Lamb's Bread

This brilliant collection of Glen Brown-produced tracks — all of them mixed by the legendary dub pioneer King Tubby — was originally recorded in the late '70s, but was somehow never released until roughly ten years later, and even then was generally neglected by the reggae-buying public and quickly sank from sight. (In 2000 it was reissued, with the addition of DJ cuts by Welton Irie, as Lamb's Bread International, to significant critical acclaim.) Walker is often compared to Burning Spear, and with good reason: The two share a preference for mystical chanting rather than soul-derived crooning, as well as a marked predilection for prophetic doomsaying rather than lover-man supplication. Powered by muscular rockers rhythms, Walker sings the praises of herb ("Lamb's Bread"), defends the integrity of the Rasta lifestyle ("Prophecies Fulfilling"), and issues dire warnings to Babylon ("Chant Down Babylon," "Eternal Day"), all in a voice that compensates with strength and conviction for what it lacks in conventional prettiness. Until 2000, this album was something of a roots reggae Holy Grail, but its reissued version offers both improved sound and a significantly extended program, and is a highly recommended substitute for this original issue.