Barry Brown – We Can’t Live Like This

The late Jamaican reggae singer Barry Brown initially came to prominence in the 1970s with his work for producer Bunny “Striker” Lee. Although his first release, “Girl You’re Always On My Mind”, had little impact, his rough-and-ready vocal style soon found popularity, with his first hit single coming with 1979’s “Step It Up Youthman”, which led to an album of the same name on Paradise Records. Barry Brown became one of the most successful artists of the early dancehall era, working with some of Jamaica’s top producers of the time, including Linval Thompson, Winston “Niney The Observer” Holness, Sugar Minott, Henry “Junjo” Lawes, and the Hookim brothers.

Originally a 12″ single, released in the UK in 1979 on the Justice label, this “Striker” Lee produced platter has been long unavailable. It’s now reissued by Pressure Sounds as a re-mastered 10″ vinyl. Both “We Can’t Live Like This” and “From Creation I Man There” were voiced and mixed at King Tubby’s Studio and recorded at Harry J Studio with great musical backing by the Aggrovators. These two tunes, included on Barry Brown’s “Superstar” album from 1979 but here featured as extended versions, can be ranked among the toughest recordings the singer did for “Striker” Lee. This is Barry Brown at his very best as he fully shows that he has the voice of a King!!! Both “We Can’t Live Like This” and “From Creation I Man There” are killers and it’s a real joy to hear them in extended form.