To Jah Only (Praying for the World) (Kariang, 1999)

Although he's been around for a while, Prezident Brown isn't as well-known as similarly conscious, gruff-voiced, sing-songy DJs like Buju Banton and Sizzla.  Comparisons to Sizzla are likely to be heightened after To Jah Only, as it is released on Kariang, the same label on which Sizzla released his Liberate Yourself.  The sound of To Jah Only is similar to Liberate Yourself (on which Prezident Brown's "Micro Chip" appeared): very rootsy dancehall with a lot of live instrumentation.  Brown's vocals are deliberate yet rhythmic and bouncy, lending a fun edge to his music, despite the cultural themes he puts forth.  Thus, the songs are very accessible, accentuated by his habit of singing rather than chatting as well as by an inventive nature that allows him to include such accents as a haunting Amharic female vocalist on "Woman of the Rising Sun," an adaptation of the melody from Luther Vandross' "All This Love" on "Faith," and little more than an acoustic guitar on the title track.  The best tracks on To Jah Only are the first 4, led by the vibrant "Micro Chip," the funky "Pomps and Pride," and the buoyant "In This Life," and while things cool off after that, this is still a very nice set that should win over some new fans.