Few artists have explored the possibilities of pop-reggae fusion as successfully as
Maxi Priest
, who is enormously popular in his native Britain and has achieved a level of stateside success that other reggae artists (with the exception of
UB40
) can only wish for. His smooth voice and his comfort with soul and hip-hop have only increased his marketability; purists may scoff, but there's no denying his talent.
CombiNation
finds him working in an explicitly soul-influenced style --
"What a Woman Needs"
and
"Wasn't Meant to Be"
are seductive smooth groove ballads that have no noticeable connection to any reggae tradition -- with frequent detours into muscular hip-hop and dancehall grooves.
"Mary's Got a Baby"
is a monstrously funky collaboration with
Beenie Man
(a stripped-down remix ends the album);
"Tell Your Man to Take a Walk"
takes a similar approach, this time in partnership with the DJ
Red Rat
. Slow love songs predominate, although they don't provide most of the album's highlights. Recommended. ~ Rick Anderson