It's been 13 years since Pluto Shervington put out an album and heading up to four decades since he had his first hit with Ram Goat Liver. So he's well justified in calling his new 12-track release Second Wind; and it is an excellent second wind too.

Do not expect it to be a second coming of the same, though. Yes, there is a liberal serving of humour on the album with long-time friend Ernie Smith on That's The Kind of People We Are ("black couple married, brown baby come, the husband proud, somebody get bun … ") and Jamdown We Dey, a take-off of Bobby McFarrin's Don't Worry, Be Happy.

Jolly double punch

Second Wind also closes with a jolly double punch, Ivan, about one of the latest, greatest tempests featuring Byron Lee and Tanto Metro (who deejays that when the storm rages "hear the thug an' him friend a cry") followed by Long-Blackwood, written by Lloyd Lovindeer. The last one is a merry mento style tune about a woman with maiden name Long who married a man named Blackwood.

You can guess the rest.

But the album is not strictly, or even mainly, about laughter. Relationships play a major role, including in the title track which presents mature love when:

"I'm getting older and I'm a lot more wise

Gave up the women and gave up the lies

So please be with me on the second wind."

It is appropriately uptempo reggae, signifying the rejuvenation, while Baby I'm Just Loving You, a simply elegant love song, is on the really laid-back lovers' rock side.

The set opens with Sending Flowers, which explains the lack of bouquets, Shervington musing "maybe it would be the best thing for us/if I could sing to you like Beres or Tarrus", comforting the lady left without petals that "when push come to shove I will put you above all the rest".

The horns, which are outstanding on the album, are strong on Inna Your Room, a comforting song to those ladies who get the late night checks:

"I used to check you when the night done (wee hours)

Only thing I used to bring come (few rubbers)

No wine … "

Still, he confesses, it is not a using relationship as:

"Don't know if I could live without

Your kisses and your sweet, sweet mouth"

Most of the album is reggae, the do-over of You Can Call Me Al a soca exception, and Shervington's relaxed approach still keeps the song below the accustomed soca intensity.

Shervington writes most of the songs, the jealous man question Who Is He written by Mikie Bennett, who also produces two-thirds of the set (Bolivar did the rest in Miami). Among the musicians are Shervington himself on bass and guitar, Robbie Lyn and Bowie on keyboards, Moses Davidson and Kirk Bennett on drums and a consistent horns of Nambo Robinson, Dean Fraser and Dwight Richards.

They are good musicians for an excellent set, on which Shervington sings with control and accuracy, not doing anything absolutely astounding with his voice but carrying his message effectively and clearly.

- Mel Cooke