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Barrington (album)

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Barrington
Studio album by
Barrington Levy
Released1993
GenreDancehall[1]
LabelMCA[2]
ProducerLee Jaffe, Andre Betts, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare
Barrington Levy chronology
Turning Point
(1992) 		Barrington
(1993) 		Duets
(1995)

Barrington is an album by the Jamaican musician Barrington Levy, released in 1993.[3][4] It was regarded as a crossover attempt.[5] The first single was "Murder".[6] Levy supported the album with a North American tour.[7]

"Work" and "Vice Versa Love" charted on the UK Singles Chart, at Nos. 65 and 79, respectively.[8]

Production

The album was produced by Lee Jaffe, Andre Betts, Sly Dunbar, and Robbie Shakespeare.[6] A version of "Under Me Sensi" was first recorded by Levy in the 1980s, under the slightly different title of "Under Mi Sensi".[9] Vernon Reid and Betty Wright contributed to Barrington.[10][11] Rakim rapped on "Murderer"; Yomo Toro played cuatro on "Be Strong".[12] "Vice Versa Love" is performed as a ballad.[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Calgary HeraldB+[15]
Chicago Tribune[16]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[17]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide[18]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[12]

The Calgary Herald opined that Levy's "honey-toned voice often reminds you of classic soul singers and, at times, his vocal scatting suggests he's a Caribbean brother of Van Morrison."[15] The Philadelphia Inquirer stated that "Levy has one of the most distinctive voices in reggae, characterized by an otherworldly yodel/howl he uses not as a gimmick, but as an astutely employed vocal device."[12]

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch lamented the overly commercial sound of the album, writing that "even though this latest release once again displays Levy's captivating vocals, the shift in musical direction is as drastic as it gets."[19] The Chicago Tribune thought that "Levy excels on soulful, itchy selections such as 'Work' and 'Be Strong', both of which show a deep debt to African-American music and dance."[16]

AllMusic wrote that "Vice Versa Love" is a "standout, a showcase for Levy's most inspiring performances as he soulfully cries out for love and unity."[14]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Survival" 
2."Murderer" 
3."Work" 
4."Be Strong" 
5."Under Me Sensi" 
6."Vice Versa Love" 
7."Teacher" 
8."90% There" 
9."Nothing's Changed" 
10."Strange" 

References

  1. ^ Schulman, Sandra (26 Sep 1993). "Yodel with a beat". Sun-Sentinel. p. 3G.
  2. ^ Snowden, Don (4 Oct 1992). "Taking Reggae Beyond Marley". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 9.
  3. ^ "Barrington Levy Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  4. ^ Thompson, Dave (July 11, 2002). "Reggae & Caribbean Music". Hal Leonard Corporation – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Moskowitz, David V. (2006). Caribbean Popular Music. Greenwood Press. p. 176.
  6. ^ a b Williams, Andwele (9 Sep 1993). "Shabba he's not, but Barrington can 'murder dem' with the best of the dancehall kings". Los Angeles Sentinel. p. C4.
  7. ^ Lozaw, Tristram (October 29, 1993). "GREAT BARRINGTON". Boston Herald. p. S17.
  8. ^ "BARRINGTON LEVY | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  9. ^ Plantenga, Bart (September 13, 2013). "Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo: The Secret History of Yodeling Around the World". Routledge – via Google Books.
  10. ^ Prown, Pete; Newquist, H. P. (February 1, 1997). "Legends of Rock Guitar". Hal Leonard – via Google Books.
  11. ^ Miller, Michael (September 3, 1993). "NEW RELEASES". The State. Columbia. p. 16D.
  12. ^ a b c Carter, Kevin L. (21 Sep 1993). "BARRINGTON LEVY Barrington". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. E12.
  13. ^ Feist, Daniel (20 Aug 1994). "These are sounds of a shrinking planet". The Gazette. p. C3.
  14. ^ a b "Barrington Levy - Barrington Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  15. ^ a b Tremblay, Mark (5 Sep 1993). "Barrington Levy: Barrington". Calgary Herald. p. C2.
  16. ^ a b Preston, Rohan B. (10 Feb 1994). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  17. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 199.
  18. ^ MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 429.
  19. ^ Professor Skank (11 Nov 1993). "'BARRINGTON' Barrington Levy". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 4G.
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