Beenie Man - Best of Beenie Man (CD)

All Music Guide

Despite his huge reputation, Beenie Man doesn't distinguish himself that much from the rest of the dancehall reggae pack. That may be because so much of the pack is imitating him his popularity has been considerable for the last ten years. But whatever the explanation, 140 minutes of Beenie Man will probably be more than any but the most rabid fans will want in a single sitting. There are some magical moments on this 40track set: "Let Him Go" has a great hook and an irresistible rhythm, as does "World Gone Bad." There are also some fine combination tracks, including a great duet with Luciano on a refreshingly rootswise cover of Bob Marley's "Crazy Baldheads" and a nice version of the socainflected hit "Dancehall Queen" with Chevelle Franklin. But when Beenie Man tries to sing himself, or just to chat melodically (as he does on "Silent Violence" and "World Dance," for example), he's almost always in a key unrelated to the backing chords, with annoying results. Dancehall fans will find ...a lot to like here, but this album probably won't win the genre any new converts. Note: Disc one of this set is available separately as Best of Beenie Man. - Rick Anderson, All Music Guide Read more Less