Yellowman - Mister Yellowman (1982)

One of the most popular deejays to ever come out of Jamaica is probably one that you would least expect; a six foot tall albino. After growing up in an orphanage and steadily building a reputation in the underground dancehall scene, Yellowman quickly rose to popularity in Jamaica with a string of hit singles in the early 80s, eventually becoming the first Jamaican recording artist to be signed to a major US label. Mister Yellowman, his first studio album, arguably remains his best, thanks in large part to the influential Roots Radics band and production by famous dancehall producer Henry "Junjo" Lawes. Yellowman effortlessly rides the riddims laid down by the Radics, which have been further finessed and infused with dub by Lawes. The end result is a far cry from your typical folk-driven roots reggae.

Lyrically, the album perfectly showcases Yellowman's exuberant personality and keen sense of humor. "Mr. Chin" features Yellowman complaining about the local Chinese grocer (all the while seducing his two daughters), while "Yellowman Getting Married" endorses Yellowman as the perfect husband. There's also the politically-conscious "Duppy or Gunman," but most of the album's lyrics revolve around the minutiae of everyday life, which has helped the album resonate with so many different people over the years.

Although Yellowman has now largely been overshadowed by many of his contemporaries, his influence on music as a whole is unmistakable. Not only did he help bridge the gap between roots reggae and the electronic sound of the next generation, but he also had a less direct influence on the evolution of hip-hop, and has been quoted and/or sampled by a number of popular artists such as Eazy-E, Tupac, Biggie, Mos Def, and Ice Cube. "King Yellowman" indeed.

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Mephiskapheles - God Bless Satan (1994)

Mephiskapheles, in addition to having the best name ever, seemingly created a band around a terrible mad-lib. The ska/metal/satanic group formed in New York City in 1990 and once and for all proved that "real" genres are for posers. While touring the East Coast, the group eventually settled on a 7-piece lineup and developed an occult following among devil worshiping ruddies. Not content with merely creating its own genre, Mephiskapheles carved out a musical niche by contrasting powerful horn melodies and metal leanings. Their debut LP God Bless Satan hit in 1994, and the video for "Doomsday" played on MTV. After few US and European tours, two more LPs, and presumably 666 shows later, Mephiskapheles called it quits in 2001.

The blaring horn section drives God Bless Satan. Sometimes bright and playful, other times dark and ominous, the horns take on the melodic duties on the bulk of the album. "Bad John" opens with the archetypical ska revival upbeat intro, punctuating riffs, and solos while a minor tonality melody slowly builds up the brooding "Hard Times." The articulated lines of "Doomsday" conjure up images of a demonic reveille calling the dead to rise and juxtapose the bouncy Latin dance vibe of "Saba." While always tight and driving, the horns usually fall back on playing in unison. While this doesn't really detract from the overall quality of the album, a more layered approach could improve most tracks.

You don’t need to be a fan ska revival or Beelzebub to enjoy Mephiskapeheles. Anyone who enjoys upbeat, high energy dance music (and who has no qualms with outright satanism) should give God Bless Satan a shot. It’s loaded with fast, fun, and occasionally funny tracks. Fans of the genre, especially, should tune in because God Bless Satan offers a hectic pace and tight melodies that put most other ska albums to shame.