BUJU BANTON
Unchained Spirit (Anti/Epitaph)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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The impact that Buju Banton has already had on the reggae world in his single decade as a recording artist has been nothing short of devastating. The battle that all Jamaican artists fight is distribution problems, which often keep them tagged as "local phemons." Epitaph Records, the legendary punk label, has been spreading out lately, signing artists as diverse as Tom Waites and Merle Haggard, and now they've released this sweet CD on their new imprint, Anti Inc. The Epitaph labels get distributed far and wide, so Buju's music can now reach the far corners of the world.

Buju is at his best here, offering up plenty of emotion-packed, socially conscious reggae as well as a few tracks of dancehall rap tracks with grooves cool enough to appeal to those with more mainstream tastes. To make sure more people give it a shot, Buju includes a track called "No More Misty Days" with Epitaph labelmates Rancid guesting. Nope, it doesn't sound like a Rancid track. It's just a kicky little Bujutune with a single distorted guitar chording behind ensemble vocals and a spare bass/drum track. Other guests include Beres Hammond, Gramps from Morgan Heritage, LMS, Luciano and Stephen Marley.

The musical world of Buju Banton is anything but limited, and this CD offers a taste of everything, including a live duet with Hammond called "Pull It Up" that is quite dance-inducing. Despite the diversity, there is a surprising cohesiveness that reveals Buju to be a genre all his own. It's too early to say this is his best album, but thus far I have to say it's my personal favorite. Nice to know it won't be hitting any walls as a result of poor distribution. You'll have no trouble finding this.

© 2000 - DJ Johnson