Recorded in 1981 and released on the Beggars Banquet subsidiary Situation 2 in February of the year after, the Singers & Players "Revenge of the Underdog" bore the imprint "another 1982 on-u sound creation". The album provided a quick follow-up set to "War of Words" which originally had been released by the historically ultra-hip 99 Record label out of New York City. As on its predecessor "Revenge of the Underdog" featured the combined vocal and DJ talents of Bim Sherman and Lizard Logan with Prince Far I and Jah Woosh. Trademark On-U dub outings were also in evidence from boy producer Sherwood - and it is impotant to recall that at the time these were regarded by some of London's reggae critical mafia as "excessive white boy studio doodlings" and not an early clue to the new direction. The music did and still does dash away the ramblings of those more suited to reviewing garden furniture.

The album opens with a classical sufferer's song originally voiced by the Wailing Souls - "Dungeon". The tune was released in Jamaica circa 1971 as a 7" on the Mafiatone label and appeared in the UK via Punch. A copy was recently sold in London for a hundred cool notes sterling. However the album writing credit to G. Miller (Glen Miller) was taken from a lesser cover version issued via Pama Records and now it should be known that Wailing Souls have the rightful claim. Having said all this is a fine reading of the tune from Lizard, with Far I cleansing the bowels of the "Merchant ship" on the DJ version. Far I's stinging introduction to "Prodigal Son" (a version of Bob Andy's "Unchained") is worth the price of this album alone, let alone the half-chanted half-crooned "Cha-Ris-Ma" which has got to be one of the most bizarre tunes the Prince ever cut! The track known here as "Resolution (Part 2/Version 2)" is in fact a take on the Bim Sherman tune "World of Dispensation" which the singer originally voiced on a Scopio 7" pre-release in 1978 and remains one of the artist's favourite and most enduring rhythms. Jah Woosh, who features on "Follower" was a long-time friend of Sherwood and in fact the producer is godfather to Woosh's son.

The original sleeve art of "Revenge of the Underdog" is comprised of two black and white photos. On the reverse we find a youthful Style Scott caught mostly in shadow, but on the front Far I is captured concentrating in a holy scripture "pose" perusing the Sherwood family bible - surely a reggae classic!

Steve Barker - On The Wire, September 1997.