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Review: Buju Banton returns to dancehall
09/12/2006 4:28 PM, AP
Buju Banton "Too Bad" (Gargamel)
When Buju Banton first hit the dancehall scene, he accomplished the impossible.
His 1992 streak of smashes broke Bob Marley's record for the most No. 1 singles from a reggae artist in a single year. Since then, Banton has stepped outside of dancehall, expressing his Rastafarianism through roots reggae and lovers rock with brilliant albums like 1995's acclaimed "'Til Shiloh."
But now, Banton finally returns to the sweatiest circle of the dancefloor with his first pure dancehall album in a decade.
"Too Bad" is a full body workout: the hyper "Hey Boy" for the feet, the naughty "Waistline," and the Sly & Robbie-produced "Driver A" for the hips. No need to pick songs from "Too Bad" to play at a party — this album is its own playlist.
Banton smartly omits the homophobic lyrics that attracted international criticism early in his career. He restricts his commentary to observations about his life in "Fast Lane" and disenfranchised Jamaicans in "Who Have It."
Buju Banton doing dancehall is indeed dangerous. Last time, he bested Marley. Who's next?
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