Produced by Tony “Ruff Cutt” Phillips, a stalwart of the British reggae scene, Word, Sound & Power is the first non-Ariwa album from Macka B. Mostly he’s in top form, with tracks like the censorious “Mi Noh Bizniz,” language-tracing “Jamaican,” and lamenting “Those Days” delivering important messages with wit and humor; “Deep Bass Voice” even finds him wickedly emulating Barry White. Unfortunately, a few tracks would have benefited from more time in the studio, and “Children Children” falls flat because his kids sing off-key, but the good far outweighs the bad.