Search - Gregory Isaacs :: Mr Isaacs

Gregory Isaacs has not lived a happy life, but back in his 1970s prime, he was the Cool Ruler, and, based on his prolific canon, he still is. When it came to vocal stylings, no one outperformed the debonair crooner; in fact, his peers were not so much Bob Marley and Dennis Brown as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. The title of this release implies the great respect Isaacs earned, even early in his career. Isaacs remains best known for working seductive magic with reggae, lover's-rock style, as in his mid-'80s "Night Nurse" crossover hit. But his brilliance really shines here in '70s-conscious compositions like "Sacrifice," "Storm," "Slavemaster," and "Set the Captive Free." Underlying the poignancy of these first-person narratives, songs sung from the point of view of the sufferer, is that laid-back vocal demeanor transformed into the coiled threat of a venomous serpent. --Elena Oumano