Strictly the Best Volume 6 (VP, 1992)

"Everything old is new again" should be the theme for this OK yet unspectacular collection, as remakes account for at least half of the tracks.  Frankie Paul's rendition of Harry Belafonte's "Banana Boat Song" (here called "Day Oh") is not as bad as it could've been, but it still isn't great.  On the other hand, Bob Andy's songwriting skills show their timeless appeal on a pair of tunes, "Feeling Soul" and "Fire Burning" (the latter of which's DJ version, "Half Idiot," is on Volume 5).  The same cannot be said, however, for Sanchez's cruel and unusual hip-hop cover of New Birth's "Wild Flower," and while Mary Ann (She finally got off the island, I guess.) makes an admirable stab at Donnie Elbert's R&B classic "Have I Sinned," in the immortal words of MC Hammer, she can't touch it.  Anthony Malvo tries to go for the Lack of Imagination Award by crooning Peabo Bryson's "Can You Stop the Rain" over Aswad's "Dub Fire" rhythm, and Richie Stephens' "Should I" is a nice but too straightforward remake (with the same music) of the Dennis Brown tune.  Whose came first, I'm not sure.  Some originality comes by way of the best track on this album, Beres Hammond's sultry dancehall jam, "Step Aside."   Also quite nice are Half Pint's classic "I Am Not a Substitute Lover" and Dennis Brown's "You Know You Want to Be Loved."