Inna De Yard is back, with their best album yet! Following a long hiatus triggered by the pandemic, the much-loved acoustic reggae project makes a triumphant return with another heart-warming set of unplugged classics, titled Family Affair.
To fully understand the latest iteration of the project, let’s remind ourselves of the inspiration behind the series: Inna De Yard has always sought to capture the essence of Jamaican popular music by stripping reggae down to its core essentials.
Through recording some of the music’s greatest singer-songwriters in a naturalistic setting, unencumbered by electronic instruments and contemporary studio technology, the project pays homage to the informal jam sessions that gave birth to reggae in the ‘yards’ of Kingston – that is, the communal outdoor spaces shared between families in the ghetto – like the famous ‘government yard’ in Trench Town where Bob Marley and the Wailers learned their craft.
Family Affair continues that tradition, and we consider this new album to be the finest Inna De Yard episode. Although the bigger stars like Ken Boothe and Horace Andy who passed through the Yard are absent, the new album evidences the skills of project’s longstanding vocalists as well as its new editions, the musicians displaying uncommon virtuosity with their instruments and the track listing allowing the group to explore some vintage reggae in their own inimitable fashion. As Inna De Yard continues its meandering journey, it demonstrates that the roots are still growing as the project becomes stronger and stronger.
