A new record from reggae's leading contemporary vocalist is an event, especially since three years separate Unchained Spirit from Inna Heights. He's still very much a leader of the conscious, spiritual movement in the music, wearing the heritage of Bob Marley. And he takes chances, as his version of "23rd Psalm" shows--a soft, evocative beginning to a record that pushes at the genre's boundaries, even as it makes nods toward dance hall on "Pull It Up" (which features the excellent Beres Hammond). But Banton and his gravelly voice seem to have his heart in the '70s, as "Better Must Come" shows all too clearly. Labelmates Rancid show up on the edgy "No More Misty Days," which, oddly, has echoes of U2. Banton has never felt himself constrained by reggae; instead it's always been his springboard--but never more so than here, where the reggae spring has made this album worth the wait. --Chris Nickson
