Unchained Spirit

Unchained Spirit
Studio album by
Buju Banton
Released2000
Studios
  • Penthouse
  • Aksum
  • Idea Lounge
Genres
Length1:03:54
Labels
Producers
Buju Banton chronology
Inna Heights
(1997)		 Unchained Spirit
(2000)		 Friends For Life
(2003)

Unchained Spirit is the sixth studio album by Jamaican musician Buju Banton. It was released in 2000 via ANTI-/Epitaph Records, marking it his only album for the label. It as produced by Donovan Germain, Steven Marsden, Tony "CD" Kelly, Dean Fraser, Tyrone Downie, Stephen Marley, and Banton. It features guest appearances from Beres Hammond, Gramps Morgan, LMS, Luciano, Rancid, Stephen Marley, and Wayne Wonder.

The album peaked at number 128 on the Billboard 200, number 5 on the Independent Albums and number 2 on the Reggae Albums charts. It made it to number 40 on the UK Official Independent Albums Chart.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star
Robert Christgau(neither)
The Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStarStarStar
The Evening PostStarStarStar
NMEStarStarHalf star
NowStarStar
(The New) Rolling Stone Album GuideStarStarStarHalf star
Spin7/10

David Dacks of Exclaim! wrote that "the treacle far outstrips anything resembling a tuff rhythm here ... even over the good rhythms, Buju doesn't seem to have the command he once did". Rohan Preston of The Minnesota Star Tribune thought that "Buju's grainy voice flows over slowly distilled lattices of rhythms and multi-part South African-style harmonies". M.F. DiBella of AllMusic defined the album as a "a vital and rhythmic mix of homegrown Jamaican philosophy, biblical harmonizing, and just plain eerie dancehall".

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Intro"Traditional0:39
2."23rd Psalm" (featuring Gramps Morgan)Traditional5:44
3."Voice of Jah" (featuring LMS)
5:01
4."Sudan"Myrie4:41
5."We'll Be Alright" (featuring Luciano)
4:24
6."Pull It Up" (featuring Beres Hammond)
4:09
7."Life Is a Journey"Myrie4:07
8."Better Must Come"
  • Myrie
  • Dodd
  • Delroy Reid
  • Don Drummond
4:12
9."Mighty Dread"Myrie5:01
10."Poor Old Man" (featuring Stephen Marley)
4:26
11."Law & Order"Myrie3:51
12."Guns & Bombs"
3:20
13."Woman Dem Phat"
  • Myrie
  • Kelly
3:16
14."No More Misty Days" (featuring Rancid)
4:01
15."Pull It Up (Live in Concert)" (featuring Beres Hammond)
  • Myrie
  • Hammond
  • Dodd
2:56
16."Reunion" (featuring Wayne Wonder)
4:06
Total length:1:03:54

Charts

Chart (2000) Peak
position
UK Independent Albums (Official Charts)40
US Billboard 200128
US Independent Albums (Billboard)5
US Reggae Albums (Billboard)2

References

  1. ↑ Thompson, Dave (May 25, 2002). "Reggae & Caribbean Music". Hal Leonard Corporation.
  2. ↑ Wartofsky, Alona (August 16, 2000). "Buju Banton, Preacher Mon". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  3. 1 2 DiBella, M.F. "Buju Banton: Unchained Spirit". AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  4. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Buju Banton". Robert Christgau. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  5. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 409.
  6. ↑ Greeks, Polly (August 31, 2000). "Movies & Music". Features. The Evening Post. p. 17.
  7. ↑ "Unchained Spirit". NME. September 12, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  8. ↑ Galloway, Matt (August 17, 2000). "Music: Discs". Now. Retrieved December 1, 2005.
  9. ↑ O., E. (2004). Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (eds.). (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.
  10. ↑ Kenner, Rob (September 2000). "Jump Cuts". Spin. Vol. 16, no. 9. Spin Media LLC. p. 189. ISSN 0886-3032. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  11. ↑ Dacks, David (October 1, 2000). "Buju Banton | Unchained Spirit". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  12. ↑ Preston, Rohan (August 20, 2000). "Pop Music". The Star Tribune. p. 7F.
  13. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 30/7/2000 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Buju Banton Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Buju Banton Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Buju Banton Chart History (Reggae Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 9, 2026.