy is on a track you would tell, Love My Baby (Track 13) is a dope joint, from the beat to the instrumentals, the production is super duper and you wouldn’t expect Reeky to dull at all. The rating for this song is 9/10.  

Olaoluwa (Track 15) is the perfect highlife song on this album and I think Altims still needs to learn more in this aspect from Jazzy because most of his highlife produced songs still need some more professional touches. I enjoyed this song so much I had to play it five times before moving on. The rating definitely would be 9/10. 

The beginning of this song sounded so like Parker Ighele song with Nicki Minaj 'Remember Me' but as the song began to play the similarity began to fade. Turn The Lights On should have been the first track of this album, it would have put us in a very good mood in preparing for the album. Decent song and decent production, the rating would be 8/10.

In summary I would say I am impressed with the Spotlight album and I hope this would show people that Reekado Banks is very much talented and also deserve to have won the next rated award though probably not at the time he did but the truth remains that he is a pure talent and this album is a prove of that as the total rating for the album would be 8/10.

Big ups to Don Jazzy and Baby Fresh for the extraordinary work they put into this album as their tracks made this album what it is, that's not to take anything away from Altims but the song he produced aren't as good as those produced by the Jazzy and Baby Fresh.

Now, Headies next rated nominees like Lil Kesh, Kiss Daniel and the award winner Reekado Banks have all released their debut albums. Which do you think is better? Though we await other nominees like Cynthia Morgan and Korede Bello