Frankie Paul
was dubbed "the Jamaican
Stevie Wonder
" not only because he was legally blind, but because he also displayed the same infectious energy as his
Motown
hero. Check the upbeat dancehall classic "Pass the Tu-Sheng-Peng" and you'll get it right off, but
VP
's excellent set
Most Wanted
covers the full
Paul
picture, offering plenty of that velvet-smooth crooning that had the reggae faithful declaring him
Dennis Brown
's competition. The epic ballad "Sara" is a prime example of that, while the other
women, "Cassandra" and "Alesha," are boisterous love songs that prove
knows the difference between sweet and sugary. Packed with more crucial hits like "Worries in the Dance," "Jump No Fence," and "Tidal Wave," the set leaves only the B+ filler to argue about, but as a gateway to a rich discography, you couldn't ask for much more. Producers like
Henry "Junjo" Lawes
,
George Phang
King Jammy
, and
Steely & Clevie
are at the controls while the great
Sly & Robbie
supply plenty of the rhythms. ~ David Jeffries