Alpheus
Quality Time
Heartbeat (www.rounder.com)

Rock steady crooner Alpheus is the latest singer from Studio One. An apprentice of Coxsone Dodd who harmonized on projects for Michael Rose, Everton Blender, and Sugar Minot, the Englishman purrs through almost forty minutes of lover's rock and positive beats on his debut. Respecting Dodd, Alpheus retools several Studio One hits like "Equal Rights", "Lecturer", and "Throw Me Corn". His originals rock, straight from the uplifting opener "Nothing Can Stop You", through "Mother and Father", a reprise of Desmond Dekker's classic "Honour Your Mother and Father", and up to the punchy "Bad Bwoy"; but if you like raunchy dancehall, angelic Alpheus may be too sickly sweet for you. - Craig Tower