Triston Palma - Two Roads (2000)

Combine a singer of the stature of Triston Palma with a crew of backing musicians that includes Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Style Scott, the Firehouse Crew, and horn don Dean Fraser, and it's almost certain to be some of the best modern reggae around. And that's exactly what happens here. Part of the key to this album's success lies in the creative tension between Palma's strictly rootswise orientation and the more modern, dancehall-informed approaches of many of the musicians involved. On tracks like the spectacularly lovely "Never Be Ungrateful," it's Palma's deep roots-and-culture background that comes to the fore, as he sings a winsome melody over a minimalist bassline and fine skanking clavinet; "Revolution," too, sounds like an update of the classic 1970s reggae sound with its dubwise production and minor chords. But "The Struggle" bounces on a slicker dancehall beat and features DJ Norris Man, whose style owes far more to ragga than to roots, while "Nah Switch" features computer rhythms as well as a muscular one-drop beat. Palma's voice hasn't weakened at all over the years, and his singing is the solid core around which this impressive album is built. Highly recommended.~Two Roads Review by Rick Anderson