Cocaine In My Brain

Thanks in part to innovators like U-Roy and Big Youth, DJ music became popular in Jamaica in the early '70s, spawning several original stylists like Dennis Alcapone, I-Roy, and Dillinger in the process. Fortunately, after years of sporadic reissues, these somewhat overlooked performers are being heard on many quality retrospectives, including this fine Dillinger title from Trojan. Combining the Charly collection Cocaine with several early singles cut with mentor Lee "Scratch" Perry, Cocaine in My Brain traces Dillinger's development and subsequent rise to fame during the '70s. Big hits like the title track and "Marijuana in My Brain" are representative of the DJ's later material, spotlighting his ease with both funky productions and more hardcore, dub-inflected material. Unfortunately, Dillinger's bad taste is also in evidence with cuts like "Crab in My Pants" and "Mickey Mouse Crab Louse." Lyric matters aside, the music remains engaging throughout, and the many Perry-produced tracks taking up the second half of the disc nicely wind things up with raw and electric standouts like "Mid East Rock" and "Tighten Up Skank." Although a more representative Dillinger disc taking in more of his early material is needed, Cocaine in My Brain does offer a nice introduction to this underrated MC. ~ Stephen Cook|