Mr. Anonymous is name bequeathed upon The Samples’ Jeep MacNichol’s latest solo effort. To understand the magnitude of this project, one must take into account the story behind its production. Tracked over a 10-week period that included three separate trips to Kingston, Jamaica, MacNichol team up with a number of reggae and dancehall heroes to pull together Mr. Anonymous’ 13 tunes. Sly and Robbie, Cutty Ranks, Dave Wakeling of The English Beat (or The Beat if you prefer), Bounty Killer and Black Uhuru’s Michael Rose all performed on the album, which automatically makes it a CD worthy of a close listen.
While it would have been next to impossible to produce an album that shines greater than the star power it comprises, MacNichol nonetheless comes away with the type of album he had hoped to create – a chill-vibe party album. Complete with unmistakable Caribbean rhythms and beats, Mr. Anonymous instills an aura of Sublime, moving from one track to the next with the laid-back ease of two guys jamming on a porch in the summer.
Perhaps what’s most impressive about the album is how effortlessly it fades into the background, taking on an almost ambient quality. It might not become a lifelong staple in your collection, but Mr. Anonymous can certainly find its way into your summertime jams. Anyone for a Corona? Or perhaps a Red Stripe?
