His Majesty Is Coming (Trojan, 2005)

The In-Crowd never got the attention that the similar reggae/soul hybrid act Third World did in the '70s and '80s, but one listen to His Majesty Is Coming shows that it wasn't due to a lack of quality.  The group began in the '60s as a hotel band catering to Jamaican tourists, and these origins show in their accessible, melodic blend of reggae and R&B.  Still, despite their pleasing sound, the In-Crowd's lyrics are surprisingly righteous (as the album's title indicates), socially conscious ("Beg You a Ten Cent," "More Employment"), and even a bit militant ("You Facey Whitey").  So, if you feel a bit guilty listening when the sound gets a bit too syrupy (which it only occasionally does, mostly on the second half), you can maintain your musical integrity with messages like "Slave Ship" and "Power of the Spirit."  Granted, there are still ample love songs and laid-back party grooves here ("A Little Bit of Reggae," "We Play Reggae," the latter covered successfully by Kofi in the early '90s), but it's generally not as upbeat and dancey as, say, Third World's "Now That We've Found Love."  The In-Crowd was more mellow, like the Mighty Diamonds, and there's no better showcase for them than His Majesty Is Coming.  The 1978 original album (the first 11 tracks on Disc 1) was a genuine classic, and this release repackages it with most of the songs from the group's lone Island album, 1979's Man From New Guinea, along with assorted singles from the band and from lead singer Fil Callender.  That the songs range only from 1977 to 1981 is a testament not only to the group's high level of creative output at the time, but also to the swiftness with which they disintegrated.  Thankfully, Trojan acquired the UK's Cactus/Creole label that released the In-Crowd's material and has decided to take time out from its busy box set schedule to deliver this gorgeous, dreamy, and long overdue tribute.