You don't often hear the slashing protest tunes, fervent praise hymns, or anthemic, soulful love songs that characterized the majority of pre-dancehall reggae. That's what makes Earl Sixteen's Babylon Walls so enjoyable. Although the production and backing are contemporary, he sings with warmth and quality about the virtues of being a Rastaman, emphasizes truth and rights rather than all-night lovemaking, and includes a pair of sizzling, appealing love songs (one a fine cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Woman Got Soul") rather than highly suggestive, vulgar come-ons. Due to Ras' refusal to put exact recording dates on the material they lease from Ariwa, the recording date of this one is unclear. ~ Ron Wynn|

Rovi