This is a Random Album Generator.
One album a day.
From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Get Started

Maverick A Strike

Finley Quaye

1997
Maverick A Strike
Album Summary

Maverick a Strike is the debut studio album by Scottish musician Finley Quaye. It was released on 6 August 1997 through 550 Music and Epic Records. The album spawned five singles: "Sunday Shining", "Even After All", "It's Great When We're Together", "Your Love Gets Sweeter", and "Ultra Stimulation", all of which charted on the UK Singles Chart. The album peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. The album has been certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.83

Votes

7014
Genres
Reggae

Reviews

Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!
Sort by: Top Date
View Author
Thu Jul 15 2021
3

I have some issues with Maverick A Strike. Finley Quaye's take on dub and reggae is so light it almost floats away; he makes someone like Alpha Blondy look like an exemplar of hardcore roots reggae, which takes some doing. While I was listening to this album, my immediate thought was, \"This is some Brit pretending to be a Jamaican,\" and it turns out that I was almost right. Finley Quaye is actually a born and bred Scot. He can't even claim to be a 2nd generation Jamaican because his dad was born in London and has Ghanaian roots. Now, this is not the same as what bands like The Specials were doing, because it was clear they were playing Brit fanboy versions of their favorite music. Rather, Finley Quaye is trying to pass himself off as a Jamaican singer. This is a little like someone putting on a Southern drawl to sing country when they were raised in Newark, NJ or Michael McDonald trying to sing soul. To be clear, I'm not offended or anything. Hey, if Finley Quaye can pull it off, more power to him. And he almost can, but his singing is by far the weakest element in Maverick A Strike. I suspect you could throw a rock in Jamaica and hit someone with more dub and reggae skills.Which brings me to the music itself. While, compositionally speaking, these songs are as simple as nursery rhymes, they sound amazing. I fully expected to find some star producer calling the shots in the background, but surprisingly, given his weakness as a singer, all of this is due to Finley Quaye himself! He arranged all of the tunes and wrote the originals. And the band consists of his buddies instead of studio musicians. His half-brother was a guitarist with Elton John, so that gives some indication of the pool of talent he had available. And you've got to give credit to Quaye for how tastefully and naturally he has managed to incorporate rock, soul, pop, and triphop touches into the dub and reggae. I've never heard this particular combination of genres--it's wholly original, and pretty darned cool. And the sound! There isn't one horrible sounding synth patch anywhere! The horns and strings are tastefully arranged, never overwhelming the slight songs.If Quaye had been as gifted a composer and singer as he is a producer and arranger, Maverick A Strike would have been a masterpiece, but I'm sorry to report that, as it is, Maverick A Strike is just listenable.

👍
View Author
Mon May 24 2021
2

Feel like I should be sat drinking lattes and reading the guardian in a penthouse flat in Chorlton on a Sunday morning in the 90's.

👍
View Author
Fri Nov 12 2021
1

This album struck a wrong chord with me, a Scottish musician with Ghanaian roots playing pseudo reggae with a fake Jamaican accent. I was born in Jamaica so I just found it to be so wrong from the get go. This was a big miss for me

👍
View Author
Mon Jul 12 2021
1

This is the first 1 I've encountered where I was completely unfamiliar with the subject matter. The vocals feels completely divorced from the music and both are absolutely inane. This is directionless and passionless and reflective of bad 90s reggae in general. I have no idea how this made the list.

👍
View Author
Wed May 12 2021
5

Fantastic albumšŸ‘ŒšŸ½ The track Even After All was especially good.

👍
View Author
Fri Oct 09 2020
4

Quite enjoyed it, a groover for sure, lots of tracks that get better as you listen to them start to hypnotize the ears. Standout Tracks: It's Great When We're Together, Ride On and Turn the People On, The Way of the Explosive, Supreme I Preme, I Need a Lover

👍
View Author
Sun Apr 17 2022
2

Bro who even is this guy. I google his name and the first result is "Finley Quaye found guilty for headbutting terminally ill friend over Game of Thrones" and the image is some black-and-white Gilbert Gottfried lookalike (rest in peace by the way) and Peter Dinklage. Then the literal next result is "Finley Quaye admits criminal damage after he threw metal road sign through glass bus door". The third result is "Finley Quaye threatened to stab cop and 'get a grenade' for bar manager he vowed to shoot". This guy is just smashing everything in his path, pulverizing innocent citizens with his laser beam eyes, and I'm supposed to listen to his album? I listened to his album and it was pretty alright. Not a huge fan of reggae or obliterating people with metal rods, but I enjoyed "Sunday Shining". Hope he doesn't throw a comically large piano down a flight of stairs at me for giving his album a 2/5.

👍
View Author
Sun Jul 30 2023
2

Definitely donā€™t need to listen to Scottish Reggae.

👍
View Author
Wed Dec 22 2021
4

Super mellow and smooth, especially for a Sunday afternoon. Very chill with hypnotic (but not numbing) vocals.

👍
View Author
Sun Jan 16 2022
4

Though it came out in `97, I always associate this album with the middle of 1998. At the time, this album along with Eagle Eye Cherry's Desireless and Ian Brown's Unfinished Monkey Business were my Sunday afternoon chill out albums. Shaking off the hangover from the night before they hit the rest button before I went off and did it all again. I remember getting paid out for liking these albums but they were important to me at the time. Listening with fresh ears after not having played Maverick a Strike for over a decade, the parts I loved are still as good as I remember. Flawed in places, it still deserves the acolasdes it got in Britain and I wish it took off more in Australia.

👍
View Author
Mon Apr 26 2021
3

I was not familiar with this guy and really liked this, particularly on a sunny Sunday.

👍
View Author
Mon May 17 2021
3

Un mĆ©lange de soul et de reggae sur fond d'ustensiles de cuisine ; Finley Quaye a rĆ©ussi son pari. Tout y passe : les casseroles, les poĆŖles, la rĆ¢pe Ć  fromage... on peut mĆŖme entendre un Ć©pluche-lĆ©gume marquer le rythme sur plusieurs morceaux. Un vĆ©ritable tour de force.

👍
View Author
Wed Dec 22 2021
3

Ah, more like it, some traditional Scottish music. It's the sound of late 90s sophistication again. Nice enough lite reggae with a sprinkling of trip hop. Inoffensive.

👍
View Author
Fri Oct 01 2021
2

It's very pleasant. Sunny. Lyrics not always sunny. Like the production in headphones. Red Rolled and Seen is good. Sone interesting stuff going on here.

👍
View Author
Fri Oct 15 2021
2

I don't know what's more interesting - the cultural history of the Ga-Dangbe ethnic group of Ghana, from which Quaye's father is from; or the fact that Quaye once headbutted a terminally ill friend in an argument over Game of Thrones. I'll tell you what is not most interesting. This album. I mean, I think he probably thought he was making interesting music, but I didn't find it interesting.

👍
View Author
Thu Jan 20 2022
2

Pretty chill reggae, but including this while having 0 Toots & The Maytals albums should be illegal.

👍
View Author
Wed Apr 28 2021
5

Definitely in the top ten of my favourite albums of the 90s. An absolute Eton Mess of styles and sounds all mashed together deliciously.

👍
View Author
Sun May 08 2022
5

Zonnige zomervibes en feel good reggae muziek. Met veel plezier naar geluisterd

👍
View Author
Fri Aug 19 2022
5

This one is nostalgic for me

👍
View Author
Fri Aug 19 2022
5

Loved listening to this again.

👍
View Author
Mon Jul 24 2023
5

One of mi nineties preferred

👍
View Author
Tue Aug 29 2023
5

10/10 what genre is this?? post-reggae?! it sounds awesome!!

👍
View Author
Mon May 10 2021
4

Super quality reggae, much needed

👍
View Author
Tue Jun 01 2021
4

quite nice and musically not just the simple cliche reggae everyone knows

👍
View Author
Fri Jan 29 2021
4

Like it. No stand out songs, but overall good-mood music. Probably liked Sunday Shining best.

👍
View Author
Fri Jan 29 2021
4

Jammy, psychedelic reggae. I liked it.

👍
View Author
Sun Feb 21 2021
4

This one is going on the playlist

👍
View Author
Tue Jul 20 2021
4

Reggae muy fino, estoy seguro que le encantarĆ­a a mi Johnny Greenwood.

👍
View Author
Sun Jul 04 2021
4

Would be 3 now, 5 when it came out. Not dated that well as I find the voice a bit irritating

👍
View Author
Wed Jul 07 2021
4

I enjoyed this way more than I expected I would. Great beats and fun vibes all around.

👍
View Author
Wed Jul 07 2021
4

Liked it! A little groovy, liked his voice. Sunday Shining was my favorite song.

👍
View Author
Tue Jun 29 2021
4

Fun album with innovative production, and a great vocalist. Didn't blow me away but still a great album!

👍
View Author
Fri Aug 13 2021
4

I didnt know what to make of this album - but loved it, some really great tracks on it. A great discovery this one.

👍
View Author
Thu Oct 07 2021
4

Great album. Really enjoyed listening to this one again.

👍
View Author
Fri Nov 12 2021
4

Finley has a beautiful voice and knows how to write catchy tunes. I had "The Sun is Shining' on high rotation back in the day and there are a bunch of other great songs here, though the CD is a bit front-end loaded. He dips in and out of reggae the way k-os dips in and out of rap.

👍
View Author
Thu Nov 18 2021
4

I've never heard of this dude at all, but this music is great. Right up my alley. Some cool funk/reggae vibes.

👍
View Author
Tue Nov 23 2021
4

Meh, some bangers bood as a whole not that good

👍
View Author
Thu Nov 25 2021
4

I don't know much 'modern' reggae and don't often listen to it, but this is good stuff. I can see myself listening again in the right mood.

👍
View Author
Thu Dec 02 2021
4

Wow! Did not expect this. Fantastic listen

👍
View Author
Sun Dec 19 2021
4

This might be the most recent reggae album I've ever listened to. Really deep grooves here.

👍
View Author
Mon Dec 20 2021
4

Nearly gave this 5 stars for sentimental reasons, spent many a hazy afternoon listening to this in the 90's. Really enjoyed playing it again.

👍
View Author
Wed Dec 22 2021
4

Loved it. I knew Quaye from Massive Attack and Tricky, but this was the first time I have listened to this album. Sunday Shining must have been on a soundtrack or mix tape or something. Def a good bop. Very listenable album, but some of the tracks were just a little too empty of sonic or emotional value to make this a true five. A *lot* of highlights, though.

👍
View Author
Fri Jan 14 2022
4

Great album, r&b, reggae influences

👍
View Author
Wed Mar 09 2022
4

gosh i love when i am caught off guard for an album! this album was so mellow to listen to. perfect for a workday. some real gems could be found--"sunday shining" is such a beautiful song, full of hope. "i need a lover" reminds me deeply of prince. i love this combination of blues, reggae, soul, jazz in this album. such creativity! i am looking forward to listening to this again.

👍
View Author
Thu Mar 31 2022
4

I'd never heard of Finlay Quaye before and did not know what to expect. I found it an absolute delight, a terrific mix of reggae and pop unlike anything else I've heard. Really enjoyed it.

👍
View Author
Fri Apr 01 2022
4

I wasn't expecting much from this but really enjoyed it. It sounds very Bristol influenced. A bit dubby, a bit trip-hoppy. Thumbs up. Smiley face. Sun is shining emoji.

👍
View Author
Thu May 26 2022
4

This is a really nice discovery. Fantastic mix of reggae and trip hop that sounds amazing. Beautiful production and I love his voice; sort of a mix between Winston Rodney's gravely intensity and Gregory Isaac's silky smoothness. 4.5 šŸŒŸ

👍
View Author
Fri Jun 24 2022
4

A dub and reggae album with flourishes of the then-contemporary sounds; this is a rather ambitious and auspicious debut album from 1997, a year chock full of ambitious albums that looked toward the future rather than mine from the past. Maverick A Strike seems to have gone under the radar, which is a shame seeing as though it is looking to be re-discovered and re-evaluated as it should. A hidden gem, for sure. Favorites: Ultra Stimulation, It's Great When We're Together, Sunday Shining, The Way of the Explosive, Your Love Gets Sweeter, Sweet and Loving Man.

👍
View Author
Wed Aug 10 2022
4

Let's be honest, it's soft rock/Reggae from a Scotsman trying to sing with a Jamaican accent. The singing could also be better. That being said, there are some great chill songs here, the composition and musicianship is great.

👍
View Author
Fri Oct 28 2022
4

Hearing this for the first time, I'm surprised this guy is not more of a household name. He's like a modern sounding Bob Marley, but even more accessible to a mass audience. I found these songs to be great listens, really grooving.

👍
View Author
Mon Nov 14 2022
4

Tracks 1-5 are all undeniable bangers. This is way better than I remember (I think I borrowed it off a mate, taped Sunday Shining and Love Gets Sweeter and bunned off the rest of the album as boring). The second half of the album may have justified my young opinion, but this album was SO strong out of the gates it's still great.

👍
View Author
Wed Nov 30 2022
4

I wasn't in the mood for this style of music at all today but it was still a good listen.

👍
View Author
Fri Dec 23 2022
4

Kind of a grower. Apart from happy-go-lucky songs thereā€˜s a certain depth to the whole project which cannot only be explained by the use of dubby reverb. Sincere 3.6

👍
View Author
Wed Dec 28 2022
4

Loved this album back then Great to go back to the dub grooves ā€¦ top musicians on it ā€¦ Great bass, guitar and drums even after all ā€¦ A strong 4

👍
View Author
Wed Feb 01 2023
4

This is a great album, 4.5 stars. Reggae influences without being full-on reggae/repetitive. Balances blending lots of different instruments with still feeling simple. Vocals set a tone that feels 'relatable' and guitar is given freedom to shine at times. Pace changes throughout but is never too fast or too slow. Standout is "Sunday Shining"

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 03 2023
4

I'd forgotten just how good this album is! But the second half does let it down a bit.

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 23 2023
4

Nostalgia filled me to the brim and then I spilled over with joyous bubbles of musical pleasure. Maybe if you didn't listen to this weekly in your teens, your feel differently.

👍
View Author
Sun Mar 12 2023
4

Reggae. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

👍
View Author
Thu Mar 23 2023
4

Really enjoyed this. And nice to see a reggae album make a list from an artist Iā€™d never heard of

👍
View Author
Thu Mar 30 2023
4

Finley Quaye's best song (ā€œDiceā€) isnā€™t on this album, but this album is just as perfectly mellow. Wonderful listening experience.

👍
View Author
Fri Apr 28 2023
4

Fun album thatā€™s fairly varied on top of itā€™s reggae sound

👍
View Author
Thu May 04 2023
4

Good lord, there's a blast from the past. I think I must've had this on cassette, I know all the songs so I must've done, and it still sounds really good to this day. Highly enjoyable, infantile lyrics (and Jamaican accent) but really great beats, rhythm and sounds (hence the mobo award). Added back to collection without hesitation. Great to bring myself up to speed with his shenanigans, only to find out he headbutted his (terminally ill) mate because he wouldn't turn game of thrones off, for which he was fined and given 225 hours unpaid work, was declared bankrupt with over Ā£383k debts and was kicked off stage by an organiser because he was intoxicated. Jolly album though, can barely tell he was born in Edinburgh.

👍
View Author
Wed May 24 2023
4

Really quite good. Surprised.

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 01 2023
4

Quite relaxing raegge, really liked the bass work in there.

👍
View Author
Fri Jun 09 2023
4

Cool, refreshing, vibe of reggae meets psychedelia with velvety smoothe vocals topping off the whole concoction. A keeper from the start.

👍
View Author
Thu Jul 27 2023
4

A surprisingly good album. I never heard it at the time and was surprised by the depth and variety. Even After All and Sunday Shining are the standouts, but there are so many great little moments - the use of the Amen break in Ride on, the sweet little rock n roll rhythm in Your Love Gets Sweeter, the trip-hop atmosphere on Supreme... The lyrics are quite stream-of-consciousness - sometimes this works really well, sometimes it's a little repetitive, but as an album to put on for a laid back Sunday evening, you couldn't do better. So close to being 5 star, but the lyrics (and a couple of filler tracks in I Need A Lover and Red Rolled and Seen) drop it to a 4. Well worth a listen though.

👍
View Author
Fri Aug 04 2023
4

Tails off toward the end but the singles are all high quality. Generous 4.

👍
View Author
Wed Aug 16 2023
4

If there was a dedicated algorithm, quantifying music that I love, I doubt Finley Quaye would make an appearance. However, I absolutely love him. My favourite song of his, Dice, is not on here, but I canā€™t play any Finley Quaye without bookending it with that song. The timbre of his voice, the beats, the melodies ā€“ Iā€™m sold. Unfortunately, heā€™s in the news at the moment for domestic disturbances and aggravating his ex-partner. Such a shame when that just tarnishes a beautiful body of work.

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 01 2023
4

Album #13 I was not familiar with this artist or album and went into this listen blind. I am a fan of late 90s-early 00s trip hop, so hearing that familiar dub sound was a pleasant surprise. It kind of had a Thievery Corporation meets Zero 7 vibe going for it. Some of the lyrics seemed repetitive or redundant despite being different songs. I don't know why, but I got a "poser" feeling from some of them, but I can't really believe the judge of that, especially since it is not my culture. Overall, I really enjoyed it, but it wasn't something that I'm dying to listen to again. If it randomly came on, I doubt I'd skip it. 3.5* rounded up to 4*

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 01 2023
4

Interesting listening. This would be good to just chill with or put on in the background.

👍
View Author
Mon Sep 11 2023
4

The first half or 2/3rds of the album was great, but it kind of lost the magic toward the end. Overall solid though

👍
View Author
Wed Sep 20 2023
4

Never heard this. Really liked it. Obviously some Bob Marley vibes, but a really unique "psychedelic reggae" feel to the whole thing. I was also getting a real Sam Cooke vibe from his voice as well - which was awesome.

👍
View Author
Wed Sep 20 2023
4

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Even after all, Your love gets sweeter

👍
View Author
Thu Jul 22 2021
3

Knew nothing going in, and its pretty atmospheric and interesting. Closer to a 3.5

👍
View Author
Mon Oct 12 2020
3

Don't listen to much reggae but I enjoyed this

👍
View Author
Wed Sep 23 2020
3

I enjoyed the album, and having only known a bit about Finley Quaye it was great to hear his sound in what seems to be the highlight of his career. Some of the songs I had recognized prior and enjoyed, but overall I think it was a good mix. There were a couple of songs I wasn't as invested in hence the 3*.

👍
View Author
Mon Feb 15 2021
3

it's great when we're together

👍
View Author
Thu Apr 29 2021
3

Pretty good. Not earth shattering, but good.

👍
Load more reviews