Not really an albums genre. Johnny Clarke's "Rockers Time Now" is a good album.
― Tom D., Thursday, 31 January 2008 15:15 (sixteen years ago) link
"Not really an albums genre"
right, although i do like dub albums more than reggae albums. i wanna get a lot of the virgin front line albums but am wondering how good they will be now. but its hard to get all the singles and hits from each year as albums are easier to get than singles.
― mr x, Thursday, 31 January 2008 15:25 (sixteen years ago) link
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t254/DJ-Dub_Roots/5009.jpg
― am0n, Sunday, 16 March 2008 04:19 (sixteen years ago) link
http://www.elrockers.org/2/discography/records/bigimg/africa_dub_big.jpg
― am0n, Sunday, 16 March 2008 04:21 (sixteen years ago) link
It's not the best album "of all time" - but Gorrilaz had a good and credible go at a dub album with 'Gorillaz vs. Space Monkeyz".
― Bob Six, Sunday, 16 March 2008 10:45 (sixteen years ago) link
Can't pick a single "best" disc, but these days, it's between five: Cornell Campbell, I Shall Not Remove; The Congos, Heart Of The Congos; Horace Andy, Dance Hall Style; King Tubby, Dub Like Dirt; and Lee Perry, Ape-ology. Subject to change at any time, tho.
― Daniel, Esq., Sunday, 16 March 2008 14:19 (sixteen years ago) link
heart of the congos is properly overrated imo. its all a bit too one-note for me.
two sevens clash is definitely up there.
― p-noid (titchyschneiderMk2), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 16:17 (fifteen years ago) link
one-note in terms of the mood i mean.
Agreed on the Congos. I just don't hear it.My favorite is still Funky Kingston, followed by Two Sevens Clash, African Herbsman, Early Recordings 1971-1979 (Itals), Marcus Garvey and yes, The Harder They Come soundtrack.
― Jazzbo, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 16:33 (fifteen years ago) link
yeah me neither. seems too austere. top marks for consistency but its all too samey and doesnt sound as inspired as all the 'pet sounds of reggae' reviews make it out to be.
― p-noid (titchyschneiderMk2), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 16:34 (fifteen years ago) link
finally watched Rockers the other night, it's pretty dope. so amazing to see someone play drums in a movie and they're ACTUALLY PLAYING DRUMS.
― Tracy Michael Jordan Catalano (Jordan), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 16:37 (fifteen years ago) link
I feel the same about "Marcus Garvey", I admire it but I don't play it much (xp)
― Vicious Cop Kills Gentle Fool (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 16:37 (fifteen years ago) link
... like "Pet Sounds"!
― Vicious Cop Kills Gentle Fool (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 16:42 (fifteen years ago) link
nice point Vicious Cop! Marcus Garvey is tremendous but not an everyday listen.Black Uhuru-Anthem is probably my fave reggae record of the 1980's; LKJ - Tings an' Times my fave from the 1990's.and did anybody mention King Kong Compilation? the second or third reggae record i ever bought is still up there with the harder they come, in my book
― outdoor_miner, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 16:46 (fifteen years ago) link
i play pet sounds quite a bit! marcus garvey is a great album (better than congos and the dub version is good too) but its not as immediately/obviously pleasurable in the way 2 sevens clash is.
― p-noid (titchyschneiderMk2), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 16:47 (fifteen years ago) link
so it's only a matter of time before Heart of Congos returns to being underrated.I like Daniel, Esq's list.
― hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 16:56 (fifteen years ago) link
Don't get the one note complaints about the Congos at all (Marcus Garvey I get a little more).
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 17:01 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm not going to even pretend that I can choose one record, but the Congos are def. in my top ten.
― Alex in SF, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 17:04 (fifteen years ago) link
Yeah each song on HOTC--bar maybe 1 or 2--has a distinct identity/personality in my mind. Maybe it's hard to get past the falsetto? I mean that seems like one of the few reggae albums where the "one note" criticism is least valid.
― hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 17:13 (fifteen years ago) link
Augustus Pablo's King Tubby's Meets Rockers Uptown is probably my fave these days.
― (a mess0 (Ioannis), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 18:35 (fifteen years ago) link
Yabby U, "King Tubby's Prophesy of Dub"
― Vicious Cop Kills Gentle Fool (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 18:36 (fifteen years ago) link
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