The Jukebox Rebel

Desmond’s second LP for Stiff Records, following last years remakes set “Black and Dekker”. Unhappy at the lack of commercial success with the Rumour as backing band, Robert Palmer’s lot were brought in to oversee Desmond’s next set, 10 new tunes plus a remake of “Cindy” which had previously appeared on the “You Can Get It If You Really Want It” LP in 1970. The first few tracks aren’t too bad - they could have been great in the hands of the Jamaican studios, but are just a bit too plastic here. From thereon things go from poor to brutal… “Come Back To Me”: Excuse my French but, fuck me, was this recorded using Toy Store synths?; “Cindy ’81”: OMG! WTF! An attempted Glam Rock revival spearheaded by Desmond Dekker? Why oh why oh why oh why…; “I Do Believe / My Destiny”: Drivel of the highest order. There’s 10,000 better bands playing Miners Welfare Clubs every Saturday night in Britain. All of a sudden the whole of an artists back catalogue can be brought into disrepute - was he just a guy who got lucky with the right producers? Where's his sensibility? Does he think this was any good? Was he even sane in 1981?; “That’s My Woman”: Desmond now goes on to try and re-invent himself as the king of the breakdance scene. Where’s his counsel? Sales of the album were poor and Desmond was unceremoniously dropped from Stiff’s roster. Robert Palmer was a bad call in the first place Stiff. Who sacks you?

The Jukebox Rebel
03–Apr–2011

A1	[02:48] Desmond Dekker - I’ll Get By (Desmond Dacres) Reggae
A2	[02:47] Desmond Dekker - Moving On (Desmond Dacres) Reggae
A3	[04:00] Desmond Dekker - We Can And We Shall (Desmond Dacres) Reggae
A4	[02:55] Desmond Dekker - Hurts So Bad (Desmond Dacres) Pop
A5	[03:20] Desmond Dekker - Isabella (Desmond Dacres) Reggae
B1	[03:04] Desmond Dekker - Come Back To Me (Desmond Dacres) Reggae
B2	[03:08] Desmond Dekker - Cindy ‘81 (Desmond Dacres) Pop
B3	[03:16] Desmond Dekker - I Do Believe / My Destiny (Desmond Dacres) Reggae
B4	[03:30] Desmond Dekker - Big Headed (Desmond Dacres) Reggae
B5	[03:43] Desmond Dekker - That’s My Woman (Desmond Dacres) Pop
B6	[02:44] Desmond Dekker - Allamana (Desmond Dacres) Reggae

ratings by TJR