On this effort,
Gregory Isaacs and
the Roots Radics band continue to be a potent combination, though
Out Deh! never does rise to the same level of genius as that displayed on
Night Nurse and Lonely Lover. It does offer a rather unusual (for
Isaacs) mix of lovers rock and political/spiritual lyrics, reflecting in part the time he had spent in prison on a gun charge prior to recording this album. Highlights include the typically sly "Private Secretary" and the album's title track, a quietly powerful meditation on
Isaacs' prison term. This reissue features crisp remastered sound and a couple of bonus tracks -- the brilliant "Cream of the Crop" and a rather superfluous remix of "Love Me With a Feeling" -- as well as informative liner notes courtesy of
David Katz, author of the definitive biography of
Lee "Scratch" Perry. Recommended. ~ Rick Anderson