BRING FORTH REGGAE, DON'T STOP!
Locks Lion | Blue Mountain Peak | 05/08/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"MILK & HONEY: I'm quite surprised to see that there's no review of MILK & HONEY posted to Amazon. One of Dennis Brown's last album releases before his premature passing in 1999, I suppose some might expect the veteran singer to be past his prime here. I really don't like to say this because I think that Dennis Brown is probably the greatest all-round reggae singer Jamaica has ever produced, but he definitely did put out some subpar material in the nineties. MILK & HONEY doesn't belong in that category, though, not even close to it. With Roots Radics founder Errol Holt sharing production duties, the one and only Mr. Brown rolls back the years and gives a masterclass in straight ahead roots reggae and lovers rock. Sure, most of the material is not original - neither the rhythms nor the lyrics - but Flabba's beautifully pared-down, bass-heavy production lights the touchpaper that sends the singer's powerful voice soaring into the stratosphere.
The cover of Clive Hunt's popular MILK & HONEY is pretty much the best of the many versions recorded over the years. Equally impressive is the gorgeous, affirmative THINGS IN LIFE. WISDOM is a high grade roots rocker, and there's also an effective do-over of the classic EASY (TAKE IT EASY). Closing out the album, The Jackson 5's NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE simply melts away like butter. My top pick though is the superb NEED A LITTLE LOVING - up and coming reggae singers take note because this is how you do a proper love song: keep it simple, and put some serious soul in it! Of course, it also helps if you're blessed with one of the greatest and most instantly recognisable voices in the business!
In short, this is a great record in spite of its very recent vintage, and ample evidence that you can never underestimate a true reggae legend like Dennis Brown.
"
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1