LEE SCRATCH PERRY Jamaican ET (Trojan/EMI) Rating: NNNN Rating: NNNN
Reggae
After a baffling string of terrible jungle records featuring Lee “Scratch” Perry mixing his eclectic production with new-school beats with little success, the Switzerland-based dub scientist returns to classic rubbery rhythms on Jamaican ET. Perry sings straight-ahead soul, toasts gibberish like “Once I was black, now I am white,” and, most importantly, gets back behind the mixing desk, turning each track into a shuddering dub rocker drenched in reverb. It’s a tremendous return to form, and the chirping birds and chorus cooing “We love you, Mr. Perry” on 10 Commandments are as disorienting as anything Perry ever did at Black Ark. The Upsetter is back.
