Living In The Flood

Horace Andy is probably best known as guest vocalist with Massive Attack, but his solo work is more Eddie Grant than Tricky. The aptly named Horace Sleepy Andy Hinds is a Rastafarian and is in love with reggae, y'see, and Living In The Flood is full of the lazy joys of the West Indies. The result is a wonderfully summery album which drips with the kind of sun-bleached bass and brass that goes down a bomb in Kingstown, but may have too many of the joys of summer for a wet Wednesday in Kinnegad.

The opening 'After All' sets the scene, ambling along with a certain laissez-faire that is far from the oppressive urban soundscapes of his sometimes working partners, 3D et al. Likewise 'Juggling' bumbles along nicely without ever getting hot under the collar. Horace wears his religious devotion on his sleeve on tracks like 'My Lord' and 'Seven Seals', waxing lyrical about Zion, "where the milk and honey flow", while 'Johnny Too Bad' sees our hero preaching peace and positivity to would-be delinquents.

In the main, it's extremely easy on the ear: only 'Doldrums' is slightly rougher around the edges thanks in the main to the heavier percussion.

Unfortunately, it all gets a bit monotonous after a while, and it's only the good time liveliness of 'Right Time' that lifts the pace above a canter. Personally, I keep wishing old Horace would get more worked up every now and then and just let go. Living In The Flood is unlikely to offend even the most sensitive ears but it's just a bit too listless to keep you coming back for more.