In Jamaica, Dennis Brown's stature was such that it earned him the title “The Crown Prince of Reggae,” placing Brown second only to Bob Marley. As even a brief listen to this VP Records anthology of Brown’s heyday reveals, it’s a title he richly deserves. This compilation picks up shortly after Brown left Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One label, where he'd cut a promising but not fully realized LP at the age of 13. By 1972, Brown had perfected the smooth, soul-inflected vocal style that'd remain his trademark for the rest of his career, and his recordings with producers like Phil Pratt, Sidney Crooks, and Niney the Observer are among the strongest he ever cut. This two-disc set does a good job familiarizing listeners with many of Brown’s most successful numbers, like the mournful “What About the Half” and the ferocious roots cut “Children of Israel." But it also includes a fair number of obscurities, like the jaw-dropping “Rebel With a Cause," a futuristic synth-reggae collaboration with Jackie Mittoo. It's one of the strangest and most wonderful records in Brown’s catalog.

iTunes

Spotify

Share