★★★★★
The comfy but earthy governor of grown-up reggae, has long been the last word in laid-back lovers serenades. However, he also has views on other matters. So his 20th album is a gentle grower sprawling across two carefully demarcated "love"- and "life"-oriented discs. Since he blossomed from frontman in the 1970s to computer-age megastar, Beres can work at his chosen pace - hence the four-year gap between 2008's A Moment in Time and this set...
- www.bbc.co.uk
2013-04-23
★★★★★
Beres Hammond has enjoyed a lengthy career as Jamaica's greybeard crooner of choice. At this point though, having perfected the classy, mature persona that has served him so well, he's starting to crest over the hill. It's partly the fault of the music; he used to smooth out the edges of many a tough dancehall production ("Too Experienced" is his signature song in that style), but now he finds himself riding nostalgic echoes of roots reggae that make less of an impression than ever...
- exclaim.ca
2013-06-25
★★★★★
Reggae legend Beres Hammond brings his soulful, smoky vocals to a typically steady-as-she-goes 16-track set that really heats up on the torrid I Surrender, Hammond's best song in about a decade. The CD also comes with a DVD featuring an interview, his live set at Jamaica Sunfest 2007 and the video for the single I Feel Good.
- www.hour.ca
2010-11-02
★★★★★
Why do women swoon over Beres Hammond? Known as the Jamaican Marvin Gaye, he's delivered lovers' rock since the '70s ? but Hammond's style is neither slick and studly nor explicitly sexy. Therein lies its greatness: Hammond seduces via a soothing, raspy voice that's sleaze-free, weathered, even a tad scarred. So when he swears, "No more will I ever blunder" on the beguiling ballad "There for You," you believe him. This collection of consummate love songs ? his 19th album ? oozes with honesty...
- www.blender.com
2010-08-22
★★★★★
Beres Hammond
A Moment In Time (V.P. Records)
Jamaican soul man Beres Hammond has long since earned the right to take it easy. He's toured the world many times over, built his own state-of-the-art studio (twice), and launched his own Harmony House label. His double disc career retrospective Can't Stop A Man (V.P.) has been in stores for five years now. Apprentice artists like Collie Budz have scored hits sampling his early work...
- vibe.com
2009-07-28
★★★★★
No text for this review; see http://robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-cg90/grades-90s.php.
- www.robertchristgau.com
2009-01-26
★★★★★
An album that had critics reaching for superlatives, A Day in the Life... was yet another magnificent set from Beres Hammond, an artist who seems incapable of anything less. This is a punchier record than its predecessor, Love From a Distance. The rhythms are sharper with edgier dancehall atmospheres than the gentler moods that blossomed on Love...
- music.aol.com
2008-08-28