TG wrote: Hey, hey it's the weekend...
So here we go. This is, perhaps, the hardest Mix Club CD I've had to review. It's 20 tracks of mostly mid-tempo reggae. I like reggae just fine and own far more than Marley's Legend and the S/T to The Harder They Come. But I'd been listening to this in my car and to my (inexperienced?, cloth?) ears there was not much difference from one track to the next. So I did what any self respecting Mix Club participant would do and gathered up several ounces of high grade Chronic and rolled one of those newspaper sized joints that are still, I'm sure, all the rage in Jamaica and sat down to the keyboard. It's all starting to make more sense suddenly!
Harder than the last disc I sent you? Surely not. The last disc I sent you, in response to your suggestion that you’d like to explore reggae from me was current reggae tracks (not dancehall) but much of it was too autotuned for you. So this time I went old school and pre digital. Lighting up for it is fine.
TG wrote: 1) Sounds like a drum machine but is otherwise a very traditional old school vibe. Typical coming of age story line that takes a quick turn to praising God and begging for His mercy. Not my favorite sentiment but it's a nice understated backing track. An okay start.
No drum machines here but it’s likely Sly & Robbie and Sly Dunbar can probably keep better time than any drum machine. It’s The Mighty Diamonds with The Poor Man’s Prayer. Probably my favourite track from them though there’s lots to choose from. An LP track.
TG wrote: 2) I think this one includes samples so might be of somewhat more recent vintage than it sounds. More Jah love. And our first reference to Haile Selassie. And only track two. It's a pretty good song but lacks dynamics.
Norberth Clarke - Consider The Poor. He changed his name to Lehbamchuleh for reasons I can’t fathom but had little success with either identity. If you’re going 1970’s reggae you’re going to get lots of paeans to Jah & lamentations for the poor. It’s over 30 years old and no sampling as we think of them. Back then the music had a steady pace rather than the more dynamic sounds of the last 25 years or so.
TG wrote: 3) Nice Wah-Wah guitar part. And our first Marcus Garvey shout out. Nice to see things haven't changed too much in the old neighborhood. It's a comfort. This is a really good band and some real record production. The arrangement is near perfection. I like this a lot.
Johnny Clarke - Be Holy, My Brothers & Sisters. Clarke was one of the most popular artists of the day. Glad you like it. Nice feel to the track.
TG wrote: 4) The horn part is taken from some other song that I can't place. The first Trenchtown mention! Wait, the horn part is the opening line from Herb Alpert's Lonely Bull, I think. The singer spends far too much time repeating "tra la la la" and "sing my song" and I must need to relight that spleef because it's starting to bug me. I need to chill. Not crazy about this track.
Johnny Osbourne - Trenchtown School. A Studio One track. Stepping up a bit more from the last two tracks. Osbourne was another very successful artist in the day. I just love the way these songs just lope along. I can see how they go with the ganja.
TG wrote: 5) This has that perfect skank groove that, I'm realizing, is what I dig in reggae. Leave the edges a little jagged. Don't be smoothing everything out. I'm really digging this song and it's not just because of the reefer. This is good.
Dennis Brown - Wolves & Leopards. Dennis was bigger than Bob Marley in the 70’s in Jamaica. He had hundreds of hits but this was one of his most popular. Did Dylan ever write better lyrics? Or more succinct lyrics anyway? This is the whole somg. He was known as The Crown Prince of Reggae.
Come along yeah and dig my song
Too much wagonist
Too much antagonist
Wolves and Leopards
are trying to kill the sheep and the shepherds (2x)
Too much informers
Too much talebearers(2x)
Wolves and Leopards
are trying to kill the sheep and the shepherds(2x)
Too much watch and peep
Its time the wolves dem leave the sheep(2x)
Wolves and Leopards
are trying to kill the sheep and the shepherds (3x)
Track #2 is on the same riddim.
TG wrote: 6) Drum machines? Probably. I don't mind drum machines if they aren't simply turned on, adjusted for tempo and left alone. Do something with them, you know? Prince used a Linn drum machine for years but he knew how to program it so that it sounded more natural. Anyway, this song doesn't vary much from verse to chorus or beginning to end. It just sort of hovers there and I seem to have lost interest.
Gregory Isaacs with The Fugitive. Again I doubt that’s a drum machine. Gregory competed with Dennis as the leading artist back then. One of my favourites of his. I could, and do, listen to this stuff all day. The Philistines are at the gate. Sublime.
TG wrote: 7) I think the opening line - "Thank you Lord for what you've done for me..." - was just used in one of the other songs. It seems like the band members are going through their paces. There's not a lot of passion beyond that in the lyrics.
The Heptones - Thank You Lord. Another very popular act. A simple song Not passion. Weariness. They are resigned to the outcomes Jah delivers them and grateful for his mercies.
TG wrote: 8) Return of the skank guitar. This one is built like funk record. The instrumental interplay is amazing - all the little simplistic parts producing a whole that seems so much more than its parts. I would buy this song. More weed!!!
Don Carlos - Spread Out. It is funky. Carlos was in the original line-up of Black Uhuru but left and was replaced by Michael Rose. This here music are the cream of the crop. Is I
TG wrote: 9) A pleasant enough boy-girl duet. Simple and heart felt; the Paul & Paula of the genre, no doubt. It's a harmless bit of fun and I'll not hold that against it. Over five minutes and doesn't outstay its welcome.
Ijahman & Madge - I Do. A guilty pleasure. Heartfelt indeed. I love love love this. I’ve put this on repeat for hours sometimes.
TG wrote: 10) The joint went out but I found a chunk of black hash and a long forgotten hookah. Is it okay to smoke hash while listening to reggae? It's okay with me. This track is almost dub in its simplicity. I like this one so much that I quit typing and just got into it. Twice. A very funky record.
Ashanti Waugh – Slaveship. I heard this on the radio once & thanks to the internet tracked it down. There are so many great songs out there. The lashing of the whip on the slaveship. Down in Babylon.
TG wrote: 11) I know what Baroque pop is but Baroque reggae? Who knew? The opening flute sounds that likely are really a keyboard give this track just such a feel. There is a direct line from this record to Chicago Soul, in general and Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions, in particular. This song could be a hit in any genre.
Junior English - Never Lose Never Win. I found this as I put this set together. Baroque? Yeah it is. So many of these songs should have been hits, and still could be. Maybe?
TG wrote: 12) More Jah love. This guy loves Jah. He says the word Jah at least 25 times. Believe me when I tell you this guy loves Jah.
Michael Palmer - I Love Jah Jah. Simply delivered. He truly does love Jah alright. Michael Palmer has a great voice and did have songs more lyrically complex than this but I like the feel of this one.
TG wrote: 13) Firehouse Rock by the Wailing Souls. My girlfriend has this. A terrific record.
It is them. A wonderful song and your girlfriend has good taste.
TG wrote: 14) This record shows the relationship that exists between Jamaican music and New Orleans music. The Caribbean thang. I can get into this. A very understated and weird lead vocal. I'd buy this.
Wayne Jarrett - Chip In. An enormously popular riddim. The musical backing, by Sly & Robbie is deliciously simple & complex at the same time. I have dozens of tracks over this riddim.
TG wrote: 15) I'm pretty sure that every track so far has opened with a drum pattern before the rest of the band kicks in. This one was no different. Another dub like thing. This is one of the best tracks here. A relentless groove that just sucks you in.
Triston Palma - Run Around Woman. Back then EVERY track opened with the drum pattern. I mean without a single exception. The sax makes this song. It’s probably the most popular riddim ever. Palma has a special voice. The Riddim Guide lists 254 cuts on this riddim & it would be seriously short of including them all.
TG wrote: 16) This is another record that's okay but that suffers from a lack of dynamics. It starts and just keeps going without much nuance. Not for me.
Dennis Brown - The World Is Troubled. The Crown Prince is back. A perfect song.
“The world is troubled & living ain’t easy..the world is troubled you got to be believe it..cast away all evil spells..don’t pray out here or you’ll end down in hell.. you’ve got your troubles & I’ve got my mine..let’s work together to make things fine.. got to be sure of the things we do.. preserve our lives be pure & true.. the things we feel & see were meant to be it’s self fulfillment of prophecy.The world is troubled & living ain’t easy.. the world is troubled you got to be believe.. it”
Oh yeah now
For The World is Troubled, and Living Ain't Easy
The World is Troubled, you've got to believe me
For The World is Troubled, and Living Ain't Easy
The Whole World is In Trouble, You've got to believe me!
Cast Away All evil spells, don't play a heel you'll end down in hell
You've got your troubles and I've got mine, Let's work together to make things fine
We've got to be sure of all the things we do, preserve the life sweet pure and true
The things we feel and see were meant to be, is our fulfillment of prophecy
The World is Troubled, and Living Ain't Easy
I said the World is Troubled, you've got to believe me
Yes The World is Troubled, and Living Ain't Easy
The Whole World is In Trouble, You've got to believe me!
Solo
see
After all these things shall come to pass, the end shall not be near
After all these things shall come to pass, the end shall not be near
There shall be hijacking kidnapping all over the Earth
Famine, famine and War all over the World
Got to come together
For The World is Troubled, and Living Ain't Easy
The World is Troubled, you've got to believe me
For The World is Troubled, and Living Ain't Easy
I said the World is Troubled, You've got to believe me!
Oh mankind, look around and see
TG wrote: 17) I dig this very odd record. Our singer is apparently..."Just a rubadub soldier Fighting to keep the Rockers alive..." It's a dead simple electrobeat track that features military drums and sirens and a drum beat that consists entirely of the handclap setting on any drum machine. Over the top vocals are the icing on the cake.
Paul Blake & The Bloodfire Posse - Rub A Dub Soldier. Supposedly the first ever digital reggae song. I have a fantastic t-shirt with rub a dub soldier written on it. Revolutionary style.
TG wrote: 18) We're nearing the end and I figure I'd better retorch the blunt. The hook to this song goes "...She wouldn't listen to me..." And I think I know why she wouldn't. The guy is a bit annoying and repetitive. I think I'm taking her side in this little disagreement.
Little John - True Confession. There’s a half dozen takes on this with the same lyrics with the artist inserting their names being the principal different. My favourite take on it is by Puddy Roots where he breaks into Bye Bye Love partway through but I like this too.
TG wrote: 19) This one is alright but lacks anything that really sells it. A bit generic, I guess. It's nice enough and doesn't rankle but neither does it do much to distinguish itself.
The Terrors - Don’t Bother Me. Great lyrics. He grows his sensi & is baffled when he’s arrested by the Babylon. He’s just a herbalist farmer. It’s not like he’s robbing & killing! It is just a little collie. Wonderful riddim too. It’s the note of disbelief in his voice that gets me every time.
TG wrote: 20) Just as I was twisting up a second joint this final track - Sinsemilla Addict - came on. I started to rethink what I was doing but got so caught up in the song that I had it rolled before I knew what I was doing. I love this song. But the rest of my day is probably shot.
Horace Ferguson - Sensi Addict. Now this is digital reggae. I thought a fun way to end and clearly you smoking off reinforced the point.
TG wrote: So I had to get out of the car and into the groove to really appreciate this mix. There were several that I'd gladly purchase and only a few I just didn't like. Thanks for the listen and apologies for the tardiness.
Now I'm off to make my June mix so I can get it in the mail. By next weekend.
Glad it succeeded. A non reggae disc next time you’re drawn though.
1. The Mighty Diamonds The Poor Man’s Prayer 3.48 1982
2. Norberth Clarke aka Lehbamchuleh Consider The Poor 3.51 WOLVES &LEOPARDS RIDDIM
3. Johnny Clarke Be Holy, My Brothers & Sisters 3.40
4. Johnny Osbourne Trenchtown School 2.48 1980 FAR EAST RIDDIM
5. Dennis Brown Wolves & Leopards 2.50 1977 WOLVES &LEOPARDS RIDDIM
6. Gregory Isaacs The Fugitive 3.25 1980
7. The Heptones Thank You Lord 4.22
8. Don Carlos Spread Out 3.30 1983 GHETTO QUEEN RIDDIM
9. Ijahman & Madge I Do 5.05
10. Ashanti Waugh Slaveship 3.21
11. Junior English Never Lose Never Win 3.23
12. Michael Palmer I Love Jah Jah 3.04 1982 PICK UP THE PIECES RIDDIM
13. The Wailing Souls Firehouse Rock 4.12 1981 FIREHOUSE ROCK RIDDIM
14. Wayne Jarrett Chip In 3.34 1982 TAXI RIDDIM
15. Triston Palma Run Around Woman 3.56 1984 SHANK I SHECK RIDDIM
16. Dennis Brown The World Is Troubled 3.31 1981 WORLD RIDDIM
17. Paul Blake & The Bloodfire Posse Rub A Dub Soldier 2.59 1982 ANSWER/NEVER LET GO RIDDIM
18. Little John True Confession 3.20 1984 HEAVENLESS RIDDIM
19. The Terrors Don’t Bother Me 3.15 1978 FINGERPRINT/OVER ME RIDDIM
20. Horace Ferguson Sensi Addict 4.07 1986 SENSI ADDICT RIDDIM