Sugar Minott

Don't get better than this. If you want to explore reggae beyond the Marley 3rd World mainstream type - go check out Sugar. The original dance reggae master - you will not regret it.

This is a vital reggae record, period. It was his third solo outing (following the Showcase album on Studio One and his own Ghetto-ology), his only album for Island, and the LP to name his label.

In 10 songs, Sugar shows the shift from roots reggae to dancehall. He slowed the rhythms to a bubbling percolation (compared to the hammering rockers and steppers rhythms of the The Wailers, Black Uhuru and the like), stripped instrumentation to a barebones guitar-keys-bass-drums, and addresses matters of the heart, matters of the soul, and matters of the ghetto.

Every track is exceptional, but stand outs are "Hard Time Pressure," the mellow "River Jordan," "Black Roots," "Mankind" and "Mr. Babylon Man" (and that's half the album right there - how can you go wrong?).

An essential piece for any Sugar fan, and a good starting point (along with Ghetto-ology and Sugar Minott At Studio One on SoulJazz Records) for those wanting to learn about Lincoln "Sugar" Minott.

Sugar sings sweet like sugar and spice. Original and covers sounds superb. A must for roots reggae lovers.

Tracks like Dancehall Style will one day be as famous as any Bob Marley track. Incredible irie energy, rootsy dancehall sound. Spread the knowledge of reggae music, overstand?

For those who know and appreciate Sugar Minott's lovers rock stylings, this album is definitely worth having. After a string of "best of" and greatest hits compilations, Minott finally releases an original studio album that not only re-introduces Minott's velvety-smooth, romantic vocal style, but also shows leaps of musical growth. First of all, the production style is more modern, with crisp and vital one-drop bass and rhythm grooves providing a contrasting backdrop to Minott's soulful, fluid and legato lyrical delivery. Imagine a more melodic and romantic version of Beres Hammond, or a more nuanced and soft version of Dennis Brown to understand Minott's new concept. There are some questionable choices on this album, including three fast "dancehall" type songs, and a couple of goofy attempts at "American" styles that are simply beneath Minott's vocal ability. But when you hear some of the album's masterpieces, such as "Show Me A Sign" and "All I Need Is Your Love," you'll definitely appreciate Minott's presence in the modern reggae world.

If you're used to the showcase versions, you're gonna miss the dubs & there's room. But this is strictly "all killer, no filler".

Slice of the Cake is one of those classic reggae albums that bears up well 16 years later. With strong, full production and great sound, this is the best of the many Sugar Minott albums with great strength and variety throughout the whole CD. The lover's rock track "Is It True" is one of the classics of the genre and will make anyone get up and dance. Politics are not ignored with tracks like No Vacancy addressing the unemployment problems of Jamaica. "Give Thanks and Praise" is an homage to his Rastafarian roots and the hits "Slice of the Cake" and "Buy Out The Bar" are only a few of the very strong selections on this CD. Minott has had a long career in reggae and this is perhaps his finest moment. Add it to your collection today, you won't be disappointed.