Dennis Brown - Some Like It Hot

This 18-track compilation bundles up some of the best of Brown's work with producer Niney Holness and, in conjunction with Heartbeat's Open the Gates collection, mops up virtually all the pair's material together from the 1970s. And what a phenomenal flood of music it was. Although only 16 when he and the Observer began working together, Brown was already a music veteran, a former child star, who had grown into a winsome teenaged balladeer. Holness himself was barely out of his teens, but still managed to help shape the youngster into one of the age's greatest roots singers. Between 1973 and 1977, the pair, accompanied by Earl Chinna's Soul Syndicate, unleashed a torrent of seminal recordings and sent a slew of singles rocketing into the Jamaican chart. Some Like It Hot may disregard chronology -- in fact, the duo's first hit, "Westbound Train," is immediately followed by their last, "Tribulation," but to complain would be churlish, considering the masterpieces found here, including the two just mentioned. There's also the sublime "Wolf and Leopards," the infectious title track, the pop classic "My Time," and the powerful "Cassandra" (one of several cuts utilizing the "Westbound Train" rhythm). For collectors, there's also the fabulous 12" mixes of "Africa" and "Here I Come" (like "Tribulation," its rhythm was cut in London with the Cimarrons, misspelled Cimaroons here), alongside Big Youth's DJ version of "Westbound," "Ride On/Wild Goose Chase." As an added bonus, the liner notes include an interview with the Observer himself. In their catalog, Heartbeat subtitles the album The Best of Dennis Brown -- they'd have been justified to print that on the CD's sleeve.

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Dennis Brown - Open The Gate (Greatest Hits, Vol 2)

"Picking up the Brown/Holness story where Some Like It Hot left off, Open the Gate rounds up most of the rest of the pair's 1970s material. The singer recorded exclusively with the Observer from 1973 and 1975, and those songs made up the bulk of Hot. After a trial separation, so to speak, during 1976, Brown returned to Holness' side early in the new year, and recorded a new batch of equally crucial cuts. The most seminal -- "Wolf and Leopards" and "Tribulation" -- are found on Hot; the rest appear here, alongside a handful of rarities. Collectors will revel in the cuts culled from albums, the 12" extended mix of "Tenement Yard," an alternate version of John Holt's "Only a Smile" (one of four excellent covers found here), Dillinger's DJ version of "Here I Come," and, most spectacularly, a ferocious live version of "Cassandra," seeing the light of day for the first time here. In some ways, Gate is a greater revelation, and not just for collectors. Hot's hits are so familiar from previous compilations that the very freshness of these tracks enables the listener to discover Brown's power anew. Holness' deep roots production played to the singer's strengths, while the Soul Syndicates' impeccable playing is also showcased. There's a palpable chemistry at work here, with all the parties involved pulling out all the stops, not just on their own behalf, but to also complement each other. The guitar frills on "God Bless Our Souls," for example, give an added sense of poignancy to Brown's own superbly soulful delivery. "Take a Trip," a revision of the Hollywood chestnut "On Broadway," could have been a throwaway, but turns into a dread classic via Brown's new lyrics and emotive delivery, which are heightened by Holness' dread production. The lightly dubbed "Whip Them Jah Jah" is a standout, as is the title track and "Tenement Yard," featuring a fine toast by a now barely remembered DJ. But with 19 excellent tracks to choose from, it's almost impossible to play favorites, so why bother?"

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