Irresistible mid-eighties dancehall vibes from Music Mountain Studios.

Early-eighties UK roots fire originally rolling out of Peckham in South London, on the Kim label, by way of Jay Dees record shop in the High Street.
Both sides are deep, reverberating, hypnotic, zonked, dread, Wackies-style murder.

Family Man and Jimmy Riley had worked together in the late sixties — a Hippy Boy and a Unique — way before this terrific collaboration in tough, anguished sufferers, woozy with the natural mystic, around the same time as Cobra Style. Signature Wailers music-making seals the deal, with classy, burning horns.

The CD adds the Majority Rule album, also from 1978.

Forty-eight Alvin Ranglin productions… The Ethiopians, Cynthia Richards, Charlie Ace, The Slickers, The Maytones…

Sublime, masterful singing — poetic, polyphonic, evocative sufferers — over a stately and atmospheric Java excursion, more sombre than mystical. Super-soulful. Ace.

This essential reggae LP was recorded at Randy’s and the Black Ark, and originally released in 1975 on Black World. Powerful songs, steeped in no-messing revolutionary socialism, beautifully delivered by Max Romeo at his peak, clear as a bell, with expertly lean production by Bullwackies’ Clive Hunt (besides Pete Weston and Lee Perry himself). The CD adds a heap of dubs, and toasts by Prince Far-I and I-Roy.

“Got to clean up your hammer and sharpen your sickle… In this time of revelation… Dread… Coming from high places where there is no screw faces… Selfish barbarism has got to stop.”

Soon after leaving JA for the US in 1978, Max conducted this moody survey of 8th Avenue, Manhattan.
With the same measures of disgust, funk and soul as Melt Away.
Don’t miss the organ instrumental on the flip, originally entitled Sin City. Jackie Mittoo in his own time and space.