Robin Denselow reviews Sparrows retrospective collection for The Guardian.
Sub-titled “wit, wisdom and soul from the King of Calypso 1962-74″, this two-album set provides a reminder of the varied skills of the singer-songwriter who dominated Caribbean music in the pre-reggae era, but fails to provide quite the tribute he deserves. Mighty Sparrow was celebrated for his powerful vocals, his fusion of calypso with jazz and soul, and for his brave, often controversial lyrics. This curiously constructed set starts with a batch of his lesser songs such as “Calypso Boogaloo,” but improves with the outrageous, decidedly non-PC “Congo Man.” His famed songs of sexual bragging include the cheerfully witty “Big Bamboo” and “Bois Bande,” the autobiographical pieces include the gloriously upbeat “Sparrow Come Back Home,” but there are surprisingly few of his political songs. “Kennedy and Khrushchev” is a pro-American reaction to the Cuban missile crisis, while “Ah Diggin’ Horrors” is an angry, brass-backed story of bad news and hard times. Best of all, there’s the powerful and thoughtful lament “Slave,” providing further proof that Sparrow was no mere novelty singer.
For the original report go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/jan/19/mighty-sparrow-sparromania-review?newsfeed=true
