The Orb

With I'll Be Black, Dr. Alex Paterson -- the main man behind the Orb -- takes a casual, two-disc stroll through the mighty "Trojan"'s back catalog, picking up sentimental favorites, drugged out dubs, and quirky tunes along the way. Paterson's liner note reminiscing about the reggae label is a good indicator of how free form the disc will sound, so don't expect any mind-blowing revelations. Instead, it's a mighty good hang out session with little bits of sampled dialogue and leftover Orb interludes linking the tracks in a way that flows ever so slowly. Plenty of the songs that made a huge impact in the Orb's U.K. homeland -- "Liquidator," "Double Barrel," "Uptown Ranking," "Ali Baba," "Bam Bam," and so on -- are present and so are plenty of Lee Perry productions and dubs. No big surprise the eccentric reggae producer's work is appreciated, but it's Paterson's taste for oddball humor that really pays dividends, both with the laugh out loud interludes and naughty calypso tunes like "Dr. Kitch" ("she can't stand the size of my needle"). Instead of offering a primer, I'll Be Black offers a thoroughly entertaining look at the Trojan catalog, which should appeal to both Orb and reggae fans. Sourpusses and purists not welcome. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide