The Writing on the Wall

AMG Review of The Writing on the Wall

Steve Leggett
All Music Guide

Before Bob Marley, before even Jimmy Cliff, there was Desmond Dekker, the self-styled original rude boy who with his 1968 international hit "Israelites" put Jamaica and its skewed, unique, upside-down take on pop music firmly on the map. Unfortunately, "Israelites" is not included in this set of early Dekker sides recorded between 1963 and 1970, and neither is the enduring "007 (Shanty Town)," so this isn't the first place for casual listeners to sample Dekker's work, but it is a nice look at his early ska sides, including "Honour Your Mother and Father" from 1963, the Jimmy Cliff-like "I Believe," and the loopy but infectious "Mother Pepper." Also worth noting is "I've Got the Blues" where the normally sweet-toned Dekker roughs things up a bit and turns himself into a pretty convincing soul shouter.