After a fresh bout of Twitter rumours on the weekend, saying Beres Hammond, one of the most recognizable voices in the Caribbean, was dead, the lover’s rock empressario is proving to be more alive than ever.
Hammond is staging a rebirth with One Love, One Life, a 20-track double album with steady grooves and some bona fide classics.
This is the second time social media has ‘killed off’ the reggae legend.
Early in 2008, it was rumoured that Hammond had suffered a heart attack, sparking a sea of comments on Twitter, with fans mourning and wishing all the best for his family.
The same thing happened this weekend for some reason, but again Hammond is fine and One Love, One Life seems just as healthy
Self-produced and recorded in his Kingston studio, Hammond has organised a record that splits into matters of the heart (One Love) and social consciousness (One Life).
No Candle Light is instantly amazing. Hammond is ever the gentleman on the tender mid-tempo groove In My Arms and the romantic ballad Lonely Fellow is sincere.
The second album is calm and refreshing, full of songs that will uplift. One bright spot is the title track, where Hammond makes it clear that he isn’t “singing for fame”.
The 57-year-old came on to the music scene in the 1970s and has a voice that doesn’t seem to age. He adds another jewel in his crown with his new album.