A straight reissue of the original Studio One album from 1971,
Forever Version includes material from
Alcapone's prime early output and ably demonstrates why the young musical outlaw was on equal footing with the revered DJ innovator of the day,
U-Roy. In addition to having his peer's toasting dexterity and lyrical wit,
Alcapone found his own niche with a singing-talking combination and liberal doses of distinct whoops and high-pitched caws. The basic tracks
Alcapone versions are vintage early reggae from
Clement Dodd's vaults, including cuts by
Alton Ellis,
John Holt,
the Heptones, Carlton & His Shoes, and
Delroy Wilson. The stellar
Sound Dimension band figures nicely into the mix, too, with contributions from organist
Jackie Mittoo, tenor saxophonist
Roland Alphonso, bassist
Leroy Sibbles, and guitarist
Ernest Ranglin, among others. Along with Trojan's equally impressive
Alcapone disc,
My Voice Is Insured for Half a Million Dollars,
Forever Version counts as one of the best albums to emerge from the early days of Jamaican toasting.