Eek-A-Speaka

iTunes Review

While most of his contemporaries had consigned themselves to reggae's nostalgia circuit, Eek’s “comeback” album proved he's still a restless creative force. Reggae has long since become codified, but Eek is one of the few Jamaican heroes who remains at war with the obvious. Eek makes “I Love Weed” bizarre enough to rattle the expectations of the most seasoned Cypress Hill devotee. The music integrates electronic programming and other elements of modern dub production, but the focus is wholly on Eek’s inimitable vocal inventions. His arsenal of vocal tricks was formidable in 1984, and it's only grown deeper in the intervening years. He loves to sing in a gothic croak that emphasizes his age, and he brandishes it like a badge of honor. Yet almost every one of these recordings is a Pandora’s box of vocal surprises. Those who believe dancehall tunes can't be both tough and strange need to listen to “Joey Joey,” “Tek Wey," and the creeping and appropriately titled “Let There Be Night.”