Why You So Craven : Israel Vibration

This is the first strictly Israel Vibration album I've done at HB Reggae Blog. They were one of the first reggae groups I started listening to, along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, of course. I've seen this disc sometimes overlooked by bloggers and Vibes fans. This is actually the second Vibes disc I heard, right behind Unconquered People. The material is early eighties, but my CD copy is a 1991 release. This is the original Israel Vibration, but at a time of discontent among the group members. With nine tracks on this disc you get a nice tight set of roots from a classic vocal trio. Produced by Junjo and mixed/engineered by Scientist this is a very solid production with only the top professionals in the business involved. The Hi-Times Band offers a solid backdrop for Junjo to execute his crisp and clean roots rhythms. My favorite tracks on this one are: #3 (On Jah Solid Rock), #4 (Jah is the Way), and #6 (Highway Robbery). Finding a copy of this disc for under ten dollars would be a fair deal for the number of tracks you get. If you don't have any Israel Vibration in your collection yet, this would be a good one to start with.

Dub Fi Junjo : Roots Radics

This dub/instrumental album was released in 2000 on Tabou (France) and is a type of tribute album to the late Henry Junjo Lawes who was killed in England in 1999. He worked a ton with the Roots Radics in the seventies, helping transition the sound of the time from roots to the rub-a-dub of the eighties. When you listen to this CD you'll find yourself recognizing the instrumental tracks from your favorite artists such as Israel Vibration. The Dub on this CD is very clean, very good sound quality, and totally professional. My favorites on this disc are #2 (Leggo de Dub), #4 (Rocking Miss D), and #8 (Mash Dub). Daweh Congo has used versions very close to Leggo de Dub and Mash Dub for his tracks Herb Tree and Human Rights & Justice. Human Rights & Justice is one of my all time favorite discs and I've already done a post on it - check it out !!

Cry Freedom Dub : Prince Far-I

Solid, hard, bouncing dub at it's finest is what you'll get with this set from the Tamoki-Wambesi-Dove label. Usually when I see Prince Far-I on an album cover I look forward to his rough and grough voice and I love it. This disc however has vocals only on the first track and all the rest is non-stop dub. The album is backed by the Roots Radics and all material was recorded from 1980-1983. My favorites on this one are #1 (Free Jah Jah Children), #2 (Blood on the Corner of Orange Street), and #8 (Famine in Africa). Famine in Africa has some creative instrumental (what I think is keyboard) work and I've now added this track to my permanent playlist. Recorded mostly at Channel One and engineered by Scientist and Maxie. Adding instruments and taking them away, stripping away everything but the drum and bass, and then building it back up takes a great ear for dub music and this disc stands tall.

Bim Sherman meets Horace Andy and U-Black in a Rub-A-Dub Style

Three great names in reggae - this one's got to be good. The material on this disc was originally recorded between 1976 and 1980 and is now just recently available on CD. This is a definite treat for those of us who love that 70's roots and culture. Each track has an extended dub track or alternating dub version. Recorded at Channel One and King Tubby's with a typical list of reggae all-stars: Bingy, Horsemouth, Sly, Flabba, and others. My favorite tracks on this one are #1 (It Must be a Dream / Dreaming Dub) and #4 (Dread Pan Some / Dread Dub). Dread Pan Some starts out with a chant style and parlays the rhythm in to the "strait up" Dread Dub. This CD actually offers the last four tracks as extras not released on the original vinyl. If you're looking to buy this disc your best bet is Ernie B's. Sites like Amazon are only offering pre-orders for about twice the price of Ernie B's. See the link at the bottom of the page if you're interested.

Harry Mudie meets King Tubby in Dub Conference Vol. 1

This is the first in a series of three great dub collaborations by the master King Tubby and 70's dub influence Harry Mudie. This album features straight forward dub with classic techniques and the touch of studio instruments. Very little sound effects and manipulation are used on this one. This album was originally released in 1976, but my CD copy is from '94. My favorite tracks on this one are: #1(Full Dose of Dub), #4 (Dub with a Difference), and #8 (Heavy Duty Dub). All these dubs were developed in both England and Jamaica. Full Dose of Dub features a hard conga drum rhythm to give it pop. Dub with a Difference is a great partnership of strings and horns with classic reggae drum work. In Heavy Duty Dub, the name is deceiving. It's actually a really mellow track; I get kind of a smokey lounge vibe from it. The second and third volume of this series are equally impressive and worth checking out.

Messenger Man : Willi Williams

This is just an outstanding 17 track album by Willi Williams. Another Blood & Fire release, this one from 2005 and the material was originally released in 1980 on the Inland label and recorded in Kingston and Toronto. This more recent Blood & Fire version includes several versions, extended versions, and a couple of previously unreleased dub tracks. My favorite tracks on this one are: #3 (Give Jah Praise), #5 (Zion Town), and #14 (Zion Town Dub). I find a very powerful message in "Zion Town" and I keep it on my all-time favorites playlist. Of course with Blood & Fire comes a great booklet and this time the notes are written by Carter Van Pelt. He's a noted North American authority on Reggae and I was very pleased to see his contribution to this album. The booklet tells the story of Willi Williams and also of the story and meanings behind the Messenger Man album. Besides Armagideon Time, this is my favorite Willi Williams album.

Only Love Can Conquer : Prince Alla

This disc is another compilation style collection from the Blood & Fire label. This is a release from 1996 featuring Prince Alla from '76-'79. This is a nice "greatest hits" package with a comprehensive 14 page booklet witch is mostly an interview style biographical story of Prince Alla. With 14 tracks on this one, my favorites are: #3 (Only Love Can Conquer), #5 (They Never Love), #7 (Bucket Bottom), and #11 (Youthman in the Ghetto). Most tracks on this one were produced by Bertram Brown and/or Prince Alla and features a ton of talented musicians: Sly & Robbie, Tony Chin, Santa Davis, Fully Fullwood, and Chinna Smith. All classic roots music in the tradition of the '70's. This album is a great example of Blood & Fire at there finest, simply a great CD and booklet.

Aggrovators meet the Revolutionaries at Channel One

Bunny Striker Lee productions released this All-Star album back in 1977. This is clean and professional roots/dub/instrumental, just classic JA sounds. With 11 tracks total, all recorded at Channel One, this is a great album to have in your collection. All tracks were produced and arranged by Bunny Lee and the list of contributing artists is extensive: Bobby Ellis, Santa Davis, Sly & Robbie, Chinna Smith, Tony Chin, Ansell Collins,Jackie Mittoo, Tommy McCook, and many more. These guys are responsible for a huge stock of genuine 1970's dub instrumental and you'll here this material dubbed out by legends such as King Tubby. The first 5 tracks were set by the Revolutionaries and tracks 6-11 were laid down by the Aggrovators. All the songs on this album are a standard length of 2-4 minutes and all instrumental, no extended/dub tracks. My favorites on this one are: #3 (Bionic Man), #8 (Special Brew), and #9 (Super Larger). My copy of this CD is 1998 and the sound quality is great - very clean and clear. Check it out !!!

Augustus Pablo : Live in Tokyo Japan

Live !!! This is a rare recorded stage performance and a great treat for all Augustus Pablo aficionados. With 13 tracks total, this CD gives you a good idea of Pablo in concert. All tracks were recorded on stage with the Rockers All-Stars in Tokyo, Japan. The sound quality is excellent and you can hear Pablo announcing the song name before each track performed. My favorites on this one are: #1 (Ancient Harmonies), #5 (Rockers Rock), #7 (East of the River Nile), and #8 (Africa 1983). Rockers Rock is a great real rock version that you probably won't find to many places and Africa 1983 showcases Pablo's live instrumental talents while performing his classic Hugh Mundell backing rhythms. My copy of this disc was published in 1991 by Rockers International and is a UK release. Augustus Pablo passed away only eight years later in 1999. His talents were legendary and his influence will be missed in the world of reggae music. Check my other Pablo reviews for more track highlights and info on other CD's. If you have your own favorite Augustus Pablo material, let me know so I can check it as well. Long live Pablo !!!

Africans Unite : Sylvan White

You might not of heard about Sylvan White, but this compilation disc will make you remember him. It showcases his vocal work of the late 70's and early 80's with the sweet roots sound of The Soul Syndicate and The High Times Band. The mixing engineer is listed as King Tubby and the Producer Bertram Brown. This disc is a pleasant surprise with many extended mixes and alternate dub tracks. There are 13 tracks total, but my favorites on this one are #1 (Africans Unite), #3 (Mountain Top), and #4+#5 (Faith w/ Version). All tracks were recorded at Channel One and King Tubby's in Jamaica. There really isn't too much out on the market for Sylvan White CD's, but this one has great sound quality and a solid track list.

Bobby Bobylon : Freddie McGregor

Freddie McGregor shows his roots talents on this impressive CD with 10 tracks total. Original release looks like it was 1980. It was recorded at the Jamaica Recording Studio and produced by Clement "Coxsone" Dodd. My copy of this disc is advertised as a "Studio One Classic". My favorites on this one are: #3 (What Difference Does it Make) witch sends a great social message about relationship, and #10 (I am a Revolutionist) where Freddie touts his rebellious side with a rasta anthem of strength. Other notable tracks are: #1 (Bandulo), #6 (Bobby Bobylon), #7 ( Wine of Violence), and #8 (Gonna Take Over Now). Now there is an 18 track version available from Heartbeat, released in 2006. The eight bonus tracks include an alternate version of (I am a Revolutionist) and an extended version of (Bobby Bobylon). This is a solid roots classic from start to finish and is worth checking out.

Dub Me : Morwell Unlimited meet King Tubby's

This is a top notch instrumental and dub album showcasing the work of the industries best studio musicians. Back in the 1970's, Blacka Wellington and Bingy Bunny were known as the Morwells. They dropped slow deliberate rhythms and laid a foundation of dub for the years to come. Other musicians and engineers included in this posse of greats are: Flabba Holt, Chinna Smith, and Ansell Collins. The collaboration of all these professionals led to development of many other groups such as the Roots Radics and the Revolutionaries. They recorded almost everywhere: Channel One, Randy's, King Tubby's, and the Black Ark. This disc in a 1997 release from the Blood & Fire label. The booklet is very informative and includes many good pictures. My favorite tracks on this one are: #5 (John Bull), #10 (Jungle Shuffle), #12 (Morpheus Special), and #14 (Stepping in HQ). It's a solid track list from start to finish so check it if you dig the roots reggae instrumental or King Tubby style.

Original Rockers : Augustus Pablo

This is known as one of the definitive Augustus Pablo albums in his extensive catalog of work. The tunes on this one were mostly recorded from 1972 to 1975 and feature work with Clive Chin and King Tubby. It's original release was 1979, my copy of this disc is a 1991 Shanachie with 10 tracks total. My favorites on this one are #2 (Up Warrika Hill), #3 (Cassava Piece), and #4 (Tubby's Dub Song). This disc is a good mix of dub and instrumental tracks. This is definitely the Original Rockers and I can see how many Pablo CD's have been spin-offs from different labels and engineers, but the original is the best.

U-Roy & Cornell Campbell @ The Malibu Inn

June 29th was another outstanding night at the Malibu Inn in Malibu, CA. A local band from Huntington Beach, The Simpkin Project, started the evening off with solid roots rhythms including a Twinkle Brothers cover of "Faith Can Move Mountains/Never Get Burn" and a real rock version. They're having a CD release party on Fri. July 18th at Gallagher's in HB. I look forward to seeing them again down here in the OC. U-Roy was next on stage with his dapper suit and cap and instantly lifted the crowd in to an irie state-of-mind. He busted out a dozen or so songs including a couple of my favorites "Babylon Burning" and "Natty Rebel" blessing the room with a smokey vibe. The crowd was sad to see him go, but Cornell Campbell was next. He emerged from the back room in a brown leather suit and boots and proceeded to give us a hard set including the classics "The Gorgon", "Natty Dread in a Greenwich Farm", and "100 lbs. of Collie". These guys are the originals of this ya reggae culture and any chance you have to see dem a rock - take it.

Midnight Rock at Channel One : Barry Brown showcase with Jah Thomas & Scientist @ King Tubby's

This album is a definite treat for all Barry Brown aficionados. It features adaptations and dub versions of some classic Barry Brown material from 1979 to 1981. With 12 tracks total, my favorites on this one are: #1 (Movements of Jah), #2 (Movements in Dub), and #5 (Girlfriend). Jah Thomas chants an intro on "Girlfriend" and a couple of other tracks which makes this disc almost like a re-mix compilation. Scientist has put in work on the dub tracks that you'll find alternating with their vocal counterpart a la Barry Brown. This CD is from the Abraham label in Canada and lists Jah Thomas as the producer. This is a well put together set for the reggae fans seeking-out alternate versions of their favorite songs. Enjoy !!!

Ah Who Seh Go Deh? / Leggo! Ah-Fi-We-Dis : Dennis Bovell/4th Street Orchestra

This is an interesting set of 2 albums on one disc from Dennis Bovell. With 20 tracks total, the albums "Ah Who Seh Go Deh?" and "Leggo! Ah-Fi-We-Dis" are crammed together for our listening pleasure. This material was originally released across the pond in England back in 1976. Featuring the classic dub sounds of the 1970's, Dennis Bovell had put together a double set of dubplates and instrumental versions once used in the sound system scenes of England. You'll here the same rhythm a few times with the vocals taken away or some dub effects added, but the versions will be alternated throughout the track list, not back-to-back. My favorites on this one are #2 (Za-Ion) and it's dubbed-out counterpart #4 (Half-ay to Za-Ion), #9 (Rite Dem), and #16 (Ah-Fi-We-Dis) with a mean horns riff and bouncing bass line. My copy of this disc is a remaster from EMI records "The Front Line" series and was imported from the UK. This is a good solid roots, dub, and instrumental album for reggae aficionados that like multiple versions battling for the top spot on their hit list.

Dis A Yard Dub : Linval Thompson meets King Tubby

This album is classic King Tubby's sound. Clean and precise studio work with just a touch of vocal on each track. With 16 tracks total, the work on this one is mostly 1970's roots dub. Off of Abraham ( a Canadian label) it list King Tubby as the "mixing engineer" and Linval Thompson as the "producer". My favorites on this one are #2 (She's Got You), #4 ( Half as Much), #5 (What Ever Happened), and #16 (Heartaches). A pretty solid disc from start to finish and a good dub set to have in your book.

Reggae Sunsplash 2 - DVD -

This is a DVD "Video" from Columbia and features stage performances from: Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, and Third World. All of the concert footage was taken in 1979, Montego Bay, Jamaica. You're basically watching a VHS recorded on to a DVD. It's almost two hours long and the little interviews and street shots of everyday life in Jamaica keep the show moving. There are some great interviews explaining Rastafari and the Reggae movement of the time. The short interview with Burning Spear is great and his performance of "Call on You" is the musical highlight for me. There's also a nice scene of two ganjamen sitting pon the hillside of plants and talking of the situation of the people and the love of Ganja. Kind of old school, but a good DVD to watch with some of our favorite roots artists. My copy has some Japanese writing on it and the interviews have Japanese subtitles, but the credits for the production staff seem to be German names. All of the Interviews and narration are in English.

The Red Sea : Augustus Pablo

This is an interesting Augustus Pablo album featuring mostly early workings with Herman Chin Loy on the Aquarius label from 1970 - 1973. The Red Sea features that original rockers sound we all love from the early seventies. It has classics like "East of the River Nile" and "The Red Sea". My favorite tracks on this one are #2 (Iggy Iggy), with it's slow and easy melody, #5 (Song of the East), and #14 (Darker Shade of Red) which features a mean horn section that commands your attention. Most of the tracks were recorded at Randy's Kingston Jamaica and feature legendary instrumental talents like Santa Davis, Familyman Barrett, Bobby Ellis, and Tommy McCook. Many of the songs on this one have a deejay intro that runs well in to the track. A brief liner note write-up on the works of Pablo written by Paul Coote rounds out this album. My copy of this CD was released through the Black Solidarity label more recently. I'm a huge Augustus Pablo fan and I'm constantly searching for new tracks and lost versions. Let me know what your favorite songs and discs are ...........

Spear Burning : Burning Spear

This is a great disc with a nice, thick booklet that tells the story of Winston Rodney (aka Burning Spear). I consider this CD kind of a "best of ...." disc from the seventies with crucial tracks like Travelling w/ Version (#1+2). Most tracks are followed by a version or rare 12" mix, witch makes this set strong and to the point. Burning Spear is one of the heaviest roots pioneers of the seventies and you can feel it in tracks like The Prophet (#15) and title track Spear Burning (#9) followed by it's potent "Jomo" version. My copy of this disc is from Pressure Sounds in 2000. The only time I've seen Burning Spear in concert was at the OC Fairgrounds in 2005 with Yellowman and Third World. It was a fantastic show, but The Spear was the strongest performance of the night and a pleasure to behold on stage. I look forward to seeing him again.

The Best of PABLO GAD

If you've never heard of Pablo Gad you should pick up this album and give yourself a nice surprise. Pablo Gad is an underground reggae great that started recording in England, late in the 1970's. Being talented as both singer and deejay, he's got a captivating vocal style and it seems his heart can be felt through his words. This album is simply called "The Best of Pablo Gad" and was released in 1993 from the Reggae on Top label. It has 10 tracks total. Four are "disco-mixes" or extended versions and three tracks are directly followed by the dub version. My favorites tracks on this one are #1 (Blood Sucker-extended version), #2 ( Oh Jah), #5+6 (Hard Times + Dub Version), and finally #9 (Beggar Man Child) which has a haunting, plodding beat and a great muted horn section in the background. Pablo Gad only dropped a handful of material for us, but check it out and take it all in.

Jah Shaka meets Mad Professor at Ariwa Sounds

Another dub selection that just stands out out from the rest. This is an original dub collaboration from 1984. Ten tracks with Mad Professor taking #1-5 and Jah Shaka claiming #6-10. Really you have to listen to this album as a whole to truly appreciate the intentions of these two studio masters. Tracks #3 (Claps Like Thunder) & #4 (People of Yoruba) offer a good example of what this album is about. A little steel drum gives this album a caribbean taste with the Ariwa flair. Jah Shaka is known for pairing up with other artists such as Aswad and the Twinkle Brothers for our dubbing pleasure, but check out this YouTube video link of Mad Professor and Jah Shaka interviewing about dub music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab4EvispFhs It's only five minutes long and worth a look.

Black Cat Dub : Gato Negro

I've had this on cassette for the longest time and finally added the CD to my permanent collection. Gato Negro (Emmanuel Okoronta) released this twelve track set back in 1991 off the ROIR label. It's the first Gato Negro release and I consider it the best. He's got a unique perspective on the dub style and mixes in bits of melodica with his clean bass and fantastic affects. My favorite tracks on this one are #4 (Mask), #7 (Lamentations of a Caged Bird), and #9 (Reggae for Lumumba). You really need to listen to the disc straight through to fully appreciate the Gato's effort. Great driving music.

King Jammy presents Barry Brown

This is a great album with a nice compact track list. It's only 9 songs long. The first five tracks are all extended dub mixes and the other four songs alternate between vocal and dub tracks. My favorites on this one are #1 (Best Things in Life) , #3 (School Days), and #8 & #9 (Don't Let No One Fool You & DUB) but really the entire disc is solid. This is some Heavy-Heavy roots and the extended dub mixes are long, enduring, rolling rhythms that offer outstanding horn and keyboard. King Jammy does the mixing and production on this one with his usual tight and clean sound. It's off of the Black Arrow label, originally released in 1980. Black Arrow also has some great Hugh Mundell material released in 19890 called Jah Fire. Barry Brown has a good amount of work out there but this is a good place to start. Other popular discs are : Far East, Midnight Rock at Channel One, and Step it Up Youthman.

Don Carlos @ The Malibu Inn

I finally got to see Don Carlos again. The show was at The Malibu Inn, a salty older tavern style venue in Malibu, CA. The show had a seven pm starting time but Don Carlos didn't come on until about eleven pm. The Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad played a great set and left me wondering why I'd never heard of them before. They're from Rochester, NY and seem to be touring all the time. I hope I get a chance to see them again some time. Another group surprised me called The Blaze Mob. They played a quick set that really got the attention of the crowd. By this point in the night everyone was ready to get down and definitely ready for Don Carlos. Reggae great Wadi Gad was there on drums and blasted out a couple songs of his own before Don Carlos took the stage. Oh, did I forget to mention that The Scientist was at the controls the whole night !!! I love seeing Don Carlos, he's got such a great stage presence with his great big smile. He listens and talks to the crowd and keeps the positive vibe wafting through the bar. My overall experience for the night was outstanding. A good venue, a couple of new bands to experience, and of course the one and only Don Carlos.

Dreader Dread : Johnny Clarke

This CD was a Blood & Fire release from 1998 and to me this is the best representation of Johnny Clarke's work through the 1970's. It's a compilation of songs from 1976-1978 and filled with the conscious roots message of the 70's. My favorite tracks on this disc are: "Every Knee Shall Bow", "Age is Growing", " and "Play Fool Fe Get Wise". You can also find dub tracks and King Tubby mixes of the work on this disc, but with the extended tracks included, this CD is the best bang for your buck. A few covers are also included on this disc. A stripped down version of "Time Will Tell" and "Top Ranking" which is a cover of Peter Tosh's "I'm the Toughest" show how Johnny can put his talents to the work of his friends. This disc is in my Top 20 for sure and it belongs in your collection.

Horace Andy Meets Naggo Morris/Wayne Jarrett -- Mini Showcase

This disc is great. When I first got it I couldn't take it out of my car CD player for at least two months. It's actually a compilation of "samplers" that emerged from the lair of Lloyd Bullwackie Barnes. the New York based Wackies label has a lot of solid beats and rythms being laid down and this is the proof. Tracks #1-8 are Wayne Jarrett and was originally the "Wayne Jarrett mini Showcase". Tracks #9-12 are Horace Andy and I'm not sure of you can find it on anyother discs. Tracks #13-16 are Naggo Morris and really a real treat from an artist that doesn't seem to have a lot of material out there. All of the tracks on this disc were originally released in 1983 and the Horace Andy and Naggo Morris was originally released as "Horace Andy meets Naggo Morris". I promise you if you buy this disc you will not be disappointed. It's just some of the great work that emerged from the Wackies label in the early 80's and a great chance to get some rare Horace Andy.

Human Rights & Justice : Daweh Congo

If you've never heard of Daweh Congo, he's quite the unique artist. If I had to compare him to someone it would be the deep grumblings of Prince Far-I or the resonant chants of Burning Spear. He's the son of reggae artist Leo Graham, but started releasing his own material in the late 90's. Human Rights & Justice is a 2000 release off of the Roots & Culture label, and for me the highlight of Daweh's collection. I had the pleasure of seeing him perform live around the same time as the release of this disc and he was outstanding - staying true to his sound. My favorite tracks on this one are #1 (Human Rights & Justice), #2 (Jah is my Shepard), and #7 (Herb Tree) . Herb Tree is actually the Zungguzungguguzungguzeng rhythm and you'll recognize the work of Flabba Holt and others on tracks using vintage Roots Radics rhythms from the early 80's. Daweh recorded this one at Leggo's Studio in Kingston. This disc is actually pretty hard to find and I'm still using a burned copy I got from a friend back in 2000. Good luck in your search. If anyone finds it for sale, please leave a comment on the blog - I'd appreciate the lead !!!

International Herb : Culture

I consider this the classic example of Culture. International Herb was first released in 1979, my copy is the '91 CD issued by Shanachie. A super solid ten track disc that I've had since about '97, my favorite tracks are #1 (International Herb) and #6 (Too Long in Slavery). The reality is the whole disc is excellent. It carries that great "early 80's" roots sound that began to flourish around the time of it's original release. A remastered version has since been released in 2001, but I'm still rattling around my old scuffed up copy that seems to play forever. This group and this album helped define the "roots" sound we love so much. The harmony work is sweet and inspired. If you like the Itals "Brutal Out Deh" or Burning Spear classics such as Garvey then you'll be pleased with the work put in on this disc.

Englishman : Barrington Levy

This is simply one of best albums in my collection. A very rootsy & classic album from Barrington Levy in his younger years. I think it's from 1979-1980 off of the Greensleeves label. This one is solid from start to finish, but a couple tracks stand out for shure: #6 (Look Youthman), #8 (Blackheartman), and #9 (Money Makes Friends). Of course the last four tracks are killer extended mixes of (Sister Carol) and (Englishman), but you have to make shure you get the recent re-issued disc. Mr. Levy displays some outstanding vocal range and these great fluctuating notes that fit into the music as naturally as another instrument. Englishman is a Junjo Lawes production with classics studio musicians like Flabba, Santa, and Chinna. When you see the talent that layed these tracks you'll put it in your top ten as well. The question is how close to the top it will be.

This is Augustus Pablo - Rebel, Rock, Reggae : Augustus Pablo

Another Pablo disc worth checking out. This is said to be Pablo's first album. My CD is a Heartbeat release from 1988. When listening to a Pablo set I usually get blindsided by a track or two, but I found five solid tracks on this one: #4 (Arabian Rock), #7 (Skateland Rock), #8 (Dread Eye), #10 (Assignment #1), #12 (Lover's Mood). I find it a little harder to run across an Augustus Pablo disc that represents his solid rootsy sound from start to finish. Also many discs have some of the same songs or similar versions which make it even harder to sift through all the Pablo out there in the marketplace. With so much producing and contributing to other artists' success, pure Augustus Pablo is a great thing when you can find it. Check your set lists carefully so you don't buy a disc that you have half of already on another album.

King Tubby's Hidden Treasure : King Tubby

This is some of my favorite King Tubby, second only to "Dub Like Dirt" on my list. My copy is a Trojan release from 2002. Collaborators with Tubby on this one include Dean Fraser, the Roots Radics, Bingy Bunny, Flabba Holt, and Jah Thomas. The dub on this album seems to lumber along with plenty of heavy bass and isn't just dub tracks of the same old rythms. Highlights are tracks # : 2, 3, 4, 5, and 9. A couple of tracks have a techno-dub feel, but for the most part this is a collection of genuine dub tracks from one of the masters. Each track is layered with the thickest bass and strict rythm that makes this one perfect for the drive to Vegas or destinations unknown.