Roots reggae singer Little Roy had made a modest name for himself in the roots reggae community when he was invited into producer Adrian Sherwood’s On-U Sound studio to make this album of hard-edged roots reggae. Track titles like “Way Down in Babylon” and “Righteous Man” give you an idea of what to expect lyrically, but the grooves are a bit of a surprise; guitarist Skip McDonald and the bass and drums team of Mafia and Fluxy give the music a sharp digital edge without undermining the seriousness of Little Roy’s messages. Sherwood’s production is somewhat more restrained than usual, but still nicely creative, and several of the tunes are presented in “showcase” style (with dub mixes appended to the vocal versions).

– Rick Anderson