Delayed and different from his previous releases,
World Cry is reggae singer
Jah Cure's great transition from provocative to pop, having launched his career with the prison blues after his incarceration back in 1999. This 2013 release is so
Wyclef, so
will.i.am, or so
Usher at points that it seems like
Jah Cure's road to redemption is well in his rear-view mirror and he's just turned on to the million dollar mile, but the smooth pop perfection of "Unconditional Love" is an undeniable hit, an attractive ballad, and crossover at its best.
Cure's comfortable enough to come off as reggae's
Justin Timberlake elsewhere on the album, and when he applies that
Joseph Hill-like croon of his to ridiculous fluff like "Co Sign," it certainly elevates the light material. Still, the title cut crowds out
Cure's emotive performance with marching bands and fireworks, coming off as ridiculous Super Bowl half-time stuff, but this smooth, soft effort is quite fat at 14 cuts, so trimming off the fat is cool runnings, as they say. ~ David Jeffries