Police Helicopter in Bloomington, MN

John Holt
, both as a member of
the Paragons
and as a solo artist, had established himself as the master of
pop
with a multitude of love, love lost, and other typically
-themed hit singles. However, with
Police in Helicopter
, the singer reinvented himself as a more contemporary, cultural artist.
The title track, a Jamaican smash, set the defiant tone, threatening, "If you continue to burn up the herbs, we're going to burn down the cane fields."
"Last Train From the Ghetto"
and
"Reality"
are cultural/Rastafarian statements of intent, while
"I Got Caught"
is a warning about the consequences of misdeeds.
The
Roots Radics
provide the rootsy accompaniment, with producer
Henry "Junjo" Lawes
adding his signature deep
roots
/
dubby
production, with that sublime tinge of
dancehall
which gave the record a totally contemporary sound. Of course,
Holt
didn't totally break with his past, and the rest of the record contains lighter-themed material. Hit bound
"Fat She Fat"
"Private Doctor"
were equal to any of the singer's previous classics, only the musical style has changed. In fact, the deepest
track of all is
"Beach Party,"
the perfect thematic follow-up to the
Paragons
classic
"On the Beach."
"I Got Caught,"
which one expects to be rootsy, is virtually
rocksteady
, abetted by the
Tamlins
' sweet backing vocals and accompanied by a flock of chirping birds.
Lawes
also had a field day with the saccharine
"Sugar & Spice,"
drawing in elements of
while littering the track with contemporary
electro
effects. The album is a masterpiece of aural illusion, as the band slide out the fat rhythms and
reggae
riffs, and
transforms them before our eyes. Deep
with a twist, wave a wand and, abracadabra,
's songs are no longer considered MOR
, but now appeal to a more serious audience.
Police
is a true classic album on which a great vocalist and songwriter comes of age. ~ Jo-Ann Greene