Birmingham, England, probably doesn’t come to mind as a reggae hotbed, but the UK industrial city was a major recipient of West Indian immigrants in the postwar era. No surprise: Reggae and ska music thrived, with a vibrant sound system and toasting culture blending into the local pub scene. Pato Banton cut his teeth in 1980s Birmingham and is still touring to this day. “Don’t Sniff Coke” and “Go Pato” sound a bit dated listened to against the reggae revival standard coming out of contemporary Kingston, but that’s one thing about roots music—the old stuff never goes out of style. by Gregory Scruggs