Ranking Dread

Girls Fiesta isn't the lovers rock or even light-hearted dancehall album that the name would indicate. Ranking Dread has Rastaman ideology on his mind and women come second. His DJ style is clever and full of rolling r's and rhymes. It verges on singjay but doesn't make the transition. Ranking Dread's toasting is matched up with Linval Thompson's production work and results in a DJ album that belongs beside I-Roy, Big Youth, and Tapper Zukie. Ranking Dread gets some of the best rhythms to work with and takes advantage of it. He rhymes smoothly about Rasta values and consciousness. A similar style with less conscious lyrics would be used by Michigan & Smiley for their smash "Nice Up the Dance." Thompson's production takes Ranking Dread's style and gives it a dubbed-up treatment echoing his vocals and tweaking the rhythm tracks to get the most out of the session. Ranking Dread versions Thompson's "I Love Marijuana" and many of the late '70s' biggest rhythms. Girls Fiesta is a DJ album with melodic toasting over Thompson's masterful production. ~ Matt Whalley, All Music Guide