Consumer Guide Album

Bunny Wailer: Protest [Island, 1977]
Neither Bunny's voice, strong by Jamaican standards but no soul shout, nor reggae's persuasive but rarely irrefutable rhythms, are suited to the more forceful (or is it just louder?) procedures of this follow-up. The decrease in compassion, consolation, and--most directly to the political point--inspiration is less a matter of the words themselves than of how they're sung, but never on the last record did he resort to such radio-preacher pretensions as "the rock of discretion/Will calm the floods of conflict." Not to mention an antiabortion line. B