Argument (Wackies, 1983)

*GUEST REVIEW*
Another month goes by; another Wackies reissue hits the streets.  The main thing that these reissues share is their interesting covers, on the vinyl at least.  Jah Batta keeps up this tradition with a piercing portrait of the singer in glorious technicolour.  Argument consists of 10 vocal tracks backed by the Roots Radics, produced by Sugar Minott and Bullwackies.  Batta's vocal style is late DJ meets early dancehall.  He's not a loud toaster, but the fragility of his vocals works really well at times.  On "I Don't Want to Wait" and "Youthman School", his shaky and vibrophonic voice really lifts the track.  This album will be an acquired taste for most, but it's nice hearing real players on an early dancehall LP.  A must for fans of cover art, Wackies completists, and those tracing the links between toasting and dancehall.

- ragudave