Unmissable, cornerstone Wackies, back in.
Horace Andy’s greatest artistic achievement, surpassing even his Skylarking set for Studio One. With definitive reworks of songs he first recorded for Bunny Lee and Derrick Harriott (Money Money and Lonely Woman); a deadly version of Lloyd Robinson’s Cuss Cuss; and a first outing for Spying Glass, later versioned by Massive Attack. Musicians include Wackies regulars like Owen Stewart and Oral Cooke from Itopia, and Ras Menilik and Jah T; also Sleepy’s multi-instrumentalist spar Myrie Dread from the In The Light sessions for Hungry Town. At the desk, Lloyd Barnes, Junior Delahaye and Douglas Levy coax unequalled vocal performances from the singer, bejewelling ineffable extended mixes.
Crucial.
Four songs and their dubs — lovers, bubblers, rockers, and well-charge dub, with great playing and Sugar brilliantly focussed throughout — originally a 1983 picture-sleeved ten-inch on his own Black Roots imprint.
Barrington Levy’s Poor Man Style album, Scientist & Prince Jammy Strike Back, The Viceroys’ We Must Unite, Tristan Palma’s Settle Down Girl… and a couple of Majestarians.
Exhilarating reggae music from Stoke Newington, north east London, made by soundboys on a Casio and a drum machine, in a room over Eddie Regal’s record shop.
The finest of his dancehall interventions with the Roots Radics, as the eighties progressed. This is taut and simple, tough and atmospheric, triumphant.
Four albums: Barrington Levy, Bounty Hunter; Cocoa Tea, Weh Dem A Go Do; Sound System and Dancehall Rockers, both by Charlie Chaplin. Plus extras.
Barrington Levy, Poor Man Style; Roots Radics, Scientist and Jammy Strike Back; The Viceroys, We Must Unite; Tristan Palma, Settle Down Girl