Police & Thieves : Junior Murvin

Most of us know about this classic already, but I would like to do a quick review anyway. My copy of this CD is from 1991 off of the Island label. This is the older copy with 10 tracks. Island has since released a remastered disc in 2003 with 15 tracks total. My favorites on this one are #2 (Police & Thieves) and #3 (Solomon). I haven't had a chance to hear the five extra remastered tracks, but if the quality is the same as the original Lee Perry production, then it should be stand up work. The material on the 10 tack disc was originally released back in 1977 ; produced by Lee Perry and backed by the legendary Upsetters. The title track can be found all over the reggae scene, appearing on numerous compilations - it appears on the Rockers Soundtrack (reviewed 1/17/09) for instance. Police & Thieves has left a long legacy of different versions and rare verses by Junior Murvin and other artists as well and should be noted as a tremendous contribution to all reggae music.

Curly Locks : Junior Byles

This is basically a greatest hits album for Junior Byles with 20 or 22 tracks, depending on which copy of the disc you have. Originally released back in 1997 on the Heartbeat label. It's filled with extended mixes and alternate takes showcasing other stars such as Dennis Alcapone. There are actually 3 curly locks versions right in the middle of the album. A lot of Lee Perry production with the Upsetters. Most of the tracks on this one are classics but my favorites are: #4 (Lick the Pipe Peter) and #15 (Got the Tip). The material was recorded from 1970 - 1976 with the Upsetters. Lick the Pipe Peter is a "Fever" version featuring Errol Thompson and Jah-T that left a solid impression. Got the Tip is about a horse racing tip and a man down on his luck. #18 (Cutting Razor) is also a notable track - it's a "Stepping Razor" version backed by the Versatiles. All and all this is a very good disc and could find a home in your collection quite easily.

Wackies Tribesman Assault Dub

Another set of Wackies classic dub sound. 10 tracks on this one, but every track is a winner. Maybe eight of the tracks have a severe smokey vibe to them and the other two a little more up-beat and bouncy. Drum, bass, and guitar are mostly featured, but that's all we need sometimes. My favorites on this one are #3 (Tribal Rock) and #4 (Dread Feeling). Really, the whole album is nice to listen to straight through. Nothing too aggressive on the album, which makes it really nice to chill to, but still very satisfying. The CD was released in 2003 and the original LP album was released back in 1977. Like most Wackies dub material, this one belongs in your collection. If you like this disc then you should check out the Wackies Sampler series, Creation Dub, and the Wayne Jarrett/Horace Andy Showcase.

Too Much Iron in the Fire : Blackbeard & Friends

This 2 disc set is a compilation that represents the work of Roy "Blackbeard" Sinclair. Each disc has 20 tracks, but most of what you will hear are 3 maybe 4 versions in a row of the same rhythm. It seems Blackbeard borrowed many of these familiar beats we're used to, but that seems to be a more common practice with the increasing number of dj's, engineers, and producers on the reggae scene. There are a ton of artists that have contributed to this release including : Barry Brown, Johnny Clarke, Horace Andy, Trinity, Jacob Miller, Wayne Jarrett, and Ronnie Davis. So, when listening to this set straight through, you'll hear a couple of versions by some of the masters listed above - and then maybe a dub version by the Blackbeard All-Stars. My favorites on disc 1 are: #2 (Pass up the Chalice - Barry Brown), #7 (False Rasta - Jacob Miller), and #14 (Cayamanas Park Dub). This last one is a Blackbeard dub track of Black Uhuru/Ranking Joe's "Rent Man". My favorites on disc 2 are: #8 (Eyes on Africa - the Mighty Diamonds) and #11 (Mount Zion - Wayne Jarrett). This is a Trojan release from 2004 and the material was originally recorded 1974-1984.

Talking Revolution : Peter Tosh

This is a 2005 2 disc release from Pressure Sounds. Disc 1 has 8 tracks of live concert material from the One Love Peace Concert. Disc 2 is an acoustic set of 11 songs recorded at US radio stations while touring North America. Most people will tell you Disc 2 is far superior but I feal it the other way around. Tracks #2 (Four Hundred Years) and #3 (Stepping Razor) on the Live CD are my personal favorites for this 2 disc release. If Tosh is one of your favorites then no doubt you'll dig this high quality booklet and rare set lists. Really, most of the Peter Tosh I listen to are on the "Legalize It" and "Equal Rights" albums. A few of my favorite singles are "Wanted Dread and Alive" and "Reggae Mylitis". The deep and powerful messages of his earlier work with the Wailers is another great taste of his brilliance and wisdom. The album "Burnin" or the single "You can't Blame the Youth" are two good examples. "Talking Revolution" is a good deal to find used for about $12 or less on CD. For me Peter Tosh usually isn't something I have in regular rotation, but instead it's music I find myself craving for the specific messages and the energy it gives out.

Columbia Colly : Jah Lion

This is a Lee Perry production originally released on LP in 1976 and later released by both Island and Mango on CD. It was recorded at the Perry's Black Ark in Kingston, JA. This is an interesting album because Jah Lion is also known as Jah Lloyd (Pat Francis). Most of his work was done under the name Jah Lloyd including one of my favorite albums "A Double Helping of Jah Lloyd and King Tubby". All of Jah Lion/Lloyd's work is solid roots dub and dj material weather it's with Perry or Tubby. There's eleven tracks total on this disc and my favorites are #1 (Wisdom), #5 (Columbia Colly), and #7 (Bad Luck Natty). There's also a Satta Version and Police and Thieves Version (Soldier and Police War) that round out this disc nicely. His smokey voice textures and chilled mellow delivery make Jah Lion and Columbia Colly a great disc to have on while just relaxing in the afternoon. There's a lot of classic rhythms are on this album and Jah Lion matches his vocals to each with great success.

Larry Marshall in Dub / World in Dub

I've been shopping for some new reggae recently and went straight to my favorite on-line store, Ernie B's. They have the best selection of reggae I've ever seen. The layout and navigation of the website is super easy to use. They have sound samples on selected albums and offer many details including: brief reviews, contributing artists, recording locations, and more. My last purchase included Larry Marshall/King Tubby's I Admire You in Dub and Ranking Joe - World in Dub. I found them both in the "Blowout" list of sale items for about a dollar fifty each. That's right, they're that cheap !!! These are good albums too. I Admire You in Dub is 14 tracks of totally solid roots dub Tubby style. My favorites are #12(You Lie Version) and #13(Heavy Heavy Load) which is an extended version. This CD is a release off of the Motion label. I like most of Ranking Joe's material so I figured I would try World of Dub and I was pleasantly surprised by the 12 fresh dub tracks composed with the Twilight Circus Sound System. This disc has a more modern sound, at times similar to Some of Jah Shaka and Mad Professor's work at Ariwa. My favorites on this one are #1 (World in Dub) and #6 (Seek Ya Dub). These two discs are just a peek of what's at Ernie B's so check it out some time.

Creation Dub : The Bullwackies All-Stars

This is a solid dub set from the powerhouse dub label Wackies (Lloyd Barnes). The label started out as a record shop and soon became a popular studio stop for such legends as Horace Andy and Wayne Jarrett. The presence of Wackies made a huge impact on the American reggae scene and continues this heavy role by releasing their classics on CD (Natures Dub, Tribesman Assault, Jamaican Super Dub, etc.). Creation Dub was released on LP in 1977 and 1983 and then released on CD in 2003. There are ten tracks of clean and "old school" dub on this one and it's almost like it should be played on huge heavy wood speakers to give the sound some weight. There are four standouts on this disc for me: #1 (Asmara), #3 (Next to Jah), #8 (Tell it to them Roots Dread), and #9 (East Africa Dub). Tell it to them Roots Dread had a little vocal in it, but the others are straight up roots dub. East Africa dub is a bounding and upbeat track with some nice guitar and very clean drumming. The quality of Wackies dub makes it a great label to build your collection with and also a great example of classic roots dub. Very nice.

Zim Zim : Billy Boyo

You might not have ever heard of Billy Boyo, but this dj was heavy on the dancehall scene when he was just a teenager back in the early eighties. Zim Zim is his most popular compilation studio work and the material was recorded in 1983. My CD copy of this album was released by the Silver Kamel label out of London in 2002. There are 12 tracks total on this disc. Six straight-up dj vocal tracks alternating with their dub track counterparts inna showcase style. My favorite tracks on this one are: #1 (Jamaica Nice), #2 (Dub Freeze), #6 (Dread Skank), and #12 (BB's Posse). The sound quality on the 2002 cd release is very clean and sounds excellent with the dub tracks cranked up. Billy Boyo was not as famous as some of his contemporaries like Little John, Ranking Trevor, and Dillinger but his youthful voice and flow are true and his message is clearly heard.

Pablo & Friends : Augustus Pablo

Here's a peak at another Augustus Pablo disc. Pablo & Friends is a kind of greatest hits CD with 18 tracks total. You get to hear the original track by such artists as: U Roy, I Roy, Derrick Morgan, John Holt, and Prince Jammy. That's followed by the Pablo instrumental version. Showcase style a la Pablo. This album set-up allows you to experience the pure Pablo and gain insight into how he's contributed to the evolution of reggae music. His instrumental interpretations of these reggae classics are good to have in your collection. My favorite tracks on this one are: #5 (It Dread Inna Earth), #6 (Pablo's Majestic Mood), #8 (A Tuff Dub), #15 (Cow Town Skank), and #16 (Pablo in Cow Town). When you listen to the disc as a whole, it's really like listening to 9 extended tracks - nice to leave on around the house. My copy of this disc is RAS '92, but there might be other releases out there. With all the popular reggae artists on this one, I would almost consider this a various artists CD.

Rockers Soundtrack : Various Artists

If you've never seen the movie Rockers you're missing the best Reggae film ever made. It's a Jamaican Robin Hood with every scene packed full of short performances by all of our favorite Reggae stars of the seventies. It's a brief look inside the daily life of Jamaican musicians, thick with Jamaican patois and messages of unity and brotherhood. But enough about the film, I would like to give a brief review of the soundtrack. This soundtrack is one of the better compilations you can buy for seventies reggae. This is a great selection of roots from such legends as: Bunny Wailer, Burning Spear, Gregory Isaacs, the Heptones, Jacob Miller, the Maytones, and more. This disc has 14 tracks total and my favorites on this one are : #2 (Money Worries), #7 (Fade Away), and #8 (Rockers). The movie was released in 1979, but the material on the soundtrack could be from about'76-'79. Chris Blackwell was the main man behind this project and you can find this soundtrack released by both the Island and Mango labels. Just a quick note ; the DVD copy of this movie has extra soundtrack songs and versions in the bonus materials/extras section of the menu. If you haven't experienced Rockers yet, I would urge you to watch the movie first and then check down the CD soundtrack as a supplement to the vibe of this fun and energetic movie.

Plantation : Don Carlos

Once again it's the sweet youthful vocals of Don Carlos. My copy of Plantation is a Tamoki Wambesi CD released in 2001. I've actually seen a couple different versions of this album. My copy is a total of 16 tracks and includes alternating versions of each song. There is also a release with 10 tracks, but with out the alternating versions. I'm not too familiar with the 10 track album and I'm sorry I can't do a head to head comparison. I'm usually a big fan of "showcase" style, when the tracks are followed by their dub or dj counterpart, but on this CD it just didn't feel right. I found myself listening to the dub versions and thinking that they were more instrumental versions than dub. They came out a little dry and stripped down with very little sound effects and not heavy enough to support the original vocal versions. My favorite track on this one is #3 (Plantation). All the vocal tracks are good and true Don Carlos style, but the dubs fell a little short of expectations.