Frankie Paul has been so prolific, it's difficult for most fans to even know where to begin. By the mid-'80s, the singer was cutting hits for a clutch of producers, notably Junjo Lawes, George Phang, and Philip Fatis Burrell. The Warning album was overseen by the latter man, who was just beginning his rise to studio stardom. Burrell was obviously serious about building a career, and employed Sly Robbie, pianist Jackie Mittoo, keyboardists Robby Lynn and Tony Asher Brissett, and guitarist Danny Thompson as his backing band. The results are as phenomenal as one would expect, tough rhythms dipped in deep roots, which Burrell's production transforms into dubby, dread-fired pieces. It's the perfect template for Paul's soulful vocals, insuring that Warning was a huge hit, and remains a classic. The album boasts the smash hit title track, with its complex rhythm and demands that the slacker DJs change their ways, and the equally popular Hungry Belly, which the singer also cut for George Phang under the title Alesha. That woman had a hankering for hamburgers; Paul prefers the humble Tato, with which he nices up the scene. There's also the startling She's a Maniac, an inspired reworking of Michael Sembello's Maniac in deepest dub fashion. Of course, the dancers in Jamaica were just as flash, and Paul gives shout-outs to one of them in Ragamuffin. He easily fulfills the crowd's demands that he Give We What We Want with a soulful, romantic-sounding number that celebrates Ragamuffin's success. Rock You and Lady Love follow in a similarly soulful vein; Tickle Me is equally so, but boasts a fabulous roots reggae-esque backing. But even Paul has trouble with his woman, and on Don't Pressure Me he gives Alton Ellis a run in the soul stakes. This is not the only early Paul set one requires -- the Lawes-produced Pass the Ku-Sheng-Peng is equally crucial, as is much of the material the singer recorded for Phang, but it still deserves a place in every fan's collection. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, Rovi

1		Tato
2		Tickle Me
3		Don't Pressure Me
4		Ragamuffin
5		Hungry Belly
6		Warning
7		She's a Maniac
8		Give Me What We Want
9		Rock You
10		Lady Love

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