Beres Hammond - Never Ending (VP Records)

For the recordings of 'Never Ending' Hammond called on an exquisite all-star cast of the best reggae musicians available: Winston 'Bopee' Bowen - guitar, Kirk Bennett - drums, Robbie Lyn - keyboards, Dean Fraser - saxophone, the lamented Style Scott - drums, Errol 'Flabba' Holt - bass, Lord 'Obeah' Denton - keyboards, Sly Dunbar - drums, Willie Lindo - guitar and Franklyn 'Bubbler' Waul - keyboards. Tracks like up-tempo opener 'I'm Alive', 'My Kinda Girl' and 'Land Of Sunshine' were already previously released as singles, and especially that last song, in which Beres proclaims his love for his homeland Jamaica, should sound familiar, as it's a version over a revamp of the classic Why Oh Why riddim. Just like on previous albums, 'Never Ending' also offers a mix of more r&b or soul-flavored songs like 'I Will Take You There', 'Love Foreclosure' or title and closing track 'Never Ending', to picture-perfect lovers rock tunes like 'Only One', 'Sleeping Beauty', 'Seasons Change' or 'All Love', and a handful of conscious tracks like the aforementioned 'Land Of Sunshine', 'Lose It All', one of our personal favorites from the track list, and the almost as infectious 'Survival'. Another gem of an album that's definitely been worth the wait. May Beres Hammond's career be 'Never Ending'!