Mr T

Mr. T was recorded in 1991 by the second incarnation of the Heptones (Barry Llewellyn, Earl Morgan, Naggo Morris), and while it has some bright and intriguing tracks, it fails to rise to the level set by the group's original lineup with Leroy Sibbles (keep in mind that Sibbles, aside from being a fine lead singer and writer, is also a dynamite bass player — a mighty key instrument in Jamaican music). That said, this album fares better than many of the Heptones' post-Sibbles releases, with Morris stepping to the plate with two fine compositions, "Where Good Music Gone" and the soulful and passionate "In My House," while Llewellyn scores with the hopelessly infectious "Rasta Music." Unfortunately most of the album — despite the presence of ace Jamaican session players like Sly & Robbie, Willie Lindo and Vin Gordon — has a sort of slick, processed feel that became endemic to reggae in the 1990s. The songs mentioned above go a long way to redeeming things, however, and dedicated Heptones' fans shouldn't hesitate to check them out, although casual listeners will probably be better served by sampling the classic 1970s work done by the group's original lineup.