While both those are quite good albums, I tend to prefer reggae with vocals.
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 18:39 (fifteen years ago) link
Yes, I was trying to avoid posting dub albums
― Vicious Cop Kills Gentle Fool (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 18:40 (fifteen years ago) link
Wayne Smith - Youthman Skanking
― elan, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 18:44 (fifteen years ago) link
Hugh Mundell - Africa Must Be Free by 1983, Jacob Miller - Who Say Jah No Dread, Keith Hudson - Playing It Cool & Flesh of My Blood,Barrington Levy - Englishman, Bounty Hunter, Shaolin TempleHorace Andy - Dance Hall StyleLacksley Castell - Morning GloryHugh Mundell/Lacksley Castell - Jah FireLinval Thompson - Rocking Vibration
Those are all albums i love from start to finish. Classics in my world.
― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 18:53 (fifteen years ago) link
i like heart of the congos, war ina babylon, two sevens clash, and black uhuru's showcase
― 69, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 18:58 (fifteen years ago) link
Flesh Of My Blood is one of those records that the reputation of kind of overstated it's greatness. It's a good record, but it's not the best Hudson record by a long shot and aside from his poor vocals it's no where near as oddball as people make it sound.
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 19:03 (fifteen years ago) link
i love Hudson's vocals though. I agree the reputation was offputting. When it was first repressed I passed on it but have grown to love it in the last year.
― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 19:05 (fifteen years ago) link
I very nearly put Entering the Dragon and Class & Subject in my list too. :)
― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 19:06 (fifteen years ago) link
Maybe I should have said unusual rather than poor. They are def. an acquired taste. I tend to think they work better on the dub records (Brand, Nuh Skin Up) then on the originals.
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 19:09 (fifteen years ago) link
Keith Hudson's vocals are the reggae equivalent to Vini Reilly or Shaun Ryder for me. It's usually something i wouldn't enjoy but the feel of the music and the honesty in the vocals really hit with me.
― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 19:23 (fifteen years ago) link
Anyway that's a good list. Mine would probably look like this (picking actual albums or collection released at the time and focusing mostly on the seventies):
Barrington Levy Shaolin TempleBig Youth Screaming TargetBurning Spear Social LivingDennis Brown Wolves & LeopardsDr. Alimantado Best Dressed Chicken In TownGregory Isaacs Extra-ClassicJohnny Osbourne Truths And Rights Mighty Diamonds Right TimeThe Congos Heart of the CongosThe Gladiators Trenchtown Mix Up
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 19:45 (fifteen years ago) link
just put on Trenchtown Mix Up after reading your list. that is a great album. i haven't listened to it nearly enough.
― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 20:37 (fifteen years ago) link
Big Youth Screaming Target
oh yeah good one!
― 69, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 20:39 (fifteen years ago) link
This thread is reminding me I need to get more Barrington Levy. haha I think what initially made me averse to him was, before I even heard his singing, seeing a photo of him wearing a Dr Seuss hat. Trenchtown Mix-Up would be in my revised Top 5. Albert Griffiths doesn't have as good of a voice technically as some others, but he's still such a great singer. Ctrl+F "Justin Hinds"=text not found :(((
― hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 21:53 (fifteen years ago) link
I had a Barrington Levy Best Of for a while and only liked a few tracks for some reason. His output from 79-82 or so with Junjo/Roots Radics/Scientist is all strong. I'm glad i took the time to go back and investigate full albums instead of writing him off on a weak Best Of collection.
― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 21:58 (fifteen years ago) link
Top 5 not mentioned yet1. Twinkie Bros - Countrymen2. Justin Hinds - Travel With Love3. Bim Sherman - Tribulation (comp, so cheating here a bit)4. The Royals - Pick Up the Pieces5. Israel Vibration - The Same Song
― hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:00 (fifteen years ago) link
Bim Sherman's totally cheating!
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:07 (fifteen years ago) link
I love Pick Up The Pieces, but 1) as harmony groups go, they pale a touch compared to others on my list and b) I think the dub version to their best record is better than the vocal set (wholeheartedly recommend the awesome Pressure Sounds set with this as the centerpiece.)
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:09 (fifteen years ago) link
This has been on my want list so so so long. :(
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:11 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.roots-archives.com/release/2134
― eman, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:14 (fifteen years ago) link
Lots of great stuff not appearing here. No Sugar Minott. No Freddie McGregor. No Abyssinians. 1 Heptones and I-Roy mention.
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:15 (fifteen years ago) link
Possibly controversial opinion: Cables >>> Carlton & the Shoes.
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:16 (fifteen years ago) link
Been on mine forever, too, Alex.See, that Royals dub set ("Dub Pieces", right) is okay, but everytime I hear a track from it I just want to hear the original. You're right, as a harmony group, there's many who are better. But I've always heard it more as a Roy Cousin's album. I usually skip the tracks where he doesn't sing lead.
― hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:25 (fifteen years ago) link
"See, that Royals dub set ("Dub Pieces", right) is okay, but everytime I hear a track from it I just want to hear the original."
Really? But the dubs are so great! Also great Prince Far I and I-Roy bits on the CD, but I guess that shouldn't count since I guess they aren't on the original dub album.
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:30 (fifteen years ago) link
https://ssl.kundenserver.de/enter-the-dragon.com/images/bobby%20bobylon.jpg
― eman, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:33 (fifteen years ago) link
I love how I am now making this argument after giving dudes a hard time for picking vocal-less dub album just a second ago. That said there are quite a few vocals on these dubs.
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:33 (fifteen years ago) link
xp I know! How does that record not get one mention!?!?
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:34 (fifteen years ago) link
i saw a reissue of his the other day, i think on vp?
― eman, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:38 (fifteen years ago) link
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51kjI35ixCL._SS500_.jpg
― eman, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:40 (fifteen years ago) link
Sugar Minott - Ghetto-ology and the Wackies Dancehall Showcase 1/2 would be my favs but Sufferers Choice has Uptown Ghetto which I love.
― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:55 (fifteen years ago) link
Mr McGregor is a different record than Bobby Bobylon, isn't it? The latter is on Studio One, Heartbeat did a deluxe-y version a year or two ago.
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 23:13 (fifteen years ago) link
my favourite reggae album isnt really an album though, its the first vol (though vol 2 would do fine too) of the hearbeat studio one comp.
― p-noid (titchyschneiderMk2), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 23:47 (fifteen years ago) link
Top ten comps off the top of my head:
Rebel MusicBest of Studio OneMore PressureOpen The GateBuild The ArkThat Wailers Six CD Upsetters Box SetVP Channel One Story 1 & 2Recent Joe Gibbs 2 CD thing on VP seems pretty completeYabby U Jesus DreadSufferation
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 00:06 (fifteen years ago) link
Actually I guess you could replace Sufferation with virtually any Niney comp. Rock On and Observer Station and Truth & Rights style are all excellent. He might be the most underrated roots producer (unlike like say Glen Brown who is so underrated, he's now kind of overrated.)
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 03:35 (fifteen years ago) link
mr. mcgregor is a different album. just noting its reissue is all. also there's a new niney comp. and man do i want it
http://images.juno.co.uk/full/CS337910-01B-BIG.jpg
― eman, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 03:45 (fifteen years ago) link
Have not seen anyone mention
Trinity - Shantytown Determination
― autosocratic asphyxiation (Hurting 2), Wednesday, 4 February 2009 04:13 (fifteen years ago) link
Yeah I saw that. I guess that replaces the 3 Heartbeat CDs I've got heh.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 04:43 (fifteen years ago) link
Wish they'd re-release this Nighthawk comp, which I had on vinyl. It contains the awesome "Walk the Chalk Line" by the Wailing Souls, which I can't find anywhere else.http://www.strictly-vibes.com/covers/V/VA_knottyVisions.jpg
― Jazzbo, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:59 (fifteen years ago) link
funny that Niney comes up now. i had a friend over last night and was burning some music for him and he specifically asked for more of Niney. I gave him the Blood and Fire comp a while back that he listened to endlessly so i hooked him up with 3 more Niney comps. Rock On, Observer Station and Microphone Attack
― brotherlovesdub, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 16:30 (fifteen years ago) link
I've been looking for Knotty Visions on mp3 for a whilte. I assume the license for the tracks reverted which is why Nighthawk hasn't done a CD version.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 16:45 (fifteen years ago) link
youre talking about the blood and fire comp on trojan right?
― p-noid (titchyschneiderMk2), Wednesday, 4 February 2009 17:04 (fifteen years ago) link
yeah, 2CD set on Trojan: http://roots-archives.com/release/4112
― brotherlovesdub, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 17:23 (fifteen years ago) link
Jacob Miller - Who Say Jah No Dread
Excellent!
― Vicious Cop Kills Gentle Fool (Tom D.), Thursday, 5 February 2009 10:13 (fifteen years ago) link
I love Who Say Jah No Dread but i'm having a harder time getting into his other solo albums.
― brotherlovesdub, Thursday, 5 February 2009 18:33 (fifteen years ago) link
Miller's kind of hit or miss. There's probably a comp out there that gathers most of his best stuff.
― Alex in SF, Thursday, 5 February 2009 18:35 (fifteen years ago) link
i think i remember 'tenement yard' being pretty good. 'who say jah no dread' is pretty much a compilation, not really a proper album anyway, but it's great start to finish
― eman, Thursday, 5 February 2009 18:39 (fifteen years ago) link
I thought Who Say was released originally in the 70s, but I guess not. Anyway I was thinking more of his non-Pablo productions.
― Alex in SF, Thursday, 5 February 2009 18:45 (fifteen years ago) link
I've tried the King Tubby In A Tenement Yard thing, Killer Miller, Killer Rides Again and I'm Just A Dread. I guess it's the Pablo production that i really love.
― brotherlovesdub, Thursday, 5 February 2009 18:50 (fifteen years ago) link
Hmmn you might try Wanted.
― Alex in SF, Thursday, 5 February 2009 18:53 (fifteen years ago) link
Or you might just want to give up hah.
― Alex in SF, Thursday, 5 February 2009 18:54 (fifteen years ago) link