Of all the British acts that incorporated reggae into their rock in the late 1970s (around the time Bob Marley was recording Exodus in London), the Police were the most commercially successful, and their reggae-tinged rhythms turned on millions of fans to the Jamaica music scene. Now fans can hear some of the Police's greatest songs given all-star reggae makeovers on the new album, Spirits in the Material World: A Reggae Tribute to the Police.

Produced by one-time Marley backing band Inner Circle, the album illustrates an ongoing link between rock and reggae music. While most tribute albums involve newer artists covering the acts that inspired them, Sprits in the Material World features some of the legendary figures who inspired the Police turning the tables and paying homage to their own admirers. Some of the Police's earliest influences show up to pay their respects, including UB40's Ali Campbell, who reinvents "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" and Toots and the Maytals, who turn in a drastically reworked, organ-based "De Do Do Do De Da Da Da." Reggae pioneers The Wailing Souls transform the lesser-known "One World (Not Three)" into a convincing dub romp, and the more popular Police hits get proper representation on takes like Joan Osborne's crooning "Every Breath You Take" and Tarrus Riley's laid-back "King of Pain."

The dub, reggae and dancehall arrangements on Spirits in the Material World seamlessly illustrate the Police's reggae capabilities, and the band's bouncy rhythms and playful lyrics translate perfectly into full-on reggae tunes. The album doesn't shy away from the rockers' more somber moments though, and the anti-violence lyrics and haunting melody of "Invisible Sun" sound like classic reggae in adaptations by Studio One star Horace Andy and dub icon/Bob Marley producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. Elsewhere, Gregory Isaacs slows down "So Lonely" into a mellow groove with a sing-along chorus, and Hawaiian ska-rockers Pepper tear through a highly-energized "Can't Stand Losing You." Inner Circle, who play backup on all the tracks, also offer an affecting rendition of one of the Police's most reggae-influenced tunes, "Bed's Too Big Without You." Set to a skanking beat, the track digs further into the original's reggae elements with a thoroughly modern sound, while the song's aching rejoinder burns itself into the listener's consciousness.

Given the recent popularity of all-reggae covers albums like Radiodread and Dub Side of the Moon, Spirits in the Material World is sure to draw the attention it deserves. Police fans will enjoy hearing the band's hits work as reggae tunes, and any reggae aficionado with a passing interest in the Police will be taken with the album's lineup and brilliant interpretations.

A portion of the proceeds from all album sales will benefit Toots Hibbert's Toots Foundation, a non-profit organization that funds orphanages, foster homes and youth clinics for children in need.