– semi-finals on tonight in Linden

By Rawle Toney

It is that time of the year again when the country’s Soca artists vie for a chance to called King or Queen of the up-tempo genre as the Carib Soca Monarch beats off at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground in Linden this evening with the staging of its semi-finals.

From a total of 15 entries, the organisers have selected the 12 best songs which they feel will offer nothing short of a fiery contest as they attempt to dethrone reigning champion Shellon ‘Shelly G’ Garraway.

The organisers told The Scene that the tunes were judged on their lyrics, melody, rendition, diction and musical arrangement.

By virtue of winning last year, the “Swing It” sensation has booked an automatic place in the February 20 final which is slated for the National Park.

Meanwhile, of the 12 contestants, they are four unfamiliar names – Jackie Hanover, Simeon Sam, Tiele Thorne (Trinidad and Tobago based) and Jamaica-based Pierre Da Silva.

It is believed that Thorne’s groovy type Soca track “Material Things” and Da Silva’s “Mad, Mad, Mad”, are two of the competition’s hottest entries. Critics are of the opinion that Hanover’s entry song entitled “Its Festival Time” has the conventional soca tracks.

Tomeka Thomas, Atiola “Attie” Peters, Beverley “Little B” Williams, Melissa “Vanilla” Roberts, Wilbur “B52” Levans, Orlando “Bonesman” Johashen, Jermaine “Cyclone” Bailey and Barbara “Lady Barbara” Nedd are the other contestants.

Last year, Vanilla and B52 (formerly known as Lil Man) finished second and third respectively behind Shelly G. Vanilla’s song “High” seems to raise plenty eyebrows; not because it’s a cut about the rest, but because it’s very close to her 2009 track “Rude”. The tempo and tune are the same, but the lyrics which speak of waving yah colours high, putting your hands up, breaking away and pushing back yah bumper are different.

B52 on the other hand has certainly come this year to “Carry On” like his song says and the feet tapping and waist moving tune is definitely one of the hit songs of this year’s completion. The Fireman by profession has over the years been one of the top contenders for the crown and this single is well in keeping with his entertaining reputation.

His Kross Kolor Records (KKR) crew member Bonesman believes that Mashramani time “Is We Own” with his entry song for the competition.

The Cyclone said that it is “Celebration Time” in Guyana and unity is the key in his song which he hopes will take him to the National Park next month.

Signal Sounds recording artiste Thomas’s tune is entitled “Balloon” but the title of the track is way off from the song.

Part of the chorus says: “Leh we mash it up, free up, free up, nice up, nice up, come leh we mash it up”. But the sound is unappealing.

Sam’s “Love Over Hate” is two minutes and 38 seconds long and has most of the words as the chorus. The actual verse is a crossover of rap and soca mixed with dancehall.

Lady Barbara says she “Want a Man” to wine 24/7 to help in her slim fast plan in a song with comical lyrics not supported by its tune.