Despite her international popularity, Jamaican singer
Phyllis Dillon, commonly acknowledged as the queen of rocksteady, only recorded one proper studio album, and it was released around the time she gave up her musical career near the beginning of the 1970s, due to typical music industry woes and her desire to spend more time with her family.
One Life to Live is a sterling collection of rocksteady and early reggae, showcasing
Dillon's effortlessly gorgeous voice delivering a well-chosen set of songs themed around affection, heartache, and dancing.
Dillon and her backing band, with
Duke Reid in the producer's chair, offer a Jamaican spin on several American and British pop, rock, and soul tunes, ranging from a heavy reggae-funk take on
Marlena Shaw's "Woman of the Ghetto" to a fantastically dreamy rendition of
the Beatles' "Something," which might be the song's best version, period.
Dillon was a master of expressing emotional longing in a smooth, easygoing manner, relaying vulnerable, heartfelt lyrics in a sweet, soulful way. "I Can't Forget About You Baby" and "Picture on the Wall" both express a strong desire to forget an ex-lover, but they appear to be pleasantly swaying reggae-soul on the surface. "You Are Like Heaven to Me," written by
Dillon herself, is directed at an ex-lover she can't fall out of love with, despite the fact that he broke her heart. Even the most triumphant, celebratory songs, such as the festive,
Bob Marley-penned "Long Time No Nice Time," have an undercurrent of bittersweet nostalgia. A few other, more definitive collections of
Dillon's work have been released, but not all of these songs appeared on them, so this album is equally necessary for fans as well as a fitting introduction for newcomers. Either way, this is beautiful, timeless music. ~ Paul Simpson