HORACE ANDY

HORACE ANDY
SKYLARKING (1996)
320 KBPS

Perhaps the best introduction to Horace Andy you can find, Skylarking (not to be confused with his Studio One album of the same name) collects songs spanning 3 decades, from some of his earliest works -- like 1970's "Fever" and the classic, horn-driven "Every Tongue Shall Tell" -- to this later hits with British group Massive Attack, including the sublime funk/dub "One Love" and the heinous remix of "Spying Glass." The latter song is the only truly bad selection put on this "best of" compilation, as Massive Attack's heavy-handed beat dominates and detracts from Andy's delicate, vulnerable vocals. The ethereal music of the original (also included here), on the other hand, matches the vocals perfectly. Although many of Andy's songs contain cultural messages, his music isn't heavy or difficult to listen to because of his light voice and proficiency at crafting simple, catchy melodies. Listening to him, you'd think that he'd be most at home singing love songs, but while he does do some of that here, he also drops some consciousness. My two favorite tracks here -- the cool lovers romp "Natty Dread a Weh She Want" and the aforementioned "Every Tongue Shall Tell" -- illustrate his range. Ten of the 14 tracks on Skylarking were released in the '70s, including the greats "Skylarking" (of course), "Rock to Sleep," and "Do You Love My Music." While it would be hard to collect all of Horace Andy's greatness on one album, I can't help but miss "You Are My Angel," "See a Man's Face," "Mr. Bassie," and a couple from In the Light. Still, this is a great collection, with intriguing liner notes that include Andy's thoughts on each song.

1. Spying Glass
2. Natty Dread a Weh She Want
3. Rock to Sleep
4. One Love
5. Don't Let Problems Get You Down
6. Fever
7. Children of Israel
8. Money Money
9. Girl I Love You
10. Elementary
11. Every Tongue Shall Tell
12. Skylarking
13. Do You Love My Music
14. Spying Glass