Search - Desmond Dekker :: The Best of Desmond Dekker

Not bad for the price, but could be a lot better

Sean M. Kelly | Portland, Oregon United States | 09/18/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Among the 3 "best of" Dekker cds that I have reviewed so far, this one, like the other 2, is not great. While it covers some of Dekker's biggest hits, such as his cover of Jimmy Cliff's "You Can Get It If You Really Want," (found on "The Harder They Come" soundtrack), "Pinkney Gal," "It Mek," "Israelites," and "Rude Boy Train," I don't think it dealves deeply enough into the rest of Dekker's canon to do him, or his work, complete justice- not that I don't appreciate the tunes chosen for this best of- indeed, I love "I Believe," and "Nincompoop" a lot.What sets this cd apart from the other 2 is its price, and for the inexpensive price you will pay, the cd offers a fair cross section into Dekker's work, and therefore comes (albeit very grudgingly) somewhat recommeded- you DO get what you pay for sometimes... Give it a listen, then dig deeper and look for Dekker's best lps like "007 (Shanty Town)" from 1967, (how could the classic title track be left off this compilation???!! a crime!) "Israelites from 1969, and "This is Desmond Dekker," from 1970.You can find much better out there."