Horace Andy On Tour

• Words: Eric K. Arnold
• Label: Trojan
• XLR8R Rating: 7/10

Thanks to Massive Attack, Horace Andy has enjoyed a longer career than most roots reggae artists of his vintage. It hasn’t hurt that his reedy voice has weathered the years with little, if any, fall-off–which can be attributed to walking the Rastaman walk, as opposed to just chanting the talk. Andy’s trademark stuttering interjections are peppered throughout On Tour, his first album of new material in six years. Eschewing JA‘s current hit riddims for a minimal feel (reminiscent of early ’80s dancehall), the production thankfully leaves room for the singer’s sinuous vocals to breathe. Though not groundbreaking, tracks like “Back Against the Wall” and “Can’t Fool the Youths” suggest Andy hasn’t been skylarking all this time.