Divine Madness...Definitely!

The infamous Lee "Scratch" Perry has long been a source of both fascination and emulation for producer Adrian Sherwood, head honcho at England's equally infamous On-U Sound label. So it's no surprise that when On-U created a spin-off imprint for the purpose of reissuing classic reggae recordings of the '70s, the Perry oeuvre should figure prominently in that project. Divine Madness...Definitely! is the third collection of tracks produced or performed by Perry, and it's at least as good as the two that preceded it. Distinguishing this one from the rest are several very rare tracks, among them an exquisite turn from Junior Byles ("Africa We Are Going Home," credited here to the band Time Unlimited), as well as songs by such relatively obscure performers as Milton Henry and Bree Daniels, along with the usual suspects (Eric Donaldson, the Viceroys). Particular highlights, apart from the Junior Byles track, are the Viceroys' beautiful "River to Cross" and "Sons of Negus" by the great Jimmy Riley. As is usually the case with a Pressure Sounds collection, dub versions of all tracks are included (along with, strangely enough, a tacked-on dub version of George Faith's "To Be a Lover" at the very end of the program). And as an added bonus, there is a second CD that features a 26-minute radio interview with Perry himself conducted by Perry-ophiles Steve Barker and Roger Eagle. All in all, an essential reggae purchase. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide