Since arriving on the music scene in the '70s, recording companies have used a variety of pretentious titles to describe
Hortense Ellis.
Queen of Reggae Music is just one of many such depictions. This is really a best-of CD that includes "Loving Arms" from her 1979 Jamaica's First Lady of Song LP. If you like more soulful vibes then
Hortense isn't for you; she's reggae-lite, and oppression songs aren't part of her repertoire, but she can be charming when the material allows. The most compelling tracks include a fanciful remake of
Candi Staton's "Young Heart Run Free," "Never See My Baby," and a reggae version of
Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" with the perfunctory reggae guitar skank providing the back beat. ~ Andrew Hamilton