Beat down Babylon

"Many artists have a signature song, which continues to be associated with them and delights audiences for years after its creation. During his tenure with producer Lee Perry in the first half of the 70s, Junior Byles created about a half-dozen, as evidenced by 'Beat Down Babylon' (Doctor Bird). The anthology, built around Junior's 1972 LP (...), adds over 30 bonus tracks to the original 10-track set, giving a widescreen view of the singer/songwriter's considerable talents".

"Kerrie 'Junior' Byles was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1948 and developed into one of reggae's foremost voices, initially as the lead voice in rocksteady trio The Versatiles, then as a solo artist in the 70s. Working closely with producer Lee Perry, Byles released a series of beautiful (and often politically astute) 45s before his debut album, 1972's Beat Down Babylon. The album is a masterpiece of song, voice and production - Perry is both imaginative yet subtle, never overshadowing Byles, who should have developed into one of the great roots reggae stars of the 1970s but mental health problems sidelined him ... As Doctor Bird do with their excellent series of reissues, they add extra tracks from the album sessions and an entire CD of Byles' 1973-75 recordings (plus excellent sleeve notes by Perry biographer David Katz) ... A stunning document. 'All my life I've been kicked around,' Byles sings on 'I've Got a Feeling' and you believe him".