WEEKEND DUDE

By Gino

Alright, so here’s the lowdown on Duane Stephenson—yeah, that guy with the buttery voice who used to sing with To Isis. Back in 2007, he dropped his solo debut, From August Town, through VP Records. Honestly, that album slapped. The title track alone? Pure gold. Then he threw in Ghetto Pain, Misty Morning, and a killer remake of Tyrone Taylor’s Cottage In Negril. People were pretty much convinced he was about to become reggae’s next big deal.

But, you know how it goes—music is a fickle beast. Even though he followed up with solid stuff like Black Gold (2010) and Dangerously Roots (2014), he just didn’t quite hit the same heights as some of his peers. Happens to the best of ’em.

Flash forward to now—over a decade since his last album, and Stephenson’s finally back with a new batch of tunes. Word got out in early 2021 that he was teaming up with Donovan Germain and Penthouse Records, and now it’s official: Weekend Dude is here, serving up 14 tracks that mix fresh originals with some surprising covers. Let’s be real—Stephenson’s pipes are still on point. Dude could probably sing your grocery list and make it sound like a love letter. And with Germain handling production? Yeah, reggae heads are eating this up.

The album opens up with the chill, slow-dance title track, Weekend Dude. Then comes Jacqueline, riding on a classic riddim and serving up some serious roots vibes. He keeps the romance flowing with Come To Me—smooth as ever. We get a fun little switch-up with Dancehall Broom, featuring OG deejay Josey Wales. Exco Levi pops in later for That’s What She Loves, a sweet duet that lands near the album’s end.

Stephenson also tips his hat to reggae history with covers like The Uniques’ Blessed Are The Meek and, kind of out of nowhere, Wailing Souls’ Jah Jah Give Us Life. And, honestly? He nails it. There’s more romance with Naked and My Lady—nice tunes, but nothing hits as hard as Pull Me Down. That one’s a gut-punch, trust me. Black As Coal brings big anthem energy, while Remember My Name and Ital Daughter keep things lively—especially with that nod to John Holt’s classic Stranger In Love riddim.

And for the finale? Stephenson tackles Tom Paxton’s The Last Thing On My Mind, which, let’s face it, has been covered a million times, but he still manages to put his own spin on it. All in all, Weekend Dude is a solid comeback—maybe not a game-changer, but definitely worth a listen.