Barrington Levy: Englishman [GREENSLEEVES]

Why you'll love it

This Greensleeves reissue brings back the original 10-song album, mixed by future legends Scientist and Prince Jammy. Levy's relaxed, sultry vocals over Roots Radics rhythms still sound as easy as a Sunday afternoon.

About the album

Barrington Levy was still a teenager when he teamed up with producer Henry "Junjo" Lawes, and together they helped set the sound of early dancehall: unhurried, heavy on the bass and built around that unmistakable voice, which could swoop from a croon to a wail in a single line.

The Roots Radics lay down the rhythms, with Earl "Chinna" Smith on lead guitar, Errol "Flabba" Holt on bass, Carlton "Santa" Davis on drums and Gladstone Anderson on keys, while Scientist and Prince Jammy sit at the controls. The title track "Englishman" sets the easy mood, "Sister Carol" and "Look Girl" show off Levy's sweet side, "Send a Moses" and "Black Heart Man" carry the roots weight, and "Money Makes Friends" adds a dose of street wisdom.

Levy wrote four of the songs himself and Lawes the rest. For a record called Englishman it's about as Kingston as it gets, though we suspect the English never minded.

Also at Kops: more Barrington Levy on vinyl · browse Reggae & Caribbean

Tracklist

Listen

On Greensleeves (cat# GREL 9), a reissue of the 1979 album.