Sly and Robbie with Amp Fiddler: Inspiration Information

If you are thinking what I was thinking in reference to the music featured on Inspiration Information, the much-touted collaborative debut between Detroit alt-soul icon Amp Fiddler and the legendary rhythmic backbone of reggae, you might be taken aback by the actual lack of dub and/or roots vibes here. It’s there, mind you, but not in the sense you would think upon word of this surprising combo. But that is not to say the album isn’t good. In fact, it ranks up there with the Fiddler’s best solo work since the keyboard wizard left the Parliament-Funkadelic fold. Sly and Robbie immerse themselves in their unrequited love for American R&B, particularly Motown, as they lay the groundwork for Amp to do his thing across these easy, breezy dozen tracks, the best of which — a cover of his old boss George Clinton’s political romp “Paint the White House Black”, re-titled “Black House” here — could not have been revived at a better time.