Horace Andy's voice is a fabulous freak of nature, as high and
pure as a prepubescent boy's, but as full of soul as any Memphis shouter or
Motown crooner. He's a professional who has managed to successfully (and
usually honorably) shoehorn himself into every style that's hit the
Jamaican charts since the dawn of reggae.
Most of this collection is culled
from Studio One's early '70s golden age, when the imprint was the 600 pound
gorilla of Kingston's music scene. Andy's specialty then was reggaefying
American pop tunes for the local market. "Oh Lord, Why Lord" is a
charmingly rootsy take on an early Parliament (yup, George Clinton's band)
ballad. "Ain't No Sunshine" is worth experiencing just to hear Bill
Withers's baritone replaced by Andy's preternatural falsetto, and the mind
boggles at the tangle of ironies inherent in his note-perfect duplication
of Paul Simon's "Mother And Child Reunion."
But the real gems are his own
tunes. "Fever" puts a chipper face on carnal longing, and "Mr. Bassie"
smolders with dark and impenetrable mystery; he recorded both throughout
his career, but has arguably never topped the clarity of the performances
reproduced here. The backing is trademark Studio One, replete with booming
bass lines, clipped guitar rhythms, and hypnotic little horn licks. Because
Studio One still exists and wants you to know it, there's also a
contemporary anomaly; "Slacky Tidy" is a winning hybrid that grafts au
courant dancehall vocal stylings to a '70s-vintage backing track.
If you like To Horace Andy, check out:
Horace Andy Good Vibes
Beenie Man Art and Life
Various Rare Reggae Grooves from Studio One
Various In The Red Zone (Essential Collection of Classic Dub)
Various Feel Like Jumping: Best Of Studio One Women
Massive Attack Blue Lines
Desmond Dekker Rock Steady: The Best of Desmond Dekker
