The mighty Upsetter returns with nine brand-new tracks recorded with longtime friend and collaborator Adrian Sherwood at the helm! This new album is the culmination of over two years of work, with recording sessions spanning Jamaica, Brazil, and the UK. Determined to craft a work of lasting power, Sherwood compares the album to Rick Rubin’s work with Johnny Cash on the American Recordings series—a deeply personal collection (the album title references Lee’s birth name) and arguably the strongest batch of original material Perry has released in many years. From the atmospheric field recordings and wah-wah guitar on the opener “Cricket On The Moon,” to the gothic cello embellishments on “Let It Rain,” the chopped-and-compressed horn section of “Makumba Rock,” and the layered, carefully arranged backing vocals that sound like a heavenly chorus throughout the record, this is an album where true love and care have been poured into every groove. It culminates in the extraordinary “Autobiography Of The Upsetter,” where Lee narrates the story of his life—from growing up on a plantation in 1930s colonial Jamaica to becoming a worldwide musical superstar. “It’s the most intimate album Lee has ever made, but at the same time the musical ideas are very fresh. I’m extremely proud of what we’ve created as a piece of work.” — A.M.S.
