

For this 1997 album, Buju Banton reinvented himself as a conscious-reggae crooner of the highest order (with some help from older legends as well). The rough-voiced deejay turns into an evocative vocalist on the lilting “Cry No More” and explores deep roots and gritty soul with Toots Hibbert on “54/46.” It’s the finer grain of Banton’s voice, however, that makes relaxed, saxophone-laden tracks like “Hills and Valleys” feel so personal, stirring, and spiritual all at once.