Language Barrier (album) explained

Language Barrier
Type:	studio
Artist:	Sly and Robbie
Cover:	Language Barrier_1985.jpg
Border:	yes
Studio:	RPM Recording Studios, NYC Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas Channel One Studios, Kingston, Jamaica
Genre:	Dub, world music
Label:	Island
Producer:	Bill Laswell
Prev Title:	Sounds of Taxi
Prev Year:	1984
Next Title:	Rhythm Killers
Next Year:	1987

Language Barrier is a studio album by Jamaican musical duo Sly and Robbie, released in 1985 by Island Records. The album features guest musicians Herbie Hancock, Bob Dylan, Afrika Bambaataa, and Manu DiBango.

Release and reception

AllMusic awarded the album with three stars and its review by Scott Bultman states: "Sly & Robbie team with producer Bill Laswell for an edgy dub set".^[1] Village Voice critic Robert Christgau called it a "world-music mishmash".^[2]

The single "Make 'Em Move" reached No. 83 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1985.^[3] The album brought the duo international recognition and led on to their subsequent hit album Rhythm Killers in 1987.^[4]

Track listing

1. "Make 'Em Move" (S. Dunbar, R. Shakespeare, B. Aasim, B. Laswell, B. Worrell) — 7:58
2. "No Name on the Bullet" (S. Dunbar, R. Shakespeare) — 6:03
3. "Miles (Black Satin)" (Miles Davis, S. Dunbar, R. Shakespeare, B. Laswell) — 7:20
4. "Bass and Trouble" (B. Laswell, S. Dunbar, R. Shakespeare, Manu Dibango) — 7:58
5. "Language Barrier" (Wally Badarou, S. Dunbar, R. Shakespeare, M. Chung, B. Reynolds) — 6:51
6. "Get to This, Get to That" (S. Dunbar, R. Shakespeare, B. Fowler, B. Worrell) — 5:17

Personnel

Musicians

• Sly Dunbar – drums, percussion
• Robbie Shakespeare – bass
• Wally Badarou – keyboards
• Herbie Hancock – keyboards
• Bernie Worrell – keyboards
• Robbie Lyn – keyboards
• Manu Dibango –saxophone
• Bob Dylan – harmonica
• Africa Bambaataa – vocals
• Bernard Fowler – vocals
• Doug E Fresh – human beatbox
• Eddie Martinez – guitar
• Pat Thrall – guitar
• Mike Hampton – guitar
• Mikey Chung – guitar
• Barry Reynolds – guitar
• Daniel Ponce – percussion

Technical personnel

• Clive Smith – Fairlight CMI programming
• Robert Musso, Steven Stanley, Solgie – engineers
• Howie Weinberg – mastering
• Tony Wright – art direction
• Chris Garnham – photography
• Issey Miyake – glasses

Notes and References

1. Bultmann, Scott [{{AllMusic|class=album|id= language-barrier-mw0000650785|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic Review: ''Sly & Robbie - Language Barrier''] AllMusic, accessed 6 October 2018
2. News: Christgau . Robert . 2 June 1987 . Consumer Guide . The Village Voice . New York . 20 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120905020446/http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv6-87.php . 5 September 2012 . live .
3. Web site: SLY & ROBBIE | Artist . Official Charts . 2018-10-03.
4. News: Taylor. Greg. 4 October 1987. Two Jamaicans Make Rhythm with Crunch. The Sydney Morning Herald. 115. 20 November 2012.