Linton Kewsi Johnson : Sonny's Lettah
On April 6, 1979 dub poet Linton Kewsi Johnson released Forces of Victory, his debut album for Island Records and among David Bowie's 25 all time favorite records. Johnson's subject matter is racism in late 70's Britain, and sadly, the points he makes in 1979 still hold true today. Most heartbreaking is the track "Sonny's Lettah", from the point of view of a man in Brixton Prison charged with murdering a cop who was beating on his brother.
Robert Christgau of the Village Voice gave the album an A- grade, writing:
You have every right to be suspicious of a Jamaican-English intellectual who writes message poems in patois and then sing-speaks them with the support of top reggae professionals. But you're wrong. Politics aside, Johnson has fresh musical gifts--an inside-outside awareness of the inherent musicality of Caribbean English and a rhythmic touch as uncanny as his band's.
On this album they're enhanced by insinuating horn charts, even melodies. While some prefer his debut, the bloody Dread Beat an' Blood (Virgin Front Line import), for striking closer to the broken bone of British racism, I actually like the abstractions here better, especially on "Reality Poem." Also, it's a relief to encounter a reggae album that doesn't once refer to Jah.
The album finished #26 in the Village Voice Pazz and Jop critics poll, #11 in the NME year ender and #4 in the Melody Maker list.
FoV was one of the best Albums in this year and Sonny's Lettah still makes me sad about what happened in These days.
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