Forces of Victory is the debut solo album by the Jamaican dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson. It was released in 1979 on Island Records.
The album peaked at No. 66 on the UK Albums Chart.
Production The album was produced by Linton Kwesi Johnson and Dennis "Blackbeard" Bovell. Bovell, Lloyd "Jah Bunny" Donaldson and Webster Johnson were members of Matumbi.
Critical reception
AllMusic wrote: "Dramatic and intense to the point of claustrophobia, Forces of Victory is not simply one of the most important reggae records of its time, it's one of the most important reggae records ever recorded." Trouser Press wrote that "Johnson’s voice gains greater range and expressiveness while his poetry speaks of dire truths, and sounds increasingly complex, compact and expert."
Track listing All tracks by Linton Kwesi Johnson
"Want fi Goh Rave" – 4:20 "It Noh Funny" – 3:42 "Sonny's Lettah (Anti-Sus Poem)" – 3:50 "Independent Intavenshan" – 4:20 "Fite Dem Back" – 4:27 "Reality Poem" – 4:44 "Forces of Viktry" – 4:56 "Time Come" – 3:28
Personnel Linton Kwesi Johnson - vocals Floyd Lawson (tracks: 1, 5), Vivian Weathers (tracks: 2–4, 6–7) - bass Lloyd "Jah Bunny" Donaldson (tracks: 1–4, 7), Winston "Crab" Curniffe (tracks: 5–6, 8) - drums, percussion John Kpiaye - lead and rhythm guitar Julio Finn - harmonica Rico - trombone Dick Cuthell - flugelhorn Dennis Bovell (as "The Invisible One"), Webster Johnson - keyboards, piano Everald "Fari" Forrest - percussion Dennis Bovell, Vivian Weathers, Winston Bennett - additional voices Technical Dennis "Blackbeard" Bovell, John Caffrey - engineer Dennis Morris - photography Zebulon Design - design
References