On the Wire is a UK radio programme broadcasting on Saturday 10pm BBC Radio Lancashire 103.9, 95.5 and 104.5 FM. It can also be heard via podcast on this site from the link on the right. Welcome to the site. If you haven't been here in a while, you'll notice it's changed somewhat. Our commercial hosting has come to an end, so we're now embracing the future and spreading our bets on the fine free services the web has to offer. For any info about the site, feel free to drop us a line- alexfenton@yahoo.com
You can find more info about OTW including our address under the About link on the right.

On the Wire will be doing 2 webcasts over the Christmas/New Year period. The 1st one (24th December Playlist) will be re-broadcast over the Radio Lancashire airwaves on the 7th January 2006. The 2nd one will only be available via the web.

Audio

Loefah - The goat stare - DMZ
DJ Rupture/BongRa - Old Skool Armageddon - Tax Records
Skream - 28g - Tectonic
Joy Card - Boy I love you - Wackies
Lloyd McTaggart - You're back Wackies
Maximum Joy - Man of tribes - Crippled Dick Hot Wax
Antena - Camino del Sol - Numero Group
Arthur Russell - Being it - Rough Trade
Magnetophone - Let's start something new - 4AD
Marsen Jules - Oeillet Parfait - cdr
Le Volume Corbe - Ain't got no ... I got lfe - Honest Jons
Sonny Boy Saltz The Mouse loves the rice - British Council (China)
Muslimgauze - Blue mosque - Staalplaat
The Bent Moustache - Somme - Wormer Bros Records
Taj Mahal & Toumani Diabate - Sambou ya ya - World Circuit
Ni Hao! - Horizontal Line II - Tzadik
Kasai Allstars - Koyile/ Nyeka nyeka - Crammed Discs
Drop Sun Band - Gossip - Riverboat Records
Jeb Loy Nichols - Sometimes shooting stars - Tuition
Joe Callicott - Let the deal go down - Southland
Blind Arvella Gray - What will your record be - Conjuroo
Lord Rhaburn - Boogaloo a la Chuck - Numero Group
King Tubby - Heavy duty dub - Lo Recordings
Shao Yanpeng - China fuzz - Shanshui Records

Audio

Zook – Slerky – Empire
African Brothers – Righteous Kingdom – Black Roots
Superman & Spiderman – Sensimilla Posse – Education
King Tubby – From Cape to Cairo – Pressure Sounds
Jackie Mittoo – Hot blood – Trojan
Dean Fraser & Vin Gordon – Lion’s horns cut – M-Records
Lo-Tek Hi-Fi – Ram dancehall – Big Dada
Michael Rose – Days of dub – M Records
Sugar Minott – Dub on the pressure – Moll Selekta
The Royal – Quarter pound of Ishen – Tamoki Wambesi
Upsetters – Ark of the Rising Sun – Trojan
Bounty Killer & Wayne Smith – Sleng teng resurrection – VP Records
Admiral Bailey – Gangsta roll – VP Records
Jah Cure – King in the Jungle – VP Record s
Tapper Zukie – Ghetto rock – Frontline
U Roy – Say You – Frontline
Travellers – We got to leave – Pressure Sounds
Horace Andy – Live in unity – Wackies
Ebenezer Obey/Sir Victor Uwaifo – Eyi Yato / Elere ni wa sunwambe – Honest Jons Records
Prince Far I – Johnny got worse – Blood & Fire
Chronic – Jah Promise – Chronice

Myzeel Brothers / NR Time / Blue Notes
Speedometer / Work it Out / Freestyle Records
Bob Marley and the wailers / SLogans / Island
Damien Marley / The Master Has Come back / Island
kan Ye West / Heard 'em say/ Rockafella/
Steven Bayliss / Always in Love /
Roy Ayers / Mystic Voyage (DJ Mraky and XRS) / Virgin
Quentin Harris / Let's Be Young / nrkmusic
Last Poets / It's a Trip / Original Soundtrack recordings
The Supremes / Stoned Love A Tom Moulton Mix / Motown
Sharon Jones / I just Dropped in to see whatcondition my condition is / Daptone Records
Joe Bataan / Aftershower Funk / Salsoul
Gill Scott / I am Soul / Supreme Records
Mary J Blige / Be Without You / Geffen
Pharrell / Angel / Star Trak
Gerardo Frisina / Cohete / Schema
Kerri Chandler / Bar a thym / NRK
New Master Sound / Stay in the Groove / Freestyle Records
The Third Guitar / Baby Don't Cry / Deep Funk Reissue
pLANTIUM hOOK / Standing
Angie Stone / I Wasn't Kidding / Song
Incognito / We Got the Music / Dome

Audio

Freddy Fresh / Now Broadcasting from Minneapolis / Howlin Records
Carl Craig / Darkness / Slam
T.Raumschmiere / A very loud lullaby (Si Begg Remix) / Novamute
Blaze present UDA / Most Precious Love (DF FUTURE 3000 Instrumental) / Fabric
Exuma / Exuma, The Obeah / Soul Jazz
Model 500 / Electronic / Slam
Add Noise / Escuche y Repita / Earsugar Beatbox
Add Noise / Tropiclia / Earsugar Beatbox
Virgo Four / Virgo Four / Soul Jazz Records
Hocket Night / For Guys Eyes Only / Lookout Records
Half Man Half Biscuit / We Built This Village ON A Trad. Arr. Tune / Probe
Moodphase 5 / Paradise (Framer Brian and DJ Dopes Jungle Dub) / Echo Beach
Pablo Moses / Dig to Dub / On the Corner
Dub Addict / Evidence /
Urban Dub Feat. Fairshare Unity Sound / Cunjamal / Dubhead
The Nextman feat Dynamite / Blood and Fire / Antidote
Lady Saw / I've got your man / Sequence
Sister Nancy / Jah Have the Handle / Antifaz
Badmarsh and Shri / Sajanna / Nascente
Max Sedley / Happy / Manteca
Horror Pops / It's been so Long / HellCat Records
The Robocop Kraus / After Laughter Comes Tears / Epitah
Clearlake / Good Clean Fun / Domino
carousell / Of something Lost /
Dhamak Collective / The Beats /
Cibille / Note de Cranival/ Crammed Discs

ALPHA BOYS BAND

MUSIC IN EDUCATION 1910-2006

TROJAN CD

As influential a figure in the development of Jamaican music as Clement Dodd and Duke Reid, Sister Ignatius was the small, seemingly unassuming figure who ran Kingston’s Alpha Boys School for wayward boys creating not only Jamaica's 'Nursery For Brass Band Music' but the seedbed that sustained many of reggae’s most creative artists.

Sister Ignatius died shortly before the school celebrated its 125th anniversary and this CD is fitting tribute both to her and the establishment that was synonymous with her name. The album kicks off with the great Bertie King’s ‘Blue Lou’, recorded on his return from the UK when he was invited to lead the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation’s first permanent studio band, and continues with Joe Harriott and Dizzy Reece who also honed their skills in London’s jazz community. Continuing through a selection of jump r’n’b, ska, rocksteady, reggae roots and lovers with a literal who’s who of the islands most celebrated instrumentalists before gliding back to the coolest of jazz with Harold McNair’s Kirkian spoken flute instrumental ‘The Hipster’. A pure joy right through to finale, ‘Upward and Onward We Go’ from the actual Alpha Boys Band. Contributions can best be made to the school’s fine work by purchase of an excellent set of coasters reproduced from the records labels of Sister Ignatius’ collection at http://www.alphaboysschool.com/

ANDREW BEES

MILITANT
BASIC REPLAY 12"

Waterhouse boy O’Neill ‘Andrew Bees’ Beckford cut this tune in the early nineties and it came across like an audition demo tape for the lead spot in Black Uhuru – a tough call following Michael Rose, Junior Reid, Don Carlos and Duckie Simpson but he actually managed to occupy the position for a while - notably with the ‘Unification’ and ’Dynasty’ albums - before Rose’s return. ‘Militant’ runs on a bubbling digital rhythm cut at Kingston’s Leggo Studios in 1993 with an exhilarating skipping Bees vocal in early Michael Rose soundalike style, but it’s the dub that cuts it as the bass assumes ascendancy over the electro twiddles. Two contemporary tunes, ‘Things A Gwaan’ and ‘Life In The Ghetto’ make up the flip on this excellent series determined to rectify the missing years of early digital roots.

BUSH CHEMISTS

RAW RAW DUB

ROIR CD

Bush Chemists Dougie ‘Conscious’ Wardrop and Paul Davey have been around the UK dub reggae scene before nu roots became a recognisable sub genre. The Conscious Sounds label and later studio became recognisable stamps of quality for new legions of dubheads. Unlike his immediate forebears and influences at Ariwa, On U Sound and not forgetting Shaka, Dougie picked up the d-i-y digital studio environment punkstyle in the creation of new dub forms whilst at the same time displaying a clear knowledge and reverence for the classic warmer roots styles. As a consequence his output hasn’t changed much in direction over the years but has got tougher, cleaner and spacier with driving rhythms only modified by the occasional appearances of the sublime brass of the Lover Grocer boys. This set of new rhythms, following up previous ROIR release from ten years ago, is released ‘Brand’-style before the vocal cuts and will be re-versioned for a further series of ten inch domestic releases in the UK with singers Ras McBean, Lutan Fyah, Pablo Diamond and Jonah Dan who float around here in the mixes. The closest ally sonically to Bush Chemists is the later digital work of Pablo, but whereas Pablo retained a meditative edge the Chemists can’t resist the physical potentials in the mix as in the thumping ‘Speaker Rocker’ and the crunching repro hi-hats in ‘Oriental Style’. And on ‘Rubber Dub’, not for unsuspecting weakhearts, the beats per minute accelerate to dubcore velocity, maybe a new sub-genre in the making?

DUBSTEP ALLSTARS

DUBSTEP ALLSTARS VOL.2

TEMPA CD/2LP

Any dance genre that rolls back the bpm count and strikes against the painful hegemony of the deathstar that his house music is OK by me. Currently Dubstep seems to be in the process of painless cellular separation from Grime with the former burrowing downwards into the darker regions and the later content to seek the spotlight, dry ice and all. DJ Hatcha opened the account with the first volume in the series, now whilst Kode9 is in Hyperdub refuge the stage is set for D1, Loefah, Skream and Digital Mystikz for seamless jointing at the hands of the twenty year old Rinse FM DJ Youngsta. As previously all tunes here are fresh off dubplate onto the mix, although at time of writing Digital Mystikz ‘Neverland’ has just appeared on DMZ vinyl. On this showing the sonics here are more indebted to Detroit than Kingston, xanax’d UR, but in the mix it’s the dub aesthetic that dominates with bass scoured deep into the groove and space stretched into time. If there’s one artist that needs to be separated out here its Loefah who may every well be the link between Kodo drums and Miami bass on his tracks ‘Goat Stare’ and ‘Root’ where the impulse to fall into the chasmic gaps between the beats can become a little too physically tempting at times. Although this set may be another essential the only way to do this is by vinyl.

JAH THOMAS

BIG DANCE DUB

SILVER KAMEL CD/LP

A deep sense of unwanted comfort ensues as the album opens with yet another dub of ‘Love Me Forever’ but the solo horn improvising on the old reggae standard freshens up the version. This is a contemporary dub companion to this year’s Jah Thomas production ‘Big Dance a Keep’ featuring vocals from Jnr Moore, D'Aville, Lone Ranger, Josey Wales, Nemo, and Peter Metro. The Firehouse Crews’ double drumming rhythms on ‘Few More Dubs’ disturbs the flow but their highlife treatment of ‘More We are Together’ as ‘Together in Dub’ recalls one of African Head Charge’s more cheesy outings. The Roots Radics’ ‘Gimme Dub’ is stretched way beyond its bare three minutes as engineer Nigel Burrell applies layer after layer of reverb. Although mafia and Fluxy are also in attendance the set doesn’t get beyond a pleasant but unremarkable set of old school dubbing essential only if you love the vocal album from which it is derived.

JUNIOR DELGADO

SONS OF SLAVES – REBEL ANTHEMS FROM A ROOTS LEGEND

TROJAN CD

Junior Delgado’s untimely death robbed the reggae world of one of its most distinctive voices and a career that was far from over, given his latest work and the revival of an impeccable back catalogue via his own Incredible Music label. I must confess some reluctance in approaching this Trojan collection given the recent availability of much of his greatest sides but the first half is a real treat with the Scratch produced ‘Africa We are Going Home’ from Time Unlimited followed by ‘Mi Nuh Matta’ a take on ‘My Conversation’ with Junior as El Cisco Delgado and then one of his finest moments the murderous extended version of ‘Sons of Slaves’ cut at the Black Ark at its highest height. With ‘23rd Psalm’, ‘Tition’ and ‘Devil’s Throne’ immediately following roots music just doesn’t get any better. Unfortunately the second half takes an inevitable plunge in quality with a bunch self-produced material from 1988 as Junior coasts through self-penned but undistinguished material on standard digi-rhythms that fall far short of matching his gigantic vocal talents.

PRINCE FAR I

SILVER AND GOLD

BLOOD & FIRE CD/2LP

At last the Blood and Fire boys unleash the killer Far I set that’s been on the boil all year. Opening with an absolute hen’s tooth of a gem, a version of the Slickers’ rude boy warning "Johnny Too Bad" voiced for producer/engineer Syd Bucknor, released in 1973 on blank label entitled "Johnny Get Worse" and sometimes credited to Jazzbo. From there on in the album refuses to let up till Far I’s last gruff chant. In 1975 the DJ cut tunes for Pete Weston as ‘Prince For I, "Yes Joshua" (the prophet ‘Joshua’ being the street reference to Prime Minister Michael Manley of the People’s National Party) appears here as does the title track and its version. It was around this time that Far I started his own label Cry Tuff inspired by Alton Ellis’ great tune ‘Cry Tough’ and reflecting his early DJ incarnation as King Cry Cry. Early releases from the label are here, including ‘354 Skank’ and its dub, the Roots Radics’ bassist Errol Holt’s vocal on ‘Who Have Eyes To See’ and its deejay take ‘Talking Rights’, and Holt’s ‘Gimme’ answered by the deejay version Far I’s "Zion Call". Also featured are 1977’s ‘Things Nuh Bright’ and the DJ version of Little Roy’s "Tribal War" called "No More War". Look out for Dick Jewell’s as yet unseen photos of Far I from the time stylistically echoing some contemporary album covers. More good new is that there must be at least one more album of vintage Far I material awaiting the revivalists’ tender touch.

THE TRAVELLERS

BLACK BLACK MINDS

PRESSURE SOUNDS CD/2LP

Originally only released in Jamaica on the Paradise label back in 1977 the master tapes for the Travellers only album were rediscovered by King Jammy earlier this year. Primarily known for the title track of this set, and occasionally as the Mighty Travellers, the group was patronised by the then Prince Jammy who had such faith in them that he hired Harry J’s with Sly and Robbie and the Aggrovators and Channel One and Joe Gibbs with Chinna’s High Times Band, and returned to Tubby’s for the vocal mix. Unfortunately the faith was not repaid in sales as the ensuing singles and albums did not find favour with a market that was beginning to move away from both roots and harmonies towards the sturdier dancehall style. Any fans of the sweeter sounds of the Diamonds or Carton and the Shoes will fall for this mix of roots and lovers tunes, and although the production and delivery outweigh the songwriting it turns out that the four vintage Prince Jammy dubs are the real find. ‘How Long Version’ starts unusually with just a bass line then the echoed guitar chop before the rhythm drops with fading vocals that reappear through the building mix where the reverbs are twisted off-key – about as near as the normally restrained Jammy got to Scratch-style lunacy. The persistent muscular rhythm of the extended one-drop closer ‘We Got to Leave’ gives a clue to Jammy’s soon come direction change. Strange that the dub to the title is missing as it bears the classic intro: ‘Travellers under heavy manners and discipline y’all …’, maybe soon come as a single revive then?

SONACOTIK

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DREAD

MARSEILLE CITY PRESSURE CD

Lifting their album title from a tune on Black Uhuru’s ‘Anthem’ album wouldn’t necessarily occur as anything other than mutant evolutionary absorbtion by Sonarcotik, as the sound system collective from Marseille that gives refuge to a bunch of sonic misfits attracted by the throbbing hub of dub and the outer perimeters of what shouldn’t really be called hip hop any longer. ‘Dread snipers in a roots tradition’, its as if these artists were conceived in a fevered game programmer’s mind after attending an all night George Romereo festival, dumb and dirty digital low-fi abuse at play, er, ..what’s this button for? - I give you Raptus, Yboz, Izmo, Oncle Akai and D.Fek! Now that Alec Empire seems to be going soft on us by loading his ‘catalogue’ onto iTunes we need these guys to mount the remaining sonic ramparts.

VARIOUS ENGINEER

NEXUS DUB

TAMOKI WAMBESI CD

Roy Cousins is one of the few artist/producers who would have both the right and the balls to list the set of sonic luminaries this album claims as engineers. For Roy has steadfastly retained control over his output which was substantial and from the vaults of his Tamoki Wambesi and Dove imprints comes this thumping dub compilation that showcases some rare and previously unreleased mixes but also dub versions of some tracks from the producer’s ‘Roots of David’ album and Scientist’s ‘King of Dub’. Includes tracks from King Tubby, disciples Scientist and Jammy, Errol Thompson, Ernest Hoo-Kim, Sylvan Morris and young guns from the final days of roots reggae Crucial Bunny, Soljie, Professor and Barnabus. But if Roy really expects us to believe that some of these mixes date from 1967 then we would be re-writing reggae history. In fact the credit to Scratch only happens as editor in chief, the Minister of Noise, drops in an odd sample or two on a Tubby’s mix. That’s not to detract from what’s happening here though which is a cracking set of twenty dubs from the real masters at work.

Thanksgiving is over and now its time to reminisce with some food porn! Steph and I spent the day alone with the dogs and cat. Todd and Alli's dog, Prior, was visiting as well, so we had a full house of animals to keep us company.


One good lookin' bird!I picked up a 10 lb. heritage turkey from Muss & Turner's on Monday before Thanksgiving and brined it for more than 2 days prior to going on the Big Green Egg to roast over hardwood charcoal and pecan chips. Dirk let me borrow his BBQ Guru for the day so I could cook the bird low and slow. The plan was to cook at ~275 degrees F for a few hours, as the breast approaches its temperature of 160 degrees F, the guru would lower the temperature in the egg to slow the cooking even further.

Are those E-cups?Alas, the best laid plans don't always work out that way. I screwed up by clipping the BBQ Guru temperature probe to the roasting pan instead of the cooking grate, which resulted in temperature readings that were too low. In turn, it pushed up the heat in the egg and my 10 pound bird was roasted nicely in just under 3 hours instead of the planned 5+ hours. Ooops. The bird came off the egg by 1 PM and rested for a few hours while I put together the rest of the meal, including roasted brussel sprouts, cranberry sauce, cornbread stuffing and a sweet potato pie baked by Steph.

We finally used the fine china!
After a great meal, we headed down to Atlantic Station to see Rent. Good flick, though I'd much rather see it at the Fabulous Fox Theater again.

What a great Thanksgiving. Perhaps we'll do it alone again next year!

Audio

VARIOUS PRODUCTION / Hater (Various Production)
TV-RESISTORI / Huomisen Otsikot (Fonal)
KEMIALLISET YSTÄVÄT / Systeemi 4 (Fonal)
KIILA / Kateet Linnut (Fonal)
WOMEN & CHILDREN / Build Me A Castle (Hallso)
MI and L'AU / Bums (Young God)
JUNIP / Turn To The Assassin (Teme Shet)
MIMI SECUE / Far Away (Karate Joe)
CHESSIE / Velvet (Lok Musik)
FOG / Box With Lynx On Lid (Alien Transistor)
STILL / A Dream You Were Alive (Public Guilt)
SICKOAKES / Oceans On Hold (Type)
BRUCE LANGHORNE / Riding Thru The Rain (Blast First Petite)
AMANDINE / For All The Marbles (Fat Cat)
GLIM / Christoph's Box (Karate Joe)
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM / The Lovely Universe (Cloud)
MATINEE ORCHESTRA / Run For Cover (Arable)
TAPE / A Spire (Hapna)
DICTAPHONE / Danke (City Centre Offices)
ENCRE / Plexus (Clapping Music)
EZEKIEL HONIG and MORGAN PACKARD / A Lake Of Suggestion Part 1 (Microcosm)
COLOPHON / Kona (Temporary Residence)
LARSEN / K (Important)
ANTHONY BURR and SKULLI SVERRISSON / Except In Memory (Workers Institute)
ARTIST UNKNOWN / Birds Are Singing But My Lover Won't Return (Sublime Frequencies)

Last night Steph and I went to see Walk The Line at the new Atlantic Station movie theatre. Steph was concerned about having to pay for parking, but I had already done my research to find out that parking was free for the first 4 hours if you saw a movie. What I didn't know is that we'd wind up paying for parking anyway:

Me: "I'd like two tickets to the 9:35 showing of Walk the Line."
Ticket Guy: "OK. That will be $18."
Me: (hands over credit card) "Uh, did you say $18?!"
Ticket Guy: "Yes sir. Going to the movies sure has changed."
Me: (mutters) "I guess I paid for the parking anyway."

I nearly crapped my pants when I realized a movie is $9 for adults down there! Granted, it is a very nice theatre with very comfortable seats and its close to the house, but that's an expensive movie by Atlanta standards.

Steph and I head inside, grab some popcorn and sit down for the show. Two people sit next to us after asking us if we can move to squeeze them in to our row. Of course there were plenty of other seats available that they could have sat in. Whatever, we're nice.

Movie starts.

Next door neighbors (the ones who asked us to move) start talking.

Movie soundtrack gets louder.

Next door neighbors talk louder.

I start giving them the look that says "Shut the hell up, I just paid $18 to see the movie, not listen to you yack!".

Phone rings. Next door neighbor picks up the phone and starts talking.

I reach over, smack the guy on the knee and ask him to kindly shut the hell up. He doesn't.

This went on for the ENTIRE movie. Unfuckingbelievable.

Despite the ass-clown who sat next to us, the movie was great. I just wish I could have heard the movie instead of the jerk-off next to us.

Audio

Tackhead Soundcrash
Royal House / Yeah Buddy / Lofthouse Records
Lime Life / I Wanna Go Bang / Lofthouse Records
Royal House / Can You Get Funky / Lofthouse Records
Todd Terrry Project / Just Wanna Dance / Lofthouse Records
Black Riot / A Day in the Life / Lofthouse Records
Black Riot / A Day in the life (Part 2) / Lofthouse Records
Todd Terry Project / Back to the Beat / Lofthouse Records
Todd Terry Project / Bango / Lofthouse Records
Damian Marley / Welcome to Jamrock / Universal
Willie Williams / Dungeon Dub / Blood and Fire
Zion Train / Selector Dub / Vicious Circle
Frank Blood / Sloe Bite / Eli Records
Ectogram / Small things crawling / ankst
65 days of static / 23 kid / montreme
Mr Beasley / neon / Larkin out
Teenage Fanclub / It's all in my mind / Pema
Wrecking Ball / Wrecking Ball / fULLTIME hOBBY

Audio

Eddie Hazel / California Dreaming / BBE
Classical II / New Generation / Jive
Earth, Wind and Fire / Mighty Mighty / BMG
T Connection / Groove to Get Down / TK Records
Ian Martin / Movin’ On / Expansion
Collins and Collins / You Know how to make me feel good / A+M
Friends of Distinction / Let yourself go / Expansion
Tata Vega / Love your neightbour / Motown
Gary Bartz feat. Syreeta wright / Funked up / Blue Note
Kindred / As of Yet / Hidden Beach Recordings
Angie Stone / I wasn’t Kidding / BMG
Gladys Knight and the Pips / Love is always on your mind / Buddha
Sharon Jones / How do I let A good man down / Dapton Records
Al Green / Keep on pusking Love / RCA – Keep 1A
James Brown / Sex Machine (Ready Made Jazz Defector Mix) / Expansions
Chain Reaction / Dance Freak / Traffic
Roy Ayers / I am your mind Part II / BBE
Vincent Montana / That’s what love does / Philly Sounds

Audio

2nd hr is Bozzo Bajou Mix

The Maytals-It’s you-Trojan
The Maytals-54 46 Was My Number-Trojan
Jah Wobble-Universal Funeral-Trojan
Dan the Banjoo Man-Dan the Banjoo Man-Angel Air
Not Sensibles-(I’ve just had enough) Brother-Nelcol
Not Sensibles-I am love with Margaret Thatcher-Nelcol
Cakehead-Old punks do - dub-
Amadou and Mariam-M Bife Babafon-Radio Memba
Mahotella Queens-Sibuyile-Manteca
Daby Balde-Mamadiyel-World Music Network –d
Kingsbury Manx-And what fallout-Yep Roc
The Deer Lick Holler-Cripple Creek-International Music Series o
Bozzo Bajou Mix--
Alice Coltrane-Journey in Satchidananda-
DJ Signify and Six Vicious-No one leaves-
Left Channel-Garden Party-
The Bees-Chicken Payback (Madlib’s Soul Distortion Vocal Mix)-
Blend Crafters-Bad Luck Blues-
Captain Funkaho-My 2600-
De Viroluxe-Intermezzo-
Willie Hutch-Come On Girl Let’s Get it On-
Murs-Hustle International-
The Away Team-Likka Hi (Last Call)-
Edan-Interlude-
Moondog-Bumbo-
Dr Cough-Pot Party-
Edan-Funky Voltron-
Ohmega Watts-That Sound (Quantic Soul Orchestra Version)-
The Beat Conductor-Mindtouch-
Timmy Thomas-We Can’t We Live Together (Pressure Drop re-edit)-
Black Monk-Hummin in the Sun-
Martin Brew-Hopscotch-
Koushik-Be With-
The Bees-These Are the Ghosts-

THE BUG Featuring WARRIOR QUEEN
DEM A BOMB WE
LADYBUG 7

Out in the perimeters of raggatronica there exist extreme strains that might once have been related to hardcore dancehall riddims but now pulse at such a terminal velocity that all comparisons are void, the primary source of these mutations was largely Kevin Martin aka the Bug who despite his savage intent still always manages to traces his links back to the reggae fount. His new label is launched as a collaboration vehicle for female MCs and singers and debuts gal of the times Warrior Queen and a fevered meditation on post 7/7 London. Her opening instantly frozen spoken line " …. some crazy muthafuckas out deh" echoes Junior Murvin’s " … sipple out deh" (‘sipple’ meaning slippery or dicey!) from ‘Police and Thieves’, an almost pastoral sound compared with this blast rushing like an unseasonably bitter wind through the streets of the capital. This is true reggaematic production style as Kevin sent the beats, the Queen rapped the instant reply and the tune is on the street.

BURNING BABYLON

STEREO MASH UP

MARS RECORDINGS CD

Stereo Mash Up is Slade Anderson’s aka Burning Babylon fifth release and a follow up to last year’s ‘Knives to the Treble’. Since the last album Anderson has carried on the studio experimentation in the certain knowledge that hard work will take him wherever he wants to go. Although at time the sound may be a little metronomic in the style of all early stage one man operations this is a collection of conscious variation and experimentation ranging from the sweet and light, ‘Pressure Tones’ which sounds like 2Tone melodies recollected in a frothy daydream, through Ruts/Clash style guitar driven Kasbah rockers, ‘Zamora Version’, to tougher dancehall and deeply dubby excursions sourced with a better class of vocal sample, including a chirpy cover of ‘Stalag’. The next challenge to get ‘out of the bedroom’, as recognised so successfully by Ryan Moore/Twilight Circus, is the recruitment of vocalists and DJs – tuff indeed!

DUB GABRIEL

BASS JIHAD

AZRA CD

If 2003’s ‘Ascend’ was bass heavy then this time round Dub Gabriel drags every other element up in the mix to create a massively dense sound that’s now hovering between the incomparable Mutamassik and the later work of the irreplaceable Muslimgauze. After ‘War in the Poppy Fields’ with Arad Nazarzadeh chopping out on saaz over martial percussion and an obligatory Gnawa style flute loop its starts getting serious. ‘Zooklyn’ is a big pan-Arabian street parade with elephantine percussion, clashing outsize cymbals – a slow, deliberate lurch towards the rest of the album’s feast. Dub Gabriel’s concerns are more cultural than consistently highly defined political focus of his sonic mentor Bryn Jones, hence the dedication to the major Sufi poet of divine love Jalaluddin Rumi on the album’s most lyrical and meditative cut ‘Rumi Go through Me’. But the monstrous short organ drone that opens and threads through the densely textured ‘Garden in the Light in the Shade of Grey’ scores most impact on the set and triggers a surely to be unfulfilled longing to hear Terry Riley in Dub.

THE HEPTONES

NIGHT FOOD OUT-TAKES & BLACK ARK SESSIONS

AURALUX CD/2LP

Having moved on from their ‘golden period’ at Studio One with Clement Dodd, the Heptones were picked up by Island in the early reggae feeding frenzy of the mid seventies. Over 1976 and 1977 they cut ‘Night Food’ with Harry J then ‘Party Time’ with Lee Perry. The first was a clean, commercial attempt at a ‘back to the roots’ song-based set with a mix of relicks of earlier hits and killer new tunes; Scratch’s production engine at Black Ark was at full steam so the follow-up was a much more steamy affair swathed in the producer’s signature swirling viscous sound. Out-takes from the Perry sessions have already surfaced on sets such as ‘Arkology’ but appearing for the first time now is a bunch of genuinely unreleased masters from reggae’s most influential vocal harmony group. Without the sugary overdubs that plagued the original album the late appearance of these tunes justifies their exclusion from the final track list as they are clearly inferior to those that made it, though there are funky dubs from the Wailers Band, especially ‘Hill and Dub’ the version to the socially conscious observation ‘Living Up on a Hill’. Four alternate extended cuts of contemporary Perry tracks are a real bonus and reinforce the point, both ‘Mystery Babylon’ and ‘Sorrows’ featuring mystery DJ Ranking King and there’s an intense discomix of ‘Party Time’. So what threatened to be merely an ‘interesting’ release for reggae archivist becomes a must for Scratch fans.

INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER

ALL PLAYED OUT

ROUND TRIP MARS CD

Just as it looked like NZ had a surfeit of slick soul-stylin’ so smooth reggae bands the return of the International Observer aka Tom Bailey and Maori operator Rakai Karaitiana weighs the balance in towards tuffer dubwise sounds with this follow up to 2000's ‘Seen’ on Stinky Jim’s Round Trip Mars label. Bailey went a long way to bury his old vinyl jodhpurs and horrifying red ponytail in the mountains, he should face up to the fact that he will always be a recovering Thompson Twin. No shame in producing a well-crafted album that outperforms many top drawer UK roots acts and also possesses that rare commodity - tunes! The slow sliding intro to the opener ‘Leaf Mold’, complete with solo cuckoo, has multiple fake starts before setting the slow but hard steppers pace that runs through this impressive set. ‘Freyberg Place Mat’ was written especially for an Auckland show that was cancelled due to stormy weather, whilst ‘Seedsaver's Dub" was recorded for the an anti GM demo in Auckland and ‘London Dub’ in a fit of uncontrollable, but obviously misplaced, nostalgia for the London Underground’s Northern Line – in other words these tunes seem to have meaning …..

AUGUSTUS PABLO

AUGUSTUS PABLO AT KING TUBBYS

ATTACK

Pablo is represented as both interpreter and innovator on this Bunny Lee produced set compiled from singles, album tracks and dub version flips where Striker was in control – hence the direct relationship with Tubby. There are classic tooting tracks here from the early ‘Thriller’ set in the shape of ‘No Jestering Pablo’, ‘Rough Pablo’ and ‘Every Dub I Own’ – an instrudub to the Bread pop hit ‘Everything I Own’ made popular in Jamaica via Ken Boothe’s sweet version, plus covers of Nora Dean’s evergreen ‘Barbwire (in his Underpants’), the Wailer’s ‘Put it On’, Burning Spear’s ‘Foggy Road’ and the Impressions’ ‘Queen of the Minstrels’. But its two versions of popular song where Pablo excels as interpreter, an art for which he is rarely credited, his take on ‘My Desire’ the flip of John Holt’s tribute to r’n’b super-crooner Jesse Belvin manages to hit one of those melodic spots that raises the hairs on the back of your neck. As for his version of Burt Bacharach’s ‘A House is not a Home’ its clear that for Tubby this was not a job but more a labour of love as he energises the rhythm through a mix that’s threaded by Pablo in a true jazz improve style. And riffing a little here, Burt’s website is called ‘A House is not a Homepage’ – and now on version 3!

MAX ROMEO

CRAZY WORLD OF DUB

JAMAICAN RECORDINGS CD/LP

Another apparent sucker punch from Jamaican Recordings that turns out dud and perhaps the thing only ‘crazy’ about this album is the fact that the concept reached production. Max Romeo is best perhaps best known for his accidental ‘rude’ hit ‘Wet Dream’ but more creditably for his work with Niney and then Scratch, culminating in the roots classic ‘War Ina Babylon’. Like many other talented Jamaican singers though he took paying gigs where he could. There’s little on this pleasantly undistinguished Bunny Lee produced album that consists of a few one away rhythms and a bunch of covers including Ken Booth’s ‘Artibella’, Little Roy’s ‘Tribal War’, Peter Tosh’s ‘Steppin’ Razor’ and ‘Legalise It’, John Holt’s ‘The Clock’ and the Wailers’ ‘Keep On Moving’.

PRESSURE Featuring WARRIOR QUEEN

MONEY HONEY

HYPERDUB 12

Kode9 and Daddi G reserve the Hyperdub 10 inch vinyl imprint series for their own work whilst the 12 inch pieces are for guests. The first outing came from the mysterious Burial with the genre-busting South London Boroughs EP describing urban soundscapes in fresher sonic languages. The equally anonymous Pressure links with in-demand Warrior Queen to focus on the frustrations of a woman’s role in the more domestic daily agenda, concentrating on the minutiae of just getting-by in the city on. The track opens with what sounds like a re-created soundtrack from Roger Corman’s ‘Premature Burial’ with mournful organ and gasping breaths before the beats comes down to develop into a frantic rhythm bed consisting of a series of collapsing and colliding breaks, the extended mix stretches the breaks into lighter skittering waves with the Queen getting the dubbed up treatment after a more comfortable rap. Deciphering the chat will need further research.

U ROY & KING TUBBY

U ROY MEETS KING TUBBYS

ATTACK CD

U Roy may not have been the most militant or lyrically creative DJ but boy, he could really swing! This exultant tumble through his sides cut for Bunny Lee in the late seventies, a period that initially might be seen as journeyman output but, in retrospect, given interpretation through the revisionist lens of jazzbo-style archivist this could be justifiably seen as his finest hour alongside the lost Channel One ‘Right Time’ sessions and after the string of monster hits cut for Duke Reid. Not forgetting that Daddy Hugh Roy was also there to partner Tubby as his lead MC on the Hometown Hi Fi sound, as Tubbs dubbed down the zinc fences that bound the dance with waves of echo and reverb whilst the DJ toasted fresh dubplates with freestyle jives. The story here on yet another Bunny Lee reconfiguration, but well worthwhile, has U Roy scatting over Cornel Campbell's 'The Gorgon' and 'I Shall Not Remove', Johnny Clarke's 'Every Knee Shall Bow', 'Creation Rebel', and 'Rock With Me' with dubwise version action from the master excursions from King Tubby. Nice to have as they say.

VARIOUS

DUB RARITIES BOX SET

TROJAN 3CD

Trojan, the Walmart of reggae labels, stacks ‘em up and ships ‘em out in such a rapid fashion that one could be forgiven for ignoring the Box Set series. Admittedly cheap, nastily packaged, usually containing lots of filler and not much in the way of killer. This one might look cheap and nasty at a tenner a shot the killer more than makes up for the filler. A fairly random set of fifty mostly seventies dubs authored by Scratch, Niney, Tappa Zukie, his brother Blackbeard, Pablo, Bunny Lee, Linval Thompson. Its claimed most are new to CD though lets not waste out time arguing that one when we have stone classics like the Observers’ ‘Headline’ the version to ‘Six Dead Nineteen Gone to Jail’ the Big Youth DJ cut on ‘Dennis Brown’s interpretation of ‘My Time’ and ‘Boiling Water’ an unmissable wah wah guitar dub to the same singer’s ‘Westbound Train’ and the remarkable ‘Iron Fist’ from 1979 which creates a template for the digital revolution that was to follow fully five years later. There are several Perry scorchers including ‘Dub in Time’ (still looking for the vocal version to this tune please!) and the fabulous ‘Iron Wolf’ with dubbed harmony chants and what sounds like a wah wah organ running right through the mix which I is a dub to Bunny and Ricky’s ‘Freedom Fighter’ though I cannot recall the 7 inch flip being so wild!

Audio

Steve and Christiaan in Beijing + a mix from Neil Robbins

The Khmer Rouge-The Khmer rap-cdr
Khmer Noodle-Unknown title-Rasmey Hand Meas
Kim Leakhena-Unkown Title-Rasmey Hang Meas
Schwabingrad Ballett-Under control-Staubgold
Marrow-A2-hektik-CDR
Mendoza-Luv Divina-Mutek
Lokai-Hellen-Mosz
Mice Parade-Steady as she goes-Bubble
Lunz-Wobby flu remix (Elbow)-Gronlan
Mr Fingers-Beyond the clouds-Soul Jazz
Four Tet-And then patterns-Domino
Phon.O-Ridin’ Dirty-Shitkatapult
Radio Pyonyang-Motherland megamix-Sublime Frequencies
Vashti Bunyan-Lately-Fat CatP
Melt Banana-Babybug spitted-A-ZAP records
Danger Doom-Crosshairs-Lex
Masada-Me’eman-Tzqdik
Sound Directions-Tribe-Stones Throw
Ennio Morricone-Ricrezione Diverita-Idecac
Gabon-Musique des Pygmees Bibayak (BakaBambuke)-Ocora
Earth-Thrones and Dominions (Jim O’Rouke)-Southern Lord
Avro Part-Lamentate-ECM newseries
John Zorn-Horn Carrier-Tzadik
Vladislav Delay-Fourth Quarter-Humerrecording
Philminton and Roger Turner-Most Likely-Emanem
Christian Vogel-Station 55-Mute
COH-Post Pop-Mego
Concert Collectif-Du Groupe Recherches Musicales Del-Propective
Luc Ferrai-Tautolgos 3-Blue Chopsticks
The Fall-You wanna-Slogan
Black Dice-Smiling off (ZZpot remix)-DFA
Sunburned hand of the man-Complexion-R13/Sunburned
Boduf Songs-Vapour steals the glow-Kranky

Audio

Jack Rose -Cathedral et Chartres -Beautiful Happiness
Ambrose Cambell -Yolanda -Honest Jons Records
Shukar Collective -Gypsy blues -Riverboat
Mutamassik -Mawlid -Very Friendly
Krispy -What they talking about -Skullsnap
Bo Diddley -Bo meets the monster -Ace)
Bo Diddley -Googlia moo -Chess
Ry Cooder -3rd base, Dodger Stadium -Nonesuch
Charlie Schmidt -Athabasca Valles blues -Strange Attractor Audio House
Zook -Slerky -Touch Tones r
Kit Clayton -Endiku -Soul Jazz
The Nightingales-Down in the Dumps-ATR
Geraldo Pino and the Heartbeats-Let Them Talk-RetroAfric
Jegsy Dodd and the Original Sinners-Pete Marsh (where you’ve bring)-Piffle
Llwybr Llaethog-Bethesda-Rasal –CD007
Arab Strap-Chat in amsterdam-Chemikal Underground
One way system-Jerusalem-Say no to Government Music
Wedding Present-Ringway to Seatac-Tone
My Awesome compilation-Set to Go-Sore Point Records
The Kills-No Wow-Domino
Millencolin-Shut you out-Burning Heart Records
Alec Empire -Hunt you Down-Digital Hardcore
White Hassle-Your Language-Fargo – FA062
Richard Buckner and Jon Langford-Rolling of the Eyes-Frago

Audio

Steve with Ian Barnes from The Stiffs

Aquazim & Mad Professor -Kunta Kinte -Trojan
Augustus Pablo -A house is not a dub -Attack
King Tubbys -Gorgon dub -Attack
Shitmat -Haile Selassie rules OK -Planet Mu
Digital Mystikz -Ancient memories -Tempa t
The Bug & Warrior Queen -Dem bomb -
MIA -Galang 05 -XL Records
Pressure & Warrior Queen -Money honey -Hyperdub
Burial -South London Boroughs -Hyperdub
International Observer -Leaf mold -Round Trip Mars
Stiffs -Nothing to lose -Captain Oi!
Stiffs -Volume control -Captain Oi!
Sonic Youth-Simpson's Theme-All Tomorrow's Parties
Chad VanGaalen-Clinically Dead-Sub Pop
Rogue Wave-10:1-Sub Pop
Animal Collective-Did you see the words-Fat Cat
Add Noise-Citronella-Ear Sugar Beatbox
North Sea Radio Orchestra-The Flower-Off Records
The Black Dog-Dog Style-Science Recordings
65 Days of Static-Drove through the ghosts to get here-Monotreme
The Lucky Nine-Vessel-Hassle
Marah-The Closer-Munich
Jayojoby-Tsy Zanaka Mpanarivo-Sterns
Idrissa Soumaoro-OOiula Ka Bo-Putumayo Music
Dieneba Seck-Nieteke Nela-Sterns
Sonny Terry and Brownie Mghee-Mena old Frisco-Blue Encore – CD 52032

Audio

Starpoint-I just want to be your lover-Chocolate City
The UBs-Disco Symphony-Electric Souls
Choklate-Waitin-KDSMUSIC
Bakura-Play That Game-Especial records
Music People / Cinnamone-DO THE BOOGIE-Superhuit Music
James Brown-Woman-Resist
Claussel-Let Me Love You-
Platinum Pied Pipers-Fever -Ubiquity
William "Smoke"Howard-That’s What Love Does-
El Michels Affair-Hung Up On My Baby-Fast Life
Shuggie Otis-Information Inspiration-Epic
John Legend-So High-Columbia
Plant Life-Luv me still it hurts-Easy League
Syleena Johnson-He Makes Me say-Jive
Jesse Outlaw-Love You So-Eargamisic
Atmosphear -Motivation-Sanctuary
Alex Lattimore-Rush Hour-Divine Recordings
Alphonso Johnson-Love is way I Feel about your Love-Epic
Bah Samba featuring Isabel Fructuoso-Calma-b

A few more notes.

The Redstone Meadery mead we liked was the Boysenberry, not blackberry. Oops.

The Wynkoop barelywine was the "7 Year Itch".

Just got home from Denver, its been a totally uneventful day today.

Yesterday was much more fun! After breakfast with some family I met up with Todd and we headed to the convention center right at 12:30 when it opened for the connoisseur tasting session. We went around and hit a few things a second time, including Redstone Meadery, Dogfish Head and Iron Hill on a much fresher palate. Redstone Meadery had three meads — mead is best described as a honey wine, sometimes flavored with fruit a.k.a. a melomel — which we tried before anything else today since they were much more subtle in flavor than some of the bigger porters, stouts, IPAs, etc. Of the three varieties we tried — Sunshine, Blackberry and Boysenberry — we both liked the Blackberry the best, since it was sweet with fresh blackberry flavors rounding out the taste. This could easily replace a sweet dessert wine on my table.

We also ran back to the Wynkoop Brewery to taste their barleywine, with all of the colorful beer names its hard to remember them all, which was a blend of seven years of barleywines that were then blended and aged in a Woodford Reserve oak cask. This was a great drink! Later in the night, after a very short trip to the evening tasting (my palate was worn out and I really didn't feel like drinking any more beers!) we went by the Wynkoop brewery. The brewery is located no more than a mile from our hotel. It was time for a late dinner and one final drink. I really enjoy the food and atmophere at the brewery, Steph and I had beed there a few years earlier. I had the schwarzbier, it was nice but I couldn't finish any more beer, I just wanted water. Todd had another barleywine. Sadly, the keg was running dry and it will never be offered again. The oak aging gave the beer lots of coconut and vanilla flavors which made us both wish for a pairing with coconut creme brulee.

By the end of the night, I was exhausted, we walked back to the hotel to pass out. This was a fun weekend, but 3 sessions is too damn much for me! Next year I would do the Thursday night session, which Todd thought was the most interesting because more of the brewers were at their tables. I'd skip Friday night and Saturday night, they both were extremely crowded! The Saturday connoiseur tasting was much more relaxed with people who were more intersted in the beers, rather than getting drunk. I'll also bring some pretzels and a length of string. Lots of folks made necklaces of pretzels to munch on at the tasting and clear their palate. A good idea, since the food at the venue was not overly inpsiring. We didn't eat anything inside the convenion center during any of the tasting sessions.

Time to sit back on the couch, drink water, treat my liver a little better than the past two days and get ready for another work week.

Audio

DAMIEN 'JR GONG' MARLEY feat BOUNTY KILLER & EEK-A-MOUSE -Khaki Suit -(Universal)
HEPTONES & RANKING KING -Mystery Babylon -(Auralux)
KING EVERAL -Life Can Be Easy -(Kingston Sounds)
BRENDON ANDEREGG -The Open -(Psych-O-Path)
ENAVOMI -Plystring -(Lampse Audiovisual Recordings)
GEOFF MULLEN -Thirty Six Trillion Manifestaions Part 7 -(Entschuldigen)
MIKE BOO -Resolution -(Alpha Pup)
P-LOVE -Four Inches Per Minute On The DVP -(Bully)
DESORMAIS -This Ship Sinks Sideways -(Intr_Version)
PORN SWORD TOBACCO -Soft Airgun & Electric - Watts Towers -(City Centre Offices)
MOUNTAINS -Blown Glass Typewriter -(Apestaartje)
MURMUR -Gradient -(Meanwhile)
CHIMPENDALES -Trak One -(Outside)
CLARO INTELECTO -Hunters Rocket To The Sky -(Modern Love)
ERIC DEMARSEN -Vogel S'enfuit -(Universal)
NIKOS MANANGAKIS -Herrmann, Variation 1 -(Bella Musica)
THOMAS NEWMAN -In The Bedroom (End Credits) -(Varese Sarabande)
MARCONI UNION -A Temporary Life -(All Saints)
DICTAPHONE -Track Seven -(City Centre Offices)
ALARM WILL SOUND -Logon Rock Witch -(Cantaloupe)
DAVE DOUGLAS -Just Another Murder -(Green Leaf)
GUDRUN GUT -Move Me -(Earsugar Jukebox)

THADDI -Three Difficult Words -(Pingipung)

GIARDINI DI MIRO -Boys Scarves Are A Guide To Rebellion -(Earsugar Jukebox)

COKI

OFFICER / MOOD DUB

DMZ 12" VINYL

Although not the origin of the term, ‘dubstep’ can mostly be applied to tunes that literally took a step away from dub. On this 12 Coki of the Digital Mystikz steers directly back into a dubwise essence building this bass-soaked half-stepper with an archaic synth chop that mutates into a weird carnival theme. The conversational ambience captured in the tune’s opening reflects back on Sonny Knight’s apologetic ‘But Officer’ from 1956 but now what was once dialogue has turned to monologue and the street setting could be Kingston or Camberwell. The feel of the flip is starker and the bass more genre conformant. Fascinating to discover where these new dub venturers will arrive next.

DUB SPECIALIST

BIONIC DUB

STUDIO ONE LP

Probably as a result of the title track’s appearance on the recent Soul Jazz Studio One Dub set the original vinyl now benefits from an overdue repress. ‘Bionic Dub’, a version to Vin Gordon’s ‘Red Blood’, receives the wildest mix of the set, its one of the rarer rhythms amongst a bunch of classics including the irresistibly named ‘Theme from Steve’, a dub to the Cables’ ‘Baby Why’ later to be re-versioned by the Mighty Diamonds as the aching roots classic ‘Have Mercy’. Also here is a take on Jackie Mittoo’s ‘Harder Shade of Black’ – one of the top ten most versioned rhythms of all time and not a million miles away from the Beatles’ ‘Norwegian Wood’ – that emerges as ‘Oscar’. Other pressings of vintage Studio One albums are around at the moment, mainly in their U.K. Bamboo pressings, including ‘Freedom Sounds’ with Ernest Ranglin at his funkiest on ‘Lee Arab’ and Im & David’s ‘Mun Dun Gu’ and also the ‘Funky Reggae’ set with Sound Dimension’s ‘Upsetter’s Dream’, a dub tribute to Scratch (?) utilising Carlton and the Shoes’ immortal ‘Love Me Forever’.

KATCHAFIRE

SLOW-BURNING

SHOCK RECORDS

In a clever little design conceit the surround card cover of the artwork comes in a flip open matchbook pastiche of the Wailers Zippo ‘Catch a Fire’ album sleeve. Unfortunately that’s about the limit of the originality on display here as Katchafire largely go for the pastiche approach in the music too laying somewhere between Matumbi and UB40 in their lazy skank bubbling under sweet harmonies and reclining horns. It’s all competent stuff and perfect fodder for horizontal summer festival crowds but travel outside their New Zealand island home maybe problematic as Joe Dukie from Fat Freddy’s Drop seems to have cornered the market with his super soulful vocals.

MERE MORTALZ FEATURING U BROWN

DIS-A-BOOM / INSTRUMENTAL VERSION

THUNDERTONE 10" VINYL SINGLE

This debut release on the Thundertone label, presented as the new ‘reggae-tronica’ imprint, is a wild dancer and a joyful, unashamedly self-referential paean to riddim. Production team the Mere Mortalz are reggae buff and label owner Casey together with breakbeat DJ Kevin Beber who engineer the meeting of reggae with electronica, but there’s nuff old school sounds in the mix with a jabbing trombone and vintage Hammond squiggling around the fast-paced rhythm. No problem for U Brown though as he digs out a string of quotes from the sound system handbook of guaranteed DJ exhortations, but there is surprise ending with some short payback acapellas for use on a later occasion. Fascinating to check what might be delivered with the next release due from these boys - ‘Haul & Pull’ a shot with Earl 16.

MAD PROFESSOR

METHOD TO THE MADNESS

TROJAN 2CD

Others may have been hipper, rootsier or more experimental but the only other outfit to be compared to Neil Fraser is Sherwood’s On U Sound, certainly both maintain a long-standing and consistent contribution to reggae’s connection to other musics, as well as the championing of dub as a genre. With an output split between conscious roots, lovers, wacky dubwise excursions and sprawling remixes in the leftfield of pop the Mad Professor has been either at best the target for unjustified criticism (celebrated here with the Robotiks ‘Echoes of Deaf Journalists’) or at worst studiously ignored by much of the press and radio. That was in the past, over the past few years, especially courtesy of championing by many of the nu dub acts (step forward Zion Train!), the rep of the Prof is now rightly revised. This set, compiled in association with Dave Katz who also pens the notes, gathers a fair representation of the scope of his productions since the late seventies from his ‘Dub Me Crazy’ series to his latest incarnation as the Crazy Caribs. In the Eighties he championed a resurgence of Lovers Rock with Sandra Cross and John McLean, supported the biting political and social observations of Macka B and Pato Banton, gave succour to a ‘lost and lonely’ Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and inspired the Orb into new spaces – all at the same time as rolling out roots and dub from legends such as Horace Andy, Johnnie Clarke and Max Romeo when few others cared. A British institution that has done enough to ensure its own preservation.

MATUMBI

MUSIC IN THE AIR

TROJAN 2CD

VARIOUS

LOVERS ROCK STORY VOL.2

KICKIN’ CD

EMI cautiously edged open the door in 2001 with ‘Empire Road’ a Matumbi ‘best of’ collection that neither by selection nor promotion addressed the shameful gap in the reggae reissue programme for rightful occupation by this influential foundation UK reggae band. On the scene before Aswad, Misty and Steel Pulse Bovell & Co may not have provided enough exotica content for contemporary leftfield audiences and were a little ‘too reggaefied’ to crossover in those pre-Marley days, but the easy flow of their lovers and roots mix is uniquely British and as such needs to be cherished. Proving its always a mistake to allow a band to select the tracks for its own anthology "Blackman", the nyabinghi driven chant "War" and the still sublime ‘Empire Road’ are all missing but ‘Wishing on a Star’ is included, still there’s enough material of quality to claim this as a representative retrospective.

Kickin’s second volume dedicated to charting the history of UK Lovers Rock is compiled by the man himself, Dennis Bovell, and many of the productions are collaborations between Dennis and guitarist/arranger John Kpiaye – both now members of the LKJ touring dub band. The cheese factor really rings the bell on this more sumptuously lightweight set of the series splitting focus on both original productions and cover versions of previous soul, pop and reggae hits – Paul Dawkins on the Abyssinians ‘Sweet Feeling’, Relant G on Marvin Gaye’s classic ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’, whilst Marie Pierre does over the Young Rascals ‘Groovin’ – but the tracks always work best with the female vocals and its Janet Kay who comes out as the natural voice of the genre especially on ‘Rock the Rhythm’.

PABLO MOSES

PAVE THE WAY

ON THE CORNER 2CD

Pablo Moses is best known for his classic ‘Revolutionary Dream’ album from 1975, featuring the Black Ark produced single ‘I Man A Grasshopper’. Much of the fuss over that set was in retrospect as excepting the rarefied climes of the specialist reggae market his name is relatively unknown. A second album, ‘A Song’ was followed by this album for Island Records in 1981. Engineered and masterminded by his long term producer Geoffrey Chung at Dynamic Studios in Jamaica the album stands out not for the quality of the material itself but for the excellent horn arrangements from Clive ‘Azul’ Hunt and the CD of dubs that comes as a bonus to the reissue. The sound is very similar to the mid 80’s Wailers on Tuff Gong through Island, slick and shiny compared to the rougher-edged reggae of the previous decade and a little too styled to the emerging requirements of ‘West Coast’ consumers than back a yard.

OSSIE ALL STARS

LEGGO DUB

HOT POT LP/CD

Hot Pot is now in full stride with the well-overdue release of this big dubhead favourite, in the main sourced from the rhythm tracks for Greg Isaacs’ ‘Mr.Isaacs’ album. Originally released on the singer’s Cash & Carry label this refurbished set comes with the addition of six b-sides from various Ossie Sound and Earthquake 7" 45s – most notably Earth & Stone’s ‘Wicked a fe Dress Back’ and ‘Take a Dip’ Dillinger’s take on Gregory’s ‘Slavemaster’ where the voices of both singer and DJ are dropped in and out the mix bathed in swathes of echo and reverb in triumphant style. At the time of its original release perhaps the approach taken by Ossie Hibbert in the mix was interpreted as a little too gimmicky by serious dub fans, dogs, cats, babies, racing cars, alarms, gongs, orchestral samples, cuckoo clocks are all thrown in there – ‘Doberman Skank’ and ‘Dub Down Babylon’ tell the full story – but the propulsive skank of Sly Dunbar’s’ drums against the tensions invoked by the countering percussion and horn section in full cry puts this set in the same league as best of Joe Gibbs and the Professionals from the same era.

WILLI WILLIAMS

MESSENGER MAN

BLOOD AND FIRE CD

Although Willi Williams started recording in the late sixties and served an apprenticeship with mentor Jackie Mittoo, prime arranger and artist at Studio One, his best work has almost stood outside of time as always retaining a modern edge and possessing an immediately recognisable warm and languorous sound. Following on from the truly epochal ‘Real Rock’ version ‘Armagideon Time’ Williams bypassed the influences of emerging dancehall styles and went on to forge that signature sound represented so admirably on this excellent reissue, Augmented by a complementary set of unissued dubs mixed by Soljie, Scientist and Errol T. in Kingston and Jerry Lion in Toronto. The title track betrays it early eighties genesis with the customary studio sounds of the era and also a lyrical reference to the ever-popular (in Jamaica) Bee Gees’ tune ("I’ve got to Get a Message to You"), ‘Armagideon Time’ is revisited in the jazzier style of ‘Rocking Universally’ with emphasis on the rolling piano riff reminiscent of the Tamlins’ epic treatment of ‘Baltimore’. But it’s the luxurious dubs that make this absolutely essential as there is little to match them sonically from the era.

ZION TRAIN

A PASSAGE TO INDICA

UNIVERSAL EGG CD/2LP

Something of a key document in the evolution of the UK nu dub scene, this is a re-release for Zion Train’s debut album from back in the early nineties when this kind of electro steppers stuff not only seemed exotic but also commercial suicide in the marketplace. Although the nu roots scene has grown since then its basically an enclosed community and self-sufficient on a day to day basis with bands like Zion Train having to extend their festival and gig coverage within and beyond Europe. Formed by the unlikely trio of Perch, Tench and Cod in 1990 the band picked up studio skills as they went along, and with the help of the redoubtable Dougie ‘Conscious Sounds’ Wardrop. This ‘learn as you go’ approach shows up on this set with serendipitous highs and quirky noodlings mixed up with standard reggae chops and breaks, sampleable now in many places – maybe its been done already? Although seemingly less ‘chilled’ than on its first appearance it must remembered that back in the day Zion Train supplied us with mellow moments surrounded by a sea of rave.

VARIOUS

STUDIO ONE LOVERS

SOUL JAZZ RECORDS CD/2XLP

The vocal styles of the first waves of great Jamaican vocalists owed not a little to song stylists Nat King Cole, Brook Benton and later Sam Cooke, Thurston Harris, Jackie Wilson, not forgetting all those great doo-wop groups from New Jersey to LA. So it’s no surprise that the singers supported by Studio One tend to ooze class. This selection from Dub Vendor’s Oxman, himself an MC and selector of repute, retrofits a sweet selection into what was strictly a UK sub-genre of reggae that now extends as a useful marketing definition if it means we can have access to material such as this. Although eternal favourites are there such as Ernest Wilson’s always aching ‘Undying Love’, The Mad Lads’ enthusiastic reading of Curtis Mayfield’s ‘Ten To One’ and Larry and Alvin’s ‘Your Love’ its some of the lesser know tracks that pull, for instance the Shark’s are mournful but magisterial on ‘How Could I Live’, recently redistributed on a clean seven inch pressing, and the cover versions - Doreen Schaefer’s adaptation of Boz Scagg’s ‘We’re All Alone’ and Myrna Hague’s version of Johnny Bristol’s ‘Touch Me Baby’ – all of which may seduce roots fans into the deeper worlds of reggae.

I'm sitting in the ATL waiting for my flight to Denver where I'm meeting Todd to attend the Great American Beer Festival. I am so giddy, I've wanted to attend for a few years, thanks to Delta bumping me from a flight and some hotel points, its an almost free vacation. I barely slept last night, I tossed and turned and had dreams of beer... lots and lots of beer!

I'll post more after I get to Denver and start quaffing, watch out for some late night inebriated posts tonight and tomorrow...

Audio

Crunchy digit mix from Steve 's mate Bob in Chicago
Orange Juice-Moscow Olympics-Domino
I Roy-Brother Toby Is A Movie From London-Hot Pot
Augustus Pablo-Thriller-Trojan
Turbulance-I believe-M Rec
Niney-Blood and Fire-Trojan
Arab Strap-The Last Romance-Chemikal
Clayhill-Northern Soul-Eat Sleep Records
The Reverends-World of Cricket-Pump
Canartic-Bassic-Dank
Jambalya Cajun Band-Hey Rock-Putumayo
Abaji -Khosrow-Network
Nazomi Myanshi-Spring Yellow-International Music Series
Aoki Takamasa and Tujiko Noriko-Fly 2-Fat Cat
Koji Asano-Lettuce No 1-Asano

Audio

John Eden and Paul Meme mix and On the Wire is 21 years old

Delroy Wilson-Keep on Trying-Music Lab
Carlton Livingstone-You Make Your Mistake-Black Joy
Lone Ranger-Collie Dub-Black Joy
Yellowman-Soldier Take Over-Sonic Sounds
Welton Irie-Army Life-Pressure Sounds
King Kong-Don't Touch My Boops-Unity Sounds
Admiral Bailey and Chaka Demus-One Scotch-Unity Sounds
Shabban Rankin-Roots and Cultue-Digital B
Pinchers-Bandolero-Jammy$ Records
Frankie Paul-Tu Shung Peng-Greensleeves
Frisco Kid-It's OK-Jammy$ Records
Trevor Sparks-Bye Bye Love-Jammy$ Records
Admiral Bailey-No Wey Better Than Yard-Live & Love
Pinchers-Agony-Live & Love
Admiral Bailey-Big Belly Man-Live & Love
Shabba Ranks-Trailer Load of Girls-Shang
Cobra-Yush-Penthouse
Cutty Ranks-Dominate-Penthouse
Killamanmachine-Amen-Clash
Bong Ra-666MPH (FFF vs Dionysos Remix)-Supertracks Records
LFO Demon-Utterly Wipeout (Rave for Communism)-Sprengstoff
Prince Jammy-Jammin for Survival (Grievous Angel's Jammin' on Distortion Mix)-Attack / Morwell Esq?
Initial T-Tricks and Trade-Tree House Cannabis Music
Turbulence-Notorious-Tree House Cannabis Music
RL Burnside-Charleston Interview-M.C. records
RL Burnside-Goin’ Down South-M.C. records
Horror Pops-Freak in Uniforms-Hellcat Records
Motion City Soundtrack-Everything is Alright-Epitah
Kate Rusby-Mary Blaize-Pure Records
Amandine -Halo-Fat Cat
Tom Paulin-Radio Days-Soup Records
Ray Charles-Georgia on My Mind-Prism
Lee Perry with the Flying Vicars and Sir Freddy Viaduct-Scratch on the Wire-Leohorn Records
Captain Beefheart-Orange Claw Hammer-Reprise
Cabaret Volitaire-Nag Nag Nag-Novamute
Staggering Heights-Staggering Heights-On U Sound
Bob Dylan-Forever Young-Columbia
Nozomi Myanishi-Spirng Yellow-Cooking Vinyl

I received this from a friend today, its a motion for continuance for a trial in Miami-Dade County, Florida. I think the author meant to say disc surgery. Oops.

Audio

De La Soul-I Be Blowin-Tommy Boy
C.L.Smooth-Warm Outside-FatBeats
Groundhog-Keep On Bumpin-Gemico
Prominent-Checking you Out-
Roy Ayers-Holiday (DJ Spinna mix)-BBE
Flowetry-Superstar-Dreamworks
Carleen Anderson-Gotta Believe in the Future-Dome
Aaron Hall-Your-Head Start
Breakestra-Family Rap (This is the sound)-Ubquity Records
Earth, Wind and Fire-Autumn-Sanctuary Urban
Chaka Khan-Pain-Warners
Guru-Step in the Arena-Grand Records
The Burning of Atlanta-Messin Around-Buddah Records
Ramsey Lewis-Eyes on You-Columbia
Jurassic 5-Red Hot-Up and above
Toni Braxton-Take this ring-
Dwele-I think I love You-Virgin
Babyface-Tonight is going down-Arista
Sly and the Family Stone-One Way-Warner Bros
Little Brother-Lovin It-Atlantic
Cruna -Take Me Higher-Reprise
Lorna-Love Peace-Dome
Ian Martin-The Way-Expansion
Gill Scott -Heron-Winter in America-TVTRecords

Audio

Doug Seay mix from Chicago

Ethiopia land-Peter and Paul Lewis-Justice League
Version 78 Style-Glen Brown and King Tubby-Blood and Fire
Strictly Yard Music-Jah Warrior-Jah Warrior
Mystic Powers of Dub-Lee Perry and Mad Professor-Ariwa
Wrong Cord-Roots Underground-Wackies
Don’t Move-Keith Hudson-Blood and Fire
Dub Rock-Studio One Dub-Studio One/Soul Jazz
Why am I Treated so Bad-Prince Buster All Stars-Prince Buster
Cheating Dub-Impact All Stars-Impact
More Scrubbing the Dub-Chariot Riders-Crystal
Sleepwalker-SuperSoul-Metatronix
Syblex-Bola-Skam
Club Selection-Sensational-Wordsound
Sexual Boats (Guitars Float)-Dino Felipe-Merk
Credick-Ceephax Acid Crew-Breakin’
Where’s Your Girlfriend-Afx-Rephlex
Dirty Fucker-Luke Vibert-Warp
Orgasm-Morlock-Rotterdam
Untitled-Astrobotnia-Rephlex
Sharevari-A Number of Names-Capriccio
Bitch Instrumental-Big Daddy Rick-Bass Force
Disco Africa-The Ogyatanaa Show Band-Soundway
The Cissy’s Thang-Soul Seven-Stones Throw
Littile Ole Money Maker-The Meters-Jody
Apple Pie-Five Style-Sub Pop
Pounding Systems-Dub Syndicate-OnU Sound
Juan Atkins-Session One-Tresor
Random Noise Generation-A Better Tomorow-Concept
Veal-Deflier-Six
Half Man Half Biscuit-Restless Legs-Probe Plus
Half Man Half Biscuit-For What is Chatteris-Probe Plus
Paranoia-Norman-PUMF
The Band that time forgot-Dissing Nuns-
The Trial-LDB-PUMF
Baka Beyond-Kobo-Baka
The Full Zimbabwe-Distribute Love-Sunbird Records
Ini Kamoze-Rub a Dub-Auraluxx
Daddy Twan-War with Bush-Proud of that

BOOZOO BAJOU

DUST MY BROOM

!K7 CD/LP

It’s a couple of years since the duo of Nuremberg producers Florian Seyberth and Peter Heider, aka Boozoo Bajou, put together the exemplary compilation ‘Juke Joint’ – a seamless meld of low end dub and southern soul and blues sounds. Since that time they have been perfecting that feel in the studio both from their own resources and an inspired series of guests mixing old and new school soul into the deepest of grooves. Tony Joe White, recently spotlighted on the excellent ‘Country Got Soul’ series, makes for perfect dub foil swamp-style, Joe Dukie from Fat Freddie’s Drop, who could easily be a Memphis drop-out, duets with U Brown, the blaxploitation soundtrack specialist Willie Hutch makes an overdue comeback and Top Cat takes a lick for the track lifted as a single ‘Killer’.

DEB MUSIC PLAYERS

DJ TRACKING

DEB LP

DEB PLAYERS IN DUB

HOUSE OF DEB

DEB LP

In I1978 just at point his career was showing signs of international crossover, after productive spells with both Joe Gibbs and Niney the Observer in Jamaican, Dennis Brown linked up with old spar Castro Brown in London to launch the DEB label (Dennis Emmanuel Brown). Rather than stretching or diluting his output or involvement the adventure yielded Dennis’ greatest album in ‘Wolf and Leopards’ and great sets from another old pal, Junior Delgado – amongst others. In 1979 a follow-up to the acclaimed ‘20th Century Dubwise’ was finished and due to be released but never appeared due to the premature folding of the label. Another instrumental the dub set, ‘House of Deb’, is a collection of DEB’s now classic rhythms including Black Uhuru’s ‘Rent Man’ and ‘Wood For My Fire’ plus the awesome ‘Shaka The Warrior’ a cut to Dennis’ ‘Slave Driver’ and a favourite dubplate Jah Shaka aired at his dances in the late seventies. All the tracks were likely recorded at studios like Joe Gibb's, Channel One and Harry J’s and mixed at King Tubbys by then Prince Jammy.

Just after "House of DEB" was recorded in 1979, "DJ Tracking" was produced and actually hit the streets. The album ran versions by DJ superstars like Trinity, Jah Thomas and Big Joe alongside the lesser known Ras Bug and Buckers, performing rough and righteous in turn on favourite DEB rhythms of the day like Junior Delgado’s ‘Famine’, ‘Trickster’ and ‘Warrior’ and Black Uhuru’s ever-popular ‘Rent Man’. Sat posing on the Honda scooter on the album’s front cover is the label co-owner Castro Brown. Taken together this pair constitutes the rarest of DEB albums, the first having never been officially released and the second never repressed since its first brief appearance.

DIGIDUB & FAIRSHARE UNITY SOUND SYSTEM

I SCREAM / VERSION / NO WAY / VERSION

DAVID 10" VINYL SINGLE

Lee Digidub has been a dubplate provider for Julian Fairshare’s Unity Sound System for some years now so it’s seemed logical that a studio collaboration was more than feasible. And so it proves with this their doubleheader debut on David, a subsidiary of the Dubwise label. Shunting horns, could it be those Crispy boys?, give a relaxed old school vibe to the no-way primal ‘I Scream’ where Julian Fairshare goes some way to inventing a new DJ scat style. On the flip the vocal is minimal whilst Dave Katz, better known as Scratch’s biographer and Auralux mainman, steps forward to resume his old musician’s cloak and toot spiritually edged Pabloesque melodica lines on the moody ‘No Way’. New nu UK roots without the usual righteousness by numbers shtick.

GLEN BROWN & FRIENDS

RHYTHM MASTER VOLUME 2

HOT POT CD/LP

The voice of Prince Jazzbo introduces this album with: "Tune into the king of sounds and blues ……" as the preface to ‘2 Wedden Skank’, the Joe White melodica tune that many first heard on Dave Hendley’s ‘Rebel Music’ compilation for Trojan, a tune that runs into Glen’ take on Isaac Hayes’ ‘Do Your Thing’ and its off-centre skanking guitar version ‘Pantomine Rock’ – enough of a creative span for one album one would have thought but the next track is bizarre ‘mockney’ intro of I Roy’s surreal ‘Brother Toby is a Movie from London’ followed by three versions of ‘Merry Up’ and James and Bobby Purify’s ‘I’m your Puppet’ on the classic ‘Slaving’ rhythm followed by an extended version ‘No More Slavery’ with a piano coda fooling the listener into the expectation of a restrained chamber jazz piece. That’s just half this album of pure rhythm invention from Glenmore ‘The Godson’ Brown and there’s another set yet to come from Steve Barrow’s new Hot Pot label at last under full steam. Indispensable to any serious students of rhythm - and on vinyl too.

GUSSIE P AND THE SIP A CUP FAMILY

BOOK OF DUB VOL.2

DUB WAX LP

Taken some time to catch up with this celebratory release marking twenty years for the Sip A Cup label in what passes for business out there, it doesn’t seem that long for Gussie P who is one of the few to have kept his sights focused down on the traditional art of dub. His irregular series of Sip A Cup 10 inch vinyl releases are well worth keeping track of and its this source from where many of these dubs originate, all of which are old time roots classics, and some rarities, re-versioned by Gussie with the assistance of Mafia & Fluxy. In there as ‘Dub From The Longest Time’ is Sylford Walker’s ‘Burn Babylon’, Trevor Byfield’s ‘Burning Bush’ not long ago reissued by Rootical Dubber comes as ‘Bloodshot Eyes Dub’, Rockers label Asher & Trimble’s ‘Humble Yourself’ is ‘Jah Commands In Dub’, Prince Alla’s ‘Stone’ becomes ‘Dub Of Stone’, Bim Sherman’s ‘10,000 Careless Ethiopians’ appears as ‘The Dub Go Round’ and Junior Delgado’s monstrous ‘Son’s Of Slaves’ originally cut for Scratch is born again as ‘DNA Dub’. The identities of remaining rhythms are more elusive but what matters is that this original drum and bass is cut deep and plays heavy.

GREGORY ISSACS

EXTRA CLASSIC

TROJAN CD

In 1977 the original release of ‘Extra Classic’ brought the ascension to reggae superstardom for the Cool Ruler and forward to the edge of crossover success and its this set, together with the same year’s ‘Mr.Isaacs’, that constitutes the core of his finest work. His voice was at its most mellow and languid, best evidenced on the title track of the album where his delivery of the most vacuous lyric is simply divine! At the time he was earning a living as a panel beater rather than a singer. Opening with signature Black Ark sound of ‘Mr. Cop’ may probably provoke an unsustained frisson for Scratch fans as the rest of the set is self-produced by Gregory. A mix of lovers and roots topped by the great ‘Black a Kill Black’, a unique observation of the nature of Kingston’s violence of the time, still unabated. But what really makes this release essential is the accompanying dubs for the album tracks, largely a collection of singles from 1976 and 1977. Perversely ‘Thief a Man’ although not included on the original album is here in its dub form, the chest-pounding lurch that is theTubby mix of ‘Cry Tuff Dub’ (as taxed by Dr. Alimontado for his ‘Gimme Mi Gun’ on ‘Best Dressed Chicken in Town’).

MERE MORTALZ FEATURING U BROWN

DIS-A-BOOM / INSTRUMENTAL VERSION

THUNDERTONE 10" VINYL SINGLE

This debut release on the Thundertone label, presented as the new ‘reggae-tronica’ imprint, is a wild dancer and a joyful, unashamedly self-referential paean to riddim. Production team the Mere Mortalz are reggae buff and label owner Casey together with breakbeat DJ Kevin Beber who engineer the meeting of reggae with electronica, but there’s nuff old school sounds in the mix with a jabbing trombone and vintage Hammond squiggling around the fast-paced rhythm. No problem for U Brown though as he digs out a string of quotes from the sound system handbook of guaranteed DJ exhortations, but there is surprise ending with some short payback acapellas for use on a later occasion. Fascinating to check what might be delivered with the next release due from these boys - ‘Haul & Pull’ a shot with Earl 16.

NINEY & FRIENDS

BLOOD & FIRE – HIT SOUNDS FROM THE OBSERVER STATION 1970 – 1978

TROJAN CD

VARIOUS

SUFFERATION: THE DEEP ROOTS REGGAE OF NINEY THE OBSERVER

AURALUX CD/2xLP

Two Niney compilations, one heading in a different direction to the other. Trojan attempt an overview of the seventies whilst Auralux aims at lesser known rootical material from later in the decade. Of the forty eight tracks collected on the Trojan set there are many stone classics from one of reggae’s most creative producers and if there were to be a genuine criticism here it would be that this should really be the first of three or four volumes, as it is it really has no appeal for the more serious collector who will have all these tunes. Far better to compile singles like Cornell Campbell’s ‘I Heart is Clean’ with its unmissable Tubby’s version ‘Zinc Fence’, and how could Junior Byles’ ‘Weeping’ be forced to appear once more without it’s essential version, the beautifully plaintive horns-led ‘East African Herbs Vendor’ from the Ethiopian Eunuchs (I kid you not!). So, a missed opportunity to pay proper obeisance to the mighty Observer – but theirs is a great set of detailed, informative and opinionated sleeve notes from Tony Rounce, on loan from Ace.

Over at Auralux Dave Katz continues his fine job of selecting compilations and gracing them with his authorative notes. Nine of the fourteen tracks are extended versions with either DJ or dub version segued into the vocal, so maybe it would be a little churlish to question why I Roy’s ‘Wicked Eat Dirt’ does not follow its vocal lead in Leroy Smart’s take on the ‘Satta’ rhythm ‘Jah is my Light’ or that the dubs are missing from the Rockstones’ tracks – the set does clock in at seventy two minutes plus as it stands. If you can make it past the disco length version Tyrone Taylor’s doom-laden ‘Sufferation’, one of reggae’s bleakest moments, then you are clear with prime period but rare Dennis Brown including his mutation of ‘Here I Come’ as ‘Jah is Watching You’ followed by an unusual trombone version of Dillinger’s DJ piece on the rhythm ‘Flat Foot Hustling’ plus two visits to Gregory Isaacs’ ‘Rock On’, one with Vin Gordon ‘boning the dub, ‘Murder Observer Style’. Newcomers to Niney can take the Trojan whilst aficionados will head for the Auralux.

PETER TOSH

TALKING REVOLUTION

PRESSURE SOUNDS 2xCD/2xLP

The history of the One Love Peace Concert held in Kingston on Saturday, April 23 1978, has been forever captured by the image of Jah Bob joining the hands of the uncomfortable political rivals Seaga and Manley in a gesture of enforced reconciliation. Here's the real story. Peter Tosh's revolutionary set included incendiary, confrontational speeches delivered in a no-sell out style before versions of ‘Burial’, ‘Equal Rights’, ‘Legalise It’ and ‘Get Up Stand Up’ respectively. It’s around five years or so since this was last available on JAD Records out of France, but this new edition comes with remarkable acoustic sessions dated the year after from American radio where the late Wailer proves himself an accomplished and compelling solo performer.

VARIOUS

STUDIO ONE LOVERS

SOUL JAZZ RECORDS CD/2XLP

The vocal styles of the first waves of great Jamaican vocalists owed not a little to song stylists Nat King Cole, Brook Benton and later Sam Cooke, Thurston Harris, Jackie Wilson, not forgetting all those great doo-wop groups from New Jersey to LA. So it’s no surprise that the singers supported by Studio One tend to ooze class. This selection from Dub Vendor’s Oxman, himself an MC and selector of repute, retrofits a sweet selection into what was strictly a UK sub-genre of reggae that now extends as a useful marketing definition if it means we can have access to material such as this. Although eternal favourites are there such as Ernest Wilson’s always aching ‘Undying Love’, The Mad Lads’ enthusiastic reading of Curtis Mayfield’s ‘Ten To One’ and Larry and Alvin’s ‘Your Love’ its some of the lesser know tracks that pull, for instance the Shark’s are mournful but magisterial on ‘How Could I Live’, recently redistributed on a clean seven inch pressing, and the cover versions - Doreen Schaefer’s adaptation of Boz Scagg’s ‘We’re All Alone’ and Myrna Hague’s version of Johnny Bristol’s ‘Touch Me Baby’ – all of which may seduce roots fans into the deeper worlds of reggae.

Audio

U-ziq -Ease up -Planet
Vex’d -Lion -Planet Mu
Appleblim -Mystical Warrior -Skull Disco
M.I.A. -Bucky done gun -XL
Stereotyp meets Al’Haca -Blaze ‘n cook -Klein
The Bug feat. Ras B -Fire -Klein
Coki -Mood dub -DMZ
Frankie Paul -Jammy’s super power -Melodie
Tom & Jerry -Blow out -Street Platinum & Gold
Harry Beckett -Modern Sounds of Harry Beckett -On U Sound
Wareika Hill Sounds -Sweet incense -Honest Jons Records
Willie Williams -Messenger man dub -Blood and Fire
Digidub & Fairshare Unity Soundsystem -I scream -David
Boozoo Bajou -Killer -!K7
Mere Mortalz feat U Brown -Dis-a-boom -Thundertone
Earl "Chinna" Smith -Satan side -Makasound
Peter Tosh -Fools die (Wisdom) -Pressure Sounds
Gussie P & the Sip A Cup Family -Dub from the longest time -Dub Wax
Ossie All Stars -Doberman skank -Hot Pot
Sound Dimension -Upsetters dream -Bamboo
Augustus Pablo -Desire dub -Attack attack
Dub Specialist -Six million -Studio One
Tommy McCook -Lambs Bread Herb -Trojan
Im & David -Mun dun gun -Studio 1
Heptones -Mystery Babylon -Auralux
Deb Players -Shaka the Warrior -DEB
Tony Joe White -Rainy night in Georgia (Boozoo Bajou remix) -Modern Soul

Audio

T.Raumschmiere-Blitzrieg Pop (Phil Kieran RMX)-Novamute
Jackson-Rock On-Warp
Coco Rosie-Noah Ark-Touch and Go
Id Lib-Outsider-CD-R
MFA-Disco 2 Break-Themfa
Alexander Tucker-Old Fog-All Tomorrow’s Parties
Fursaxa-Purple Fantasy-All Tomorrow’s Parties
White Out Featuring Jim O’Rourke-Stiplemoon-All Tomorrow’s Parties
Bardo Pond-Pangolin Dance-All Tomorrow’s Parties
Black Dog-D.O.G. Style-Science Recordings
Antony Shakir-The Random House-Science Recordings
Oliver Ho/ Robert Hood-Changing-Meta
Gangbe Brass Band-Tagbavo-Contrejour
Fuji Dub-Fufi Dr. Ewon-Union Square
Africa Unite-AlleRadici-Echo Beach
Selectas Earl Gateshead and Daddy Ad-Is It Because I’m Black-Trojan
The Small Axe People-Dot the I-Small Axe People
Mikey Dread-Saturday Night Style-Auralux
Homelife-11 TO 7-Clelestial Engine
Harold Nano-Swimming Aid-
Giant Albino Pengion-A Quiet Moment-
Langhorne Slim-In the Midnight-Narnack Records
Tony Joe White-Keep Going-K7
Motion City Soundtrack-Whew you’re around-Epitah
Autolux-Turnstile Blues-Full Time Hobby
Thee More Shallows-Freshman Thesis-Mono
Envelopes-It is The Law-
St Vitus Dance-Napoleon’s Nose-Probe Plus

Audio

Public Enemy-Your gonna get yours-De Jam
Ricky Calloway-Tell Me-Kay-De Records
Donna Hathaway-Sugar Lee-Rhino
Roy Budd-Carter-PYE
Mass Production-Shante-Cotillion
Stevie Wonder-Do Like You-Motown
Gary G Jenkins-Friday Night-Expansion
Choonz inc-Set You Free-Choonz Inc
Leela James-Rain-Warner Bros
Weldon Irvine-We Getting Down-Sony
The Devils-Exorcist-people
GIL SCOTT-HERON -The Liberation-Soul Brother
Doc and Prohibition-Nothing has changed-Laurie
Avani with Rashann Patterson and Carl McIntosh-Watching You-Dome
Jaguar Wright-Free-Artemis
Sunburst Band-Here is-Z Records
cLEAR-Taste the Music-ATLANTIC
Barbara Mason-Yeh I’m Ready-
Steppers-Step it up-PDP
Mickey and the Soul Generation-Iron Leg-Maxwell Records
Rapping Reverend-I ain’t into that-CDBGPD
Angela Johnson-Whatever it takes-Dome
Ts monk-Too much to soon-Mirage

Audio

Link up with KFAI Minneapolis and St Paul. - Doctor Strangedub and DJ Swiss - Part 2

Ital Roots Players -Alice in Dubland (self) -Mad Hatter's Dub
Ital Roots Players -20000 Leagues Under the Dub (self) -Giant Squid Dub
Pitch Black -Kaikoura Roots Festival 2005 (Dub Conspiracy) -Elements Turn
Fat Freeddy's Drop -Based On a True Story (EMI NZ) -Cay's Crays
SJD (feat. Sandy Mills) -Green Room 002: Wahine (Loop) -Trubble
Finn Meets Sand Monk -Two Worlds Clash (self) -Last Feast
Madtone -From the End of the Shortwave (self) -Dark Dread
King Tubby -King Tubby Meets Upsetter (Esoldun) -I Am the King
Steady Ups vs. Dr. Echo -Dub Disaster (Annica) -Shake Down Dub
Ital Roots Players -Sci-Fi Classics in Dub (self) -Journey to the Center of the Dub- -
Dub Syndicate -Classic Selections - V.2 (On-U Sound) -Hi-Fi Gets a Pounding
Twilight Circus -Dub Project (M Records) -Sufferation
Zion Train -Passage to Indica (Universal Egg) -Plunging Into Darkness
Monolake -Polygon Cities (Inertia) -Wasteland
Salmonella Dub -Outside the Dubplates (S.Dub) -Push On Thru (A.Sherwood
Remix)- -
Noiseshaper -Rough Out There (Echo Beach) -Bushmaster
Blue -Dubitamin (EFA) -Circle Line (Rootsman Remix)
Finn the Giant -N-A (download) -Hit The Ground
Ital Roots Players -Alice in Dubland (self) -Into Dubland

DENNIS ALCAPONE

GUNS DON’T ARGUE – ANTHOLOGY ’70-77

TROJAN 2CD

Although he started out as a U Roy imitator the surging joy of his first single effort for Keith Hudson, ‘Shades of Hudson’ – backed by ‘Spanish Omigo’ (sic), was enough to guarantee Dennis Alcapone a place in DJ history. He went on to cut his debut album for Studio One (unfortunately nothing from this set here) and work for the best producers in the genre including Niney, Bunny Lee, Joe Gibbs, Duke Reid and most significantly - Lee Perry, when they took reality lyrics into the dancehall. And if there were one tune amongst this massive fifty five track compilation that proclaims the magic generated by that combination its ‘Master Key’, a lean bass and trombone rhythm bed on top of which the DJ chats roots into the existential. There are a stack of others that compete as pick of the bunch including ‘Teach the Children’, ‘The Great Woggie’. ‘Well Dread’ and ‘Musical Liquidator’. Together with his album for Mr.Dodd, ‘Forever Version’ this may be as much Dennis as the average reggae fan could ever want.

JAH SHAKA featuring ICHO CANDY

DUB SALUTE 2

JAH SHAKA MUSIC / GREESLEEVES CD

Icho Candy emerged in the early eighties amongst the many youths championed by Augustus Pablo for whom he cut a few impassioned sides. At the time these tunes were largely unsuccessful commercially but have since become collectors’ items and rare roots grooves for the sound system play, primarily the staple closer ‘Captain Selassie I’ on the ‘Heavenless’ rhythm. In the main his reputation then lies with ‘Glory to the King’ the nineties album he cut with Jah Shaka here reissued in its dub form where Candy’s high, floating voice often rises in the mix tremulously above the tenor range. Standout tracks are ‘Rastafari Dub’ with the vocal intro chanted in a Rasta Camp groundation style before the rough percussion drive dominates the dub and the final track, ‘Have No Fear Dub’ a more subdued effort but classy nevertheless with ersatz Pabloesque vibes over a sweet vocal, dispensed with early but returning in a dub sectioned by indecipherable drum polyrhythms.

KODE9 + SPACEAPE

KINGSTOWN (VOX)/KINGSTOWN (DUB)

HYPERDUB 10" VINYL

The low end flow rolls on this time studded and striped with spattered tablas and a descending melodica synth line. In 2004 their Hyperdub debut Prince ultraversion ‘Sign of the Dub’ and its successor ‘Spit’, marked out Kode9 and Daddi G as identifiable entities outside of grime, dubstep or any other scene. Their appearances on the second Rephlex and Tempa Grime collections cemented their dark intention. The clearly articulated and apocryphal vocals of Daddi G are traceable stylistically to mogadon versions of LKJ or Michael Smith but content-wise with a bleaker and more detached view of colonialism’s last rites in the flipside of Lord Creator’s ‘Kingston Town’. Daddi G has now evolved into his present incarnation of Spaceape, an audiovisual project that ‘explores the impact of image and sound on the bodily senses’ but these sonics are enough for the senses this time around.

BILL LASWELL

DUB MASSIVE – CHAPTERS 1 & 2

TROJAN CDs

Maybe this should have been listed under ‘various artists’ but Bill Laswell needs to take full responsibility for what lies beneath. The absence of the original multi-track tapes no longer provides an insuperable obstacle to the so-called art of the remix, conveniently re-titled here as ‘enhanced’ and ‘placed’ with an additional claim of being ‘created’ – or to be more direct, totally fucked-over. That many of these original dubs were created in the extra heat of valve driven studios is testament to the vision and commitment of their originators – Pablo, Scratch, Tubby, and Observer etc who achieved fresh and exciting dynamism within and around their newly created spatial frameworks. In using Pro-Tools or whatever in an attempt to ‘enhance’ the sound Laswell and engineer Robert Musso only succeed in dulling otherwise sparkling gems such as ‘Java’, ‘Drum Rock’ and ‘Dubbing with the Observer’. More successful are the later minimal dubs from Scientist where the Roots Radics built skeletally massive rhythms that are difficult to deconstruct. Roots should avoid in case their systems decline ….

BARRINGTON LEVY

LOVE YOU BROTHER MAN – THE EARLY YEARS

TROJAN CD

Barrington Levy came to general prominence with his mid-eighties hits ‘Under Mi Sensi’ and ‘Here I Come’, tunes that rang with the times and captured the speedier feelings that fully arrived with the ‘Sleng Teng’ generation. However the singer had made his mark in the roots market some years earlier as he provided producers Junjo Lawes and Alvin Ranglin with some of their biggest hits in the early dancehall period. With a light tenor that wouldn’t have been out of place on fifties doo-wop floating on the heaviest of Roots Radics rhythms, Levy’s songs still carried conscious lyrics and less occasionally rasta concerns, the times were yet to surrender to the self-referential obsessions of hip hop. Many of those tunes are included here in their discomix versions with DJ inputs from Jah Thomas, ‘Shine Eye Girl’ and ‘Shaolin Temple’, or extended into the dub, ‘Bounty Hunter’, ‘A Ya We Deh’ and ‘Give Thanks and Praise’.

PRINCE DOUGLAS

DUB ROOTS

WACKIES LP/CD

Wackies keeps us involved with this real treat from studio engineer Douglas Levy, part of the original Wackies set up from 1974-75, alongside Lloyd ‘Bullwackie’ Barnes and Jah Upton, and probably best known to date as mixer on Sugar Minott’s ‘International Herb’. The opener will be recognisable by those who picked up Ranking Dread’s recent Silver Camel ‘In Dub’ reissue this as Sly & Robbie’s ‘Bom Dub’for 1980 dub album is his finest work and many of the rhythms are derived from a tape given to the studio by the Rhythm Twins containing their versions of contemporary Joe Gibbs hits. Indeed the bizarrely sped up ‘Let Me Love You Dub’ sounds just like its missing a Dennis Brown vocal! There are versions to Tribesman Dub - the rhythm for Tyrone Evans' ‘Black Like Me’ and Wayne Jarrett's interpretation of Johnny Clarke’s ‘Every Tongue Shall Tell’. But the standout is a take on Steel Pulse's ‘Handsworth Revolution’ that arrived in a parcel of records from England the same weekend as the session ran; ‘March (sic) Down Babylon Dub’, with Bullwackie in declamatory form on the wire, is a dark slowed down steppers with serious intent.

ERNEST RANGLIN

ALEXTOWN

PALM PICTURES CD

Unrivaled amongst Jamaica’s guitarists Ernest Ranglin’s inputs can be found in most of the Islands indigenous musics and reggae sub-genres. From the 60’s onwards he produced a steady stream of quality jazz albums culminating in 1996’s ‘Below the Bassline’, an effortless jazz/dub set of reggae standards. Since then his governance has stretched into dance and world music. Travelling south from 1998’s Senegal based ‘In Search of the Lost Riddim’ Ernest lands in Johannesburg to work with the horns of the African Jazz Pioneers and voices of the Mahotella Queens, veterans of township jive. Logic would dictate we should soon hear a dubbed up and extended version of the already spacey dancer ‘Trenchtown Music’ as Ernie gets in the mood. In turns funky and reflective the mix down by Groucho is fusion at a stage where the only joints are those ablaze on playback.

RANKING JOE

WORLD IN TROUBLE

M RECORDS LP/CD

Ranking Joe (Joseph Jackson) opened his microphone account on the books of Sturgav Hi Fi in the mid seventies, moving onto Ray Symbolic Hi Fi where he mentored Charlie Chaplin and Josey Wales in the ways of the conscious DJ. His reputation as a live DJ has always overshadowed his recorded output. And so it has continued to the present primarily via patronage of the touring Blood and Fire Sound System, where Joe has proved a reliable crowd puller and pleaser. But without any hesitation this new production by Ryan ‘Twilight Circus’ Moore probably stands as the DJ’s most consistent set of his career. The passion in his delivery is undimmed and he rides the rhythms like he’s still as hungry as a youth. With Style Scott on drums, Scully on percussion, Dean Fraser and Bobby Ellis on horns Chinna pulling it all together on guitar it’s like one out of time. Having once urged Ryan to step outside his old dub style I find I have no advice left – probably the best DJ album of the year.

REBEL MC

BORN AGAIN

CONGO NATTY RECORDINGS CD&DVD/6LP

A well overdue retrospective of a true British dance music legend, albeit self-released, whose career took a reverse trajectory to the norm in that he started out overground with ‘Street Tuff’ a top ten pop hit with Brit rap pack Double Trouble an act that went the same way as most UK hip hop back in the time. Reinvented as number one junglist, refusing to be drawn into the camp of intelligent drum and bass, Michael West became Congo Natty and embarked on a course of creating shamelessly righteous rollers now well in the process of reissue. This new collection openly contrasts the stark naivety of early tunes such as ‘Just Keep Rockin’’ and ‘Rebel Music’ with the soon to come ‘Humanity’ featuring the vocals of the late roots stylist Price Lincoln Thompson, the classic Sly & Robbie production on Dennis Brown, ‘Revolution’, and later contributions from UK homegrown talent Tena Fly and Spikey T. Contrasting tough breaks with sweet vocals this was the acceptable street version of the strong and sweet Lovers confection. Also imminent is double CD set of ‘The Best of Congo Natty'.

VARIOUS ARTISTS

JACK RUBY HI-FI

AURALUX 2LP/CD

If the Brooklyn-based Clappers label had’ve started operations in the last couple of years then surely it would have drawn the attention of the Homeland Security cultural investigation section so militant was its output. Jack Ruby was the all-conquering sound system operator from the early 70’s now best know for sponsoring the emergence of Burning Spear’s epochal ‘Marcus Garvey’ set, albeit in remixed form for international consumption. The re-issue of this showcase album, taken to the New York label for its debut release, assumes its original structure with just four tunes all in discomix style, the vocals segueing into the dubs and/or DJ versions. But before cries of ‘short change’ arise it must be said that the quality is stone killer top notch, especially the opener which has the great Ken Boothe at his most soulful on ‘Peace Time’ reflecting on the short-lived treaty between Kingston’s warring politically-based street gangs. All the dubs have the imprint of King Tubby at his classiest, no fussy or tricksy effects, just relentless but funky dubbing. Lennox Miller’s lively take on Delroy Wilson’s standard ‘Better Must Come’ is followed by the obscure DJ Jah Coller plus the dub together weighing in at almost thirteen minutes. More hardcore Clappers’ sounds can be found on the ‘Black Slavery Days’ album retrieved by Honest Jons last year.

VARIOUS ARTISTS

STUDIO ONE ROOTS 2

SOUL JAZZ RECORDS 2LP/CD

A new Soul Jazz Studio One compilation always causes ripples amongst the reggae cognoscenti as the debate is joined on the opportunities missed. But it would take Jah Khomeini to baulk at this set which sinks the bit deeper into the vaults and drags some pure righteous stuff to the surface. For a starter Karl Bryan’s ‘2KStrut’ is a version to Burning Spear’s ‘Door Peep’, although the reason for its obscurity is explainable as the instrumental could be Kenny G. Adequate compensation comes in the form of Zoot (not the jazzbo) Sims’ ‘Small Garden’ a Rasta take on the steppin’ razor theme and the burro drums of Count Ossie on Zion All Stars’ chanted nyahbinghi style ‘Holy Mount Zion’. Willie Williams’ ‘Jah Righteous Plan’ will come as a shock to many of reggae’s casual acquaintances to find the singer recorded something in addition to ‘Armagideon Time’ and that Winston Matthews of the Wailing Souls had the guts not only to cover Jah Bob’s ‘Sun is Shining’ but to turn in such a stunningly spooky version, trading lines with a haunting melodica.