Artist: Dr. Alimantado Album: Best Dressed Chicken in Town

Year: 1978
Duration: 43:46

Dr. Alimantado's Best Dressed Chicken in Town: A Critic's Review

Dr. Alimantado was one of the most influential Jamaican music artists of the 1970s. His unique style of reggae music caught the attention of music lovers all over the world, and his album, Best Dressed Chicken in Town, remains one of the most popular reggae albums of all time. In this blog post, we will take a critical look at the album, explore the history of the artist, and review the best songs and most innovative parts of Best Dressed Chicken in Town.

Dr. Alimantado was born Winston James Thompson in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1952. He began his music career in the early 1970s, working with producers like Lee Scratch Perry and Joe Gibbs. However, it was his work with Jah Lloyd that really launched his career, and his album Best Dressed Chicken in Town, released in 1978, cemented his place in the history of reggae music.

Best Dressed Chicken in Town is a classic example of the deejay style of reggae music. Deejaying, or toasting, involves speaking or singing over pre-recorded tracks, and it was a hugely popular style in Jamaica in the 1970s. Dr. Alimantado's unique voice and style made him stand out in the crowded reggae music scene, and his album remains a timeless classic.

The album opens with the title track, Best Dressed Chicken in Town, which features Dr. Alimantado's distinctive toasting over a classic reggae rhythm. Other standout tracks include Gimme Mi Gun, which blends reggae and dub styles, and I Killed the Barber, which tells a darkly comic story of revenge.

One of the most innovative parts of the album is the use of sound effects and audio samples. On Unitone Skank, Dr. Alimantado incorporates bird sounds and other sounds from nature into the music, creating a unique and truly immersive listening experience. The album also features snippets of dialogue and other audio samples, adding another layer of depth to the music.

With all that being said, it is important to note that the album is not without its flaws. Some of the tracks can feel repetitive or drawn-out, and the production quality is not always consistent. However, these issues do not detract from the overall quality and importance of the album.

Dr. Alimantado's Best Dressed Chicken in Town is a true reggae classic, and one of the most important albums in the history of the genre. Its unique style and innovative use of sound effects and audio samples made it a groundbreaking work of art, and it continues to inspire and influence musicians today. If you are a fan of reggae music, or simply appreciate good music in general, then you owe it to yourself to give this album a listen.