On November 24, 2009, VP Records added two more volumes to their long-running Strictly the Best series. While
Vol. 40 focused on lovers rock (reggae singing that favors romantic lyrics),
Vol. 41 is dancehall all the way. Dancehall, of course, has been playing a prominent role in the series; it was already huge when VP assembled its first Simply the Best compilation back in 1990. So it isn't surprising that VP would add a dancehall-oriented compilation such as
Vol. 41 to the series. And like some of the previous Simply the Best compilations,
Vol. 41 underscores dancehall's diversity.
Laden's "Really Like You," G Whiz' "Life," Wasp's "Unfair Officer," and
Mr. Vegas' gospel-influenced "I Am Blessed" are among the tracks that contain a fair amount of melodic sweetening, but those who like their dancehall hard, tough. and rugged will be drawn to more abrasive offerings such as
Beenie Man's "Gimmie Gimmie" and
Busy Signal's "Da Style Deh." Fans of
Busy Signal know that the toaster has recorded some crossover dancehall --
Vol. 40, in fact, contains his interpretation of
Phil Collins' adult contemporary hit "One More Night" -- but on "Da Style Deh," he keeps thing aggressive and in your face.
Vol. 41 doesn't cater to those who believe that dancehall should sound a certain way all the time. Rather, those who are open to hearing a variety of dancehall -- that is, listeners who enjoy the really forceful dancehall but appreciate the crossover variety as well -- are the ones who will get the most out of
Vol. 41. For the more broad-minded dancehall enthusiasts, this is an enjoyable addition to VP's Strictly the Best series. ~ Alex Henderson