Beres Hammond - Music is Life
VP Records

Beres Hammond continues his reign as the king of lovers rock with his latest release, "Music is Life." Smooth and soulful as ever, Beres has assembled seventeen superb tracks, including the singles "They Gonna Talk," "Mary Mary," and the title track, "Music is Life." The only weak spot on the album is "Dance 4 Me," which features a jarring and unnecessary segment by Wyclef Jean. Nonetheless, the album is an instant classic and must have for any reggae fan.

Junior Kelly - Rise
Jet Star Records

Junior Kelly continues to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with in the realm of conscious dancehall. His latest album, Rise, is a splendor of mid-tempo reggae touching on themes of righteousness, devotion, and unity. The spiritual emphasis doesn't mean the total absence of sensuality, however, as evidenced by the slow-jam style "More A Dat, " but Junior Kelly is careful to avoid out and out slackness, preferring metaphor and some degree of subtlety. Rise is must for any fan of conscious dancehall.

Various Artists - Feel Like Jumping
Heartbeat Records

Though some theme compilations get bogged down by trying to adhere to their guidelines and wind up including sub-par tracks, that is certainly not the case with this fantastic all-female release on Heartbeat. Every song on this album is a winner and the compilation was done with skill and care so that the songs flow together naturally. Although there are several songs that most reggae fans will already own (most notably Feel Like Jumping, No, No, No, and the First Cut is the Deepest) there are some more obscure tunes that make the album a must-buy.

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