Dr. Alimantado - Best Dressed Chicken In Town (1978)

"Best Dressed Chicken in Town" is the debut album by Jamaican deejay Dr. Alimantado. It was first released in 1978, and collects many of his self-produced singles from 1972 to 1977, and employs the sound engineering talents of Lee "Scratch" Perry, King Tubby, and Scientist. It was the first album released by Greensleeves Records, and gained a cult following within both the reggae and punk rock communities in the UK at the time. (Johnny Rotten of Sex Pistols fame announced it to be one of his favourite reggae albums....)

The album employed several major hits as the basis for the tracks, including Horace Andy's versions of "Ain't No Sunshine". The album was described by The Independent as "one of the finest albums from reggae's golden age". There have been a number of re issues of this album over the years, this is a rip of the original album from the vinyl, which lends a lot to the authentic feel when listening to it.

"One-of-a-kind Jamaican DJ Dr. Alimantado found unexpected fame with U.K. punks after Johnny Rotten bestowed his blessings. The hoopla was certainly warranted based on the high quality of his mid-'70s sides, several of which are included on Best Dressed Chicken in Town. Handling production chores himself, Alimantado enlisted top reggae engineers and producers like Lee "Scratch" Perry, King Tubby, and Scientist to add their own alchemy to the mix. The dub-inflected tracks and Alimantado's idiosyncratic musings prove a potent combination, especially on standouts like "Poison Flower" (a version of a Horace Andy vocal), the Rasta vengeance number "I Killed the Barber," and the comically over-the-top title cut. Other highlights include the bubbly "Unitone Skank," as well as the album's two instrumentals: a predictably bizarre and brilliant Scratch mix, "I Am the Greatest Says Muhammed Ali," and the Duke Reid homage "Tribute to Duke" (based on Slim Smith's incredible rendition of the Billy Stewart soul gem "Sitting in the Park"). Completing this very enjoyable disc are sampled vocals by Gregory Isaacs and Jackie Edwards, the musical contributions of great Kingston studio outfits like the Aggrovators, and, finally, the tableau-like cover photo of Alimantado walking the sunny streets of downtown Kingston. Along with other unique dub and DJ titles like Mikey Dread's African Anthem, Best Dressed Chicken in Town is a must for reggae enthusiasts"

---------------- Review by Stephen Cook 

Tracklist:

1. "Best Dressed Chicken in Town" engineer - Upsetter
2. "Just The Other Day" vocals - Droopy; engineer - King Tubby
3. "Poison Flour" vocals - Horace Andy; engineer - Philip Smart
4. "Gimmie Mi Gun" vocals - Gregory Isaacs; engineer - Lancelot "Maxie" McKenzie
5. "I Killed The Barber" vocals - Jackie Edwards; engineer - Philip Smart
6. "Unitone Skank" vocals - Gregory Isaacs; engineer - Pat Kelly
7. "Can't Conquer Natty Dreadlocks" engineer - Upsetter
8. "Ride On" vocals - Jah Woosh, Jimmy Radwell; engineer - Upsetter
9. "Plead I Cause" engineer - King Tubby
10. "I Shall Fear No Evil" engineer - Philip Smart

Download Link - Mediafire