Gregory Isaacs

Gregory Isaacs is the master of "lover's rock," a crooning, romantic style of reggae that is
little known among American rock fans. The music, relaxed and sexy, with an innocence
that recalls the balladry of Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield, is so appealing that it seems the
only real barrier to a large American audience has been a lack of suitable material. With
any luck, Night Nurse will change all that. Unlike Isaacs' previous American relea... More >

Cumulatively, Isaacs's resourcefulness is very impressive--he almost always manages to vary his sad, soothing mid-tempo formula not just riddimically but with enduring bits of melody and observation. But because the formula is sometimes too soothing he needs more than bits to go over the top. Rastafarian marginal differentiation fans will love this record. (Grade: B+)