Recorded in Jamaica. Includes liner notes by Bob Garcia.

Arguably the first Jimmy Cliff album to feature the singer as a bona fide international reggae star, WONDERFUL WORLD, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE is a set brimming with confidence. Besides the pop-reggae staples of "Time Will Tell" and the title track, there are social themes in songs such as the anti-war "Viet Nam" and the outwardly cheerful "Sufferin' in the Land." The album also includes a nod to Cliff's three-year sojourn in the UK on the prog-influenced, organ-heavy "That's the Way Life Goes."

The rootsy feel and lyrics of "My Ancestors" show that Cliff is no pop dilettante, while his melodic and socially conscious sides combine in the irresistibly catchy sufferer's song "Hard Road to Travel." "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" is no mere chirpy feel-good anthem either--underneath the poppy arrangement, there's a Curtis Mayfield-type message of political reconciliation (early '70s world leaders Richard Nixon and Alexei Kosygin are name-checked in the outro) that's all the more potent in its subtlety. With stellar session playing from the same Jamaican musicians later used by Paul Simon for his first solo effort, WONDERFUL WORLD is a great introduction to the work of a unique Jamaican artist.

Q (1/00, p.144) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...A fine starter-pack..."