Psalms for I (Carib Gems, 1975)

Psalms For I is Prince Far I's debut album and is often considered one of his crowning achievements, but I can’t see it.  I'd group this with some of his lesser albums -- like Message From the King and Long Life (although, again, some people like these sets a lot also) -- as it exposes his potential to, despite the booming vocals, bore the hell out of the listener.  Psalms For I essentially consists of Prince Far I reading selections from the Bible's Book of Psalms over somber riddims.  Unfortunately, neither the vocals nor the music prove striking enough to really distinguish any one song from the other and thus can't prevent it all from melding into one big innocuous, numbing mass.  Admittedly, Prince Far I's piercing voice is perfect for raining down Old Testament fire 'n brimstone, but without any vocal attempts at rhythm or melody, or even much inflection, it falls flat.  Perhaps even flatter is the music, a generic assortment of heavy, lumbering mid-'70s roots that proves to be little more than background filler -- particularly with the uneven sound quality (which may have improved on Pressure Sounds' 2002 re-release).  The best -- and probably the most recognizable -- of the riddims is that from Horace Andy's "You Are My Angel," found on "The Lord's Prayer."  Only the biggest Prince Far I fans will likely find significant value in Psalms For I; for the rest of us, we can only thank goodness that he moved on to a more dynamic sophomore release in Heavy Manners.

*Alternate Review*

Voice of Thunder (Trojan, 1990 [orig. released 1981])

If ever there was a more appropriate title for an album, I haven't heard it.  Prince Far I's booming, gravelly vocals command attention like no other artist.  His deliberate, almost talking style of DJing accentuates his vocal power even more, and his superior job of self-production on Voice of Thunder -- as he puts forth brutal, stripped-down drum and bass-heavy beats -- even further compliments his power.  Indeed, it's difficult to tell which is harder -- his vocals or his music.  It really doesn't matter, of course, because they combine to beat you down.  Still, you don't get the sense that the Prince is some big braggart or bully (the persona that many of today's dancehall DJs and hip-hop MCs put forth); rather, his cultural, righteous lyrics put him in the position of teacher or preacher.  I don't always like early DJs because they don't often come up with much that I find catchy or musical, but on Voice of Thunder, Prince Far I does both, providing either funky beats (as on "Every Time I Hear the Word" and "Head of the Buccaneer") or infectious chatting (as on "Tribute to Bob Marley" and "Hold the Fort") that goes beyond his occasionally bland talking style.  There is little that is bland about this album, though; this is raw stuff that will send thunderbolts through your ears.

Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter 1 (ROIR, 1992?  [orig. released 1978])

Chapter 1 begins the popular Cry Tuff Dub Encounter series on a solid note.  This album is "overdubbed" (whatever that means) by On-U Sound's Adrian Sherwood and Dub Syndicate, at times making the material a bit sterile, but the music is on the whole remarkably resonates the fierceness that Prince Far I is known for, even though his thunderous vocals are absent.  The two best tracks on Chapter 1 are the irresistibly bouncy, melodica-driven "The Right Way" and the airy horn and African drum-laden "The Encounter," both of which can also be found on the strong ROIR compilation Dub Or Die Volume 2.  "Abderrahmane," "A Message," and "The Visitor" round out Chapter 1 nicely.  Prince Far I's voice might've enhanced these hard, driving beats, but even alone they should satisfy your taste for dub.

The Golden Years: 1977-1983 (Cult, 1999)

Like its release of the best of Lee Perry/Wailers compilation Bob Marley Vs. Lee Scratch Perry, Cult Records' straightforward collection of Prince Far I's best is long overdue.  Prince Far I's sound is, to say the least, heavy and is not for everyone.   Even though I really enjoy some of his stuff, sitting and listening to 18 straight tracks can be a difficult task.  For me, his material is best in smaller doses (like the 10-track Voice of Thunder).  That said, The Golden Years could be trimmed down somewhat, but it nevertheless delivers some classic moments from Prince Far I's too-short career.  The album is structured in chronological order, with one of his first and most famous singles, "Heavy Manners" (from 1977), leading things off.  After that, tracks 2 through 6 represent the 1979 album Free From Sin, 7 through 10 are from 1980's Jamaican Heroes, 11 through 13 from 1981's Voice of Thunder, 14 and 15 from 1981's Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter 4, and 16 through 18 are from 1983's Musical History.  "Free From Sin," "Musical History," "Ten Commandments," and "Head of the Buccaneer" are the best tracks here, in my opinion, while the two dub cuts ("Deadly Command" and "Sound Gesture") are strong jazzy numbers, and "Jamaican Heroes" displays the Prince's soft, singing (well, he tries to sing) side to surprisingly catchy effect (unlike the other sing-song, "I Don't Know Why I Love Jah So").   A nice overview if you don't want to scrounge through all of Prince Far I's albums.

Message From the King (Virgin, 2000 [orig. released 1978])

I'd have to rank Message From the King among Prince Far I's weakest albums.  It represents Prince Far I at his least musical and least innovative.  His voice is as powerful as ever, but his flow isn't particularly melodic or interesting, as he often resorts to merely talking without any noticeable rhythm.  The musical backing of The Arabs (which includes several members of Roots Radics) is somber and stale, with only the title track -- featuring vocals by Culture -- rising much above mediocrity.  "Commandment of Drugs," "Blackman Land," and "Concrete Column" are alright, but overall, this is a dull, drab album that isn't representative of Prince Far I's talent.  Note: most of the tunes on Message From the King are also available on a collection from Caroline Records called Black Man Land.

Long Life (Virgin, 2002 [orig. released 1978])

Like Message From the King, Long Life is one of Prince Far I's more mundane efforts, and like Message From the King, it has recently been re-released by Virgin (yippee).  This lackluster album starts out OK, with "Daughters of Zion" and "Right Way," but I was dozing before the end of the fifth track.  Dull doesn't begin to describe Long Life.  Musically, it's slow and generic -- the two tracks previously mentioned being the best -- and vocally it's even worse.  Even Prince Far I himself seems bored with it all; he creates no interesting melodies or rhythmic flow (although he does try -- try being the operative word -- to sing on "Who Have Eyes to See") and seems to merely talk -- or rather, drone -- for what seems a lot longer than the 32-minute running time.

Silver and Gold: 1973-1979 (Blood & Fire, 2005) 

*GUEST REVIEW*
Adrian Sherwood and Prince Far I were gigging in Holland when a massive man walked up to PFI and said he had saved his life. He was about to commit suicide in prison when he had heard "Deck of Cards" by PFI. Like him or loathe him, you have to admire the almighty power and distinctiveness of Far I's vocals. Silver and Gold is Blood & Fire's attempt to package some long-forgotten PFI material for the reggae masses. Nineteen tracks are included, with the vast majority produced by the man himself. They were originally released as singles on the Micron and his own Cry Tough label. You can purchase this album for many reasons. These include the strength and conviction of the vocals, a hand of God production, the dubs, or the cover. The cover features the Prince as the colourful uncle on Sunday lunchtime kitchen duties. Prior to this album the only PFI material on Blood & Fire was the excellent "Shuffle and Deal" from If DJ Was Your Trade and a track on the Satta album. Let's hope the label continue to unearth some lovely PFI material. He has a strange ability to control riddims, be rather incomprehensible, likeable, funny, serious, and clear all at the same time.

- ragudave