There is no denying that these five practitioners of Jamaican laid-back grooves have golden voices, as the title of this pleasant collection advertises, and as they channel through these selections, one can't help but dream of summer breezes and late-night romances. Featuring two or three contemporary tracks each by veterans
John Holt,
Freddie McGregor,
Gregory Isaacs,
Beres Hammond, and relative newcomer
Sanchez (given that most of these other guys have careers that stretch back to the ska era),
Reggae's Golden Voices provides a kind of counterbalance to the sort of aggressive, hip-hop-inflected rap-reggae that has dominated the dancehalls in recent years. Highlights include
Isaacs covering
Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" and the Paragons' "Danger in Your Eyes" and a hoarse-voiced
McGregor showing how it's done on the moving "I Don't Know." ~ Steve Leggett