After the success of 1984's
Two Bad Superstars Meet, it was inevitable that
Gregory Isaacs and
Dennis Brown would join forces time and again. On
Blood Brothers, the pair duets on four co-written tracks, then go their own way on another four self-composed songs apiece. By rights this should still be a match made in heaven, but those halcyon days of yore are gone. With time and wear
Brown's vocals have grown increasingly hoarse, and no longer do his warm, creamy tones perfectly counterpoint
Isaacs' own icy cool vocals. That's the downside; the upside is that even if
Brown is no longer in perfect voice, his performances are still gloriously rich in emotion and soul. This is particularly notable on "Ease Up," the pair's heartfelt plea for "Mr. Big Shot" to ease up the pressure on the sufferers, and the equally impassioned "Hard Labor," a tough look at prison life. The stellar title track is a bouncy and