Buju Banton

Blessed with the biggest voice and most active conscience in dancehall reggae, and only
twenty-seven as the millennium turned, Buju Banton lost his way. His political message
softened, and, crucially, both his 2000 Unchained Spirit, on punk-linked Anti-, and 2003's
Friends for Life, on reggae powerhouse VP/Atlantic, were more crooned than toasted. So
this return to basics is a welcome improvement -- stateside, Banton's never relea... More >

Blessed with the biggest voice and most active conscience in dancehall and only 27 as the millennium turned, Buju Banton lost his way. His political message softened, and crucially, both his 2000 Unchained Spirit, on punk-linked Anti-, and 2003 Friends for Life, on reggae powerhouse VP/Atlantic, were more crooned than toasted. So this return to basics is a welcome improvement--stateside, Banton's never released such a headlong album. Also welcome is how skillfully he skirts the crude sexism and gangsta-influenced posturing that are today's ragga norm. But that's not to say he's got a bunch of crossover smashes here--fact is, he doesn't even have one. The beats hammer along, often relying on pleasingly weird and surprisingly effective low-pitched sounds in the organ family. But only when his musicians start playing (the Ventures'!) "Walk Don't Run" under "Me and Oonu" do they take off--for three minutes. (Grade - ***)