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Toots and the Maytals |
| It’s sometimes a circuitous path to fandom. I first heard (read in liner notes, actually) about Toots Hibbert while dancing around my incense-clouded apartment while Robert Palmer’s version of Hibbert’s “Pressure Drop” tickled me along with the sandalwood. Being the curious type, it wasn’t long before I owned the original version. My adventure took place nearly thirty years ago, but True Love offers a similar epiphany for those not yet initiated. The record pairs the reggae veteran with an extremely varied roster of musicians and revisits fifteen of Hibbert’s best-known tunes. Bootsy Collins and the Roots emphasize the funky in “Funky Kingston,” Eric Clapton guests on “Pressure Drop” and Keith Richards sounds good (honest!) on “Careless Ethiopians,” all songs done in old-school reggae style. |
Younger acts are represented too: No Doubt get to work on their ska chops with a master (“Monkey Man”) and Toots lets Ryan Adams take the first vocal on “Time Tough.” Of course, the please-all-of-the-people jinx is also at play—Willie Nelson’s nasal twang on “Still is Still Moving to Me” is not an ideal fit, but again the idea here is to turn Willie’s fans on to the Maytals. True Love also calls to the Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, Ryan Adams and Trey Anastasio clans. Toots reworks “Blame on Me” as a sultry soul song with up-and-comer Rachel Yamagata to close the album, a warm hug to hold onto until the party starts all over again. —Kevin Wierzbicki |
