EVERTON BLENDER
King Man (Heartbeat)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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Everton Blender's reputation among reggae fans is mixed. On the one hand, no one disputes the fact that his voice is among the finest in the genre. On the other hand, purists often dismiss his work as artificially generated music from the dancehall machine, which, of course, is no problem for the dancehall fans. For King Man, Blender joined forces with Heartbeat Records mastermind Chris Wilson, who suggested the singer make a record like it was done in the good old days: real musicians with real instruments. Everton decided to give it a shot, and because of that decision we have the best 70s reggae album of the new millennium. If that sounds like criticism, it's not. It's thoroughly refreshing. This is not only a strong entry for the genre overall, but also a document of proof that Blender is every bit the talent many people have claimed him to be. He proves it in multiple ways, singing in classic conscious style, pop-reggae and Nyahbinghi. Some dub is thrown in for good measure. "Tour-de-force" is an overused term that is genuinely warranted here. From the perspective of a fan of classic reggae, this is simply the best performance of Everton Blender's career.

© 2003 - DJ Johnson