Dub With Me And Then We'll Dub Together

In case you hadn't noticed, Adrian Sherwood's fourth solo album, The Collapse Of Everything, was released into the world on 22nd August.

At risk of predictability, Sunday seems to be frequently my go-to day for sharing dub excutsions on this weaving path through the musical landscape.

Therefore, it would be remiss of me to pass up these converging opportunities to spotlight Sherwood at the controls, with the videos for the first four songs (so far) from the album.

Starting with Dub Inspector (track 2), back for the opening title track, then back on course for The Well Is Poisoned (Dub) and Body Roll. Considering how long Adrian's been at this music lark, his ability to carve out fresh dub soundscapes is undiminished.

Aided and abetted by the usual On-U Sound suspects, including Doug Wimbish and Keith LeBlanc (RIP), with Horseman and Gaudi adding to the magic. 

Heck, even Brian Eno pops up with "guitar, vocals, effects" on The Well Is Poisoned (Dub), and there's some lovely sax and flute by Alex White from The Fat White Family on three of the four featured tracks.

The Collapse Of Everything Is available now on clear or standard black vinyl, as well as shiny disc and digital. 

If you can wait, there's another Bandcamp Friday in a couple of weeks (5th September) if you would like even more of your hard earned wonga to reach Mr. Sherwood.

The album's closing piece, The Grand Designer, was also the title track of 10" vinyl and digital EP release in June, with three other non-album cuts (one featuring the late, great Lee 'Scratch' Perry). Again, worth every penny.

And, if you're feeling splendiferously frivolous, why not splurge on a couple of Adrian's recent remixes for other artists? 

July saw Adrian's dub rendition of No Cigar by Shit Robot aka Marcus Lambkin, working with Joe Goddard and Al Doyle from Hot Chip and issued on the super hip DFA Records label.

The upcoming Bandcamp Friday will also mark the one-year anniversary of Echoes Of The Night, an EP by Pitch Black featuring four - count 'em, four - dubs by Adrian Sherwood, dating from (I think) 2020, all but one previously unreleased.

And I've not even mentioned the entire album of Adrian Sherwood dubs, Obscured By Version, brand new but delving into the archives of Dub Syndicate.

We're spoilt, really.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Someday Roots, Sunday Culture

Today's selection is by way of compensation to Ernie at 27 Leggies for last Sunday's crushing disappointment of posting a mixtape side titled Roots 'n' Culture that was completely devoid of dub and reggae.

No red herrings here, with plenty of bass-heavy rhythms amongst the genre-hopping bakers' dozen of tunes. At least one tune from each of the last six decades and, as far as I can tell, all appearing here (in these versions at least) for the first time. 

Lee 'Scratch' Perry is hidden in plain sight, collaborating with Bob Marley on the opening song and reappearing as the Upsetter on the penultimate track. 

 

There are a trio of tunes from 1982, quite by accident, featuring UB40, Rico ably accompanied by The Specials and one of the greatest voices of all time, Bim Sherman.

 

As you may have guessed, International Beat was a spin-off from The Beat, their debut album produced by none other than Ranking Roger.

 

The 21st Century is well represented by Richard Norris, Adrian Sherwood and Prince Fatty, plus Wrongtom remixing Staines skankers Hard-Fi.

There are a couple of covers, with Rico and The Special AKA taking on the title track of Japanese jazz musician's Sadao Watanabe's 1979 album Morning Island.  

 

For Me You Are by Prince Fatty, Hollie Cook and Horseman has a rather more complicated history. The song was originally titled Bei Mir Bistu Shein and written by Jacob Jacobs and Sholom Secunda in 1932 for a Yiddish language comedy musical, I Would If I Could, performed by Aaron Lebedeff and Lucy Levin.

Five years later, Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin got their hands on the song, wrote English lyrics, Germanised the song title spelling and created a global hit for The Andrews Sisters with Bei Mir Bist Du Schön (Means That You're Grand)

 

The name of Prince Fatty's 2012 remake is an approximation of the original Yiddish to English song title translation, To Me You're Beautiful. 

 

Phew, history lesson over, time to enjoy the music!

1) Keep On Skanking: Bob Marley (1972)

2) Golden Morning Song: Bim Sherman (1982)

3) Better Do Better (Wrongtom Wild Inna 81 Version): Hard-Fi (2006)

4) Rock Steady: International Beat (1989)

5) Foundation Style: Richard Norris (2024)

6) Two Versions Of The Future: Adrian Sherwood (2006)

7) I Won't Close My Eyes (Remix): UB40 (1982)

8) Jah Vengeance / Jah Bible: Yabby You & Trinity (1980)

9) For Me You Are (Single Version) (Cover of Aaron Lebedeff & Lucy Levin / Andrews Sisters): Prince Fatty ft. Hollie Cook & Horseman (2012)

10) Tapper Roots: Tapper Zukie (1979)

11) Easy Dub: Alpha & Omega (1994)

12) Rumplesteelkin: Upsetter (1973)

13) Easter Island (Cover of 'Morning Island' by Sadao Watanabe): Rico ft. The Special AKA (1982)

 

1973: Rhythm Shower: 12

1979: Tapper Roots: 10

1980: Jah Jah Way: 8

1982: Across The Red Sea: 2 

1982: Jungle Music EP: 13

1982: UB44: 7

1989: The Hitting Line: 4

1990: The Best Of Bob Marley 1968-1972: 1 

1994: Safe In The Ark: 11

2006: Becoming A Cliché: 6

2006: Better Do Better EP: 3

2012: Prince Fatty Versus The Drunken Gambler: 9

2024: Oracle Sound Volume Three: 5

Someday Roots, Sunday Culture (47:54) (KF) (Mega)

...But A Dream

For no other reason than she's brilliant, here's the wonderful Hollie Cook with a couple of "tropical pop" singles from her 2022 album, Happy Hour.

 

And if that's whet your appetite for more Hollie, then here are a few more audio and visual delights.

Dance In The Sunshine (2019)

And The Beat Goes On (Cover of The Whispers): Prince Fatty & Hollie Cook (2012)

Body Beat: Hollie Cook ft. Horseman (2011)

Postman (2014) 

 

It's the first Bandcamp Friday of 2024 on 2nd Feb, so amongst the many Hollie Cook back catalogue recommendations, the dub version of the Happy Hour album is high on the list.

 

Hollie's performing at the last date of Bristol Sounds 2024 on Sunday 23rd June, along with Count Skylarkin, Kiko Bun, Dreadzone, The Dualers, The Skints and headliners Gentleman's Dub Club. Not sure that I'll be able to go but what a line up.

Hollie has appeared on a couple of GDC songs, including Play My Games from last year's On A Mission album, so hopefully in addition to her set she'll pop back up on stage to perform with them. Here's a taster if you've not heard them before.

 

She Was More Like A Beauty Queen With An M16

When March was promising a far better summer than we actually ending up having in the UK, Dub Pistols offered up the perfect (festival) soundtrack.

 

Frontline is Dub Pistols' 9th album in 25 years but the first that I've owned. Better late than never? Too right!

 

Formed by Barry Ashworth in 1996, Dub Pistols appeared on my radar with third single Westway and their remix of Faker by Audioweb, both in 1997. I have the grand total of three singles in my collection: Westway, Cyclone (1998) and Official Chemical (2004) plus a smattering of radio edits, album cuts and a handful of other remixes, up to 2015.

Since then, Dub Pistols have released four albums and, on my first listen, the immediate reaction is that the past quarter century has seen a refining rather than a reinventing of their sound. If you enjoyed Dub Pistols music in 1996/1997, then you are unlikely to be disappointed by Frontline. The album is a dozen tracks of precision-tooled and tried and tested tunes, examples of an act that has developed an inherent knowledge of what will please the crowd on the live circuit and fit seamlessly into a set list.

That's not to say that the music on Frontline is perfunctory and soulless, far from it. Barry knows his stuff and the melting pot of dub, reggae, dancehall, ska & drum n bass is enhanced by the selection of vocalists, many of whom have been regular gunslingers on previous albums. 

Listened to in it's entirety, Frontline brings a smile to my face and an urge to jump up and down in party style, the latter not advisable when driving it has to be said. To give you a flavour, I've picked half a dozen examples, the first three with accompanying videos on YouTube, the latter trio with audio links courtesy of Bandcamp. 

Nice Up, featuring Freestylers and Horseman

 

Moving On, featuring Natty Campbell joining Barry on lead vocals

Soundboy Killa, bringing back Freestylers and Natty Campbell

 

Better Has Come, featuring the sweet sounds of Lindy Layton

 

Jump On It, with yet more Freestylers, joined this time by Top Cat and a cheeky homage to The Shadows' Apache all to great effect

 

M16 brings back previous collaborators The Ragga Twins, Flinty Badman and Deman Rocker aka Trevor Destouche and David Destouche). In case it ever pops up unexpectedly in a pub quiz, Trevor and David are brothers, not twins. The song not only provides today's post title but takes liberties with Michael Jackson's #1 single from 1983, Billie Jean and samples Ennio Morricone's The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. Great stuff.

 

Frontline was another chance purchase but Dub Pistols has proved to be a staple of this year's summer, lousy though it was for the most part, weather-wise. I've every intention of venturing back into the Dub Pistols' back catalogue, most likely starting with 2007's Speakers And Tweeters if only because it heavily features the much-missed Terry Hall.

 

Aside from the usual channels and outlets, you can also buy Frontline via the official Dub Pistols website, on vinyl (black or red) or CD alongside T-shirt, bandana and poster or various combinations of the lot.

Understand We Must All Live In Peace On Earth

Some Mandatory Monday Reggae for you, courtesy of Prince Fatty aka Mike Pelanconi, who dropped a couple of new singles last Monday (14th).

 

100 Weight Of Collie Weed was originally written and recorded by Carlton Livingston in 1984 and Prince Fatty delivers four versions as a name your price EP via Bandcamp: a vocal version featuring Earl 16, a Disco Mix with additional vocals from Horseman and instrumentals of both.

The lead release is another cover, available on 7" and digital single, offering reggae and dub treatments of Expansions, Lonnie Liston Smith's classic from 1975. Featuring regular collaborator Shniece McMenamin on vocals, backed by an all-star band comprising ON-U Sound legend Carlton "Bubblers" Ogilvie (organ & piano), Finn Peters (flute) and Horseman aka Winston Williams (drums), it's an uplifting take on a personal favourite.

 

Not that Lonnie Liston Smith's version was the first time time I knowingly heard Expansions. Oh no. It was this release on PWL back in 1991...

I used to have Xpand Ya Mind (Expansions) by Wag Ya Tail on CD single and Lonnie Liston Smith is credited on the front and as a collaborator on a couple of mixes, but it's a far cry from his original jazz-funk odyssey. Speaking of which...

 

I finally added the song to my collection when I purchased cheapo-but-excellent compilation CD Soul Brother from my local Woolworths in 1999 or 2000.

 

The original version of Expansions is unbeatable but, as ever, Prince Fatty, Shniece and co. have done the song justice. You can buy the singles via Bandcamp or for the real (Dub)heads, Prince Fatty is offering up stem packs for these and many others via his online shop.

On an unrelated but happy note, after I finish today, I'm not back at work again until next Tuesday. It’ll be business as usual here. I have a very special gig coming up which I'll write about later in the week, plus a few more Dubhed selections together with the usual nonsense. I will also have the chance to post more comments on other music blogs, which I have continued to enjoy but have sorely neglected in the past few weeks. 

Mostly though, it's a chance to relax and expand my mind by listening to some mighty fine music.

 

Get With The Groove

The combination of January, winter, Monday, lousy weather and another working week leaving and returning to home in pitch darkness combine to flip me into a funk. I'm talking funk here in the sense of Leonard Cohen, not George Clinton.

So, what better way to banish the blues than to light the place up with some global grooves, taking in Niger, Spain, Malawi, England, Mauritania, Mali, Jamaica and the USA?

 

Several of these have come from compilations by Sahel Sounds (USA), NYP Records (Belgium) and Dub Store Records (Japan), available as a name your price purchase via Bandcamp. All highly recommended.

I prescribe 45 minutes per day, taken with water and plenty of (dance-based) exercise. You'll feel much better for it.

 

1) Tunan: Mamman Sani (1978)

2) O.D.O.O. (F.E.L.A. Tribute Rework): DJ Makala (2012)

3) Tumastin: Mdou Moctar (2019)

4) Tadekha (Too Young To Start It): Andy One (2020)

5) Nyash! E Go Bite You!: Yaaba Funk (2008)

6) Elyn: Jeich Ould Badu (2022)

7) 3: Tallawit Timbouctou (2020)

8) Cry (Disco Mix By Prince Fatty): Hollie Cook ft. Horseman (2011)

9) Dangerous System (Single Version By King Jammy): Pad Anthony (1986)

10) Ribes: The Bombillas (2020)

11) Majrad Ajen: Amanar (2010)

2010: Ishilan n-Tenere: 11

2011: Hollie Cook: 8

2013: La Musique Electronique Du Niger: 1

2014: Dub Store Records Sampler Volume One: 9

2019: Ilana: The Creator: 3

2020: Sahel Sounds Label Sampler 2: 7

2021: Global Riddims Volume 4: 4, 10

2021: Mukambo Presents Global Afrobeat Movement 2: 2, 5

2022: Music From Saharan WhatsApp: 6

 

Get With The Groove (45:09) (Box) (Mega)

Couldn't Drag Me Away

Today's eclectic selection is linked by one thing. According to Apple Music, I last listened to these songs on 16th December in previous years. I'll leave you to surmise which ones got an airing last year and which haven't troubled a playlist since 2015 and which have fallen into varying degrees of neglect in between.

Nothing wrong with any of the songs per se, it's one of the challenges of having so much (too much?) music to listen to, with more new stuff coming in all the time, this year being no exception.

The selection opens with two of 2022's top acts, Working Men's Club and Confidence Man coming together in a remix soundclash. Prince appears in potty-mouthed abusive character from The Black Album, recorded in 1987 but shelved until an official, limited release in 1994. Another Prince - Prince Fatty, that is - pops up twice, firstly with Big Youth and Marcia Griffiths and again at the controls with Horseman. There's also a rematch between The Beatles (courtesy of My Brightest Diamond) and The Stones.

 

As I said, an eclectic selection that starts off in the club, staggers to the late night cafe and then stumbles home, regretting the excess the following morning. Perfect for a Friday going into Saturday, in that case.

1) First Class Bitch (Working Men's Club Remix): Confidence Man (2020)

2) Lararari (Canzone Felice) (Santos Disco) (Edit) (Remix By Sabino Contartese & Davide Marsilio): Santos & Sabino (1998)

3) Bob George: Prince (1987)

4) Gangster Tripping (Long Edit): Fatboy Slim (1998)

5) Of Course I'm Lying (The Truth Is) (Remix By Boris Blank & Dieter Meier): Yello (1989)

6) Steppin' Out Of Babylon: Prince Fatty ft. Big Youth & Marcia Griffiths (2019)

7) Wild Horses (Acoustic): The Rolling Stones (1971)

8) I Sold My Soul On Ebay: Swansea Sound (2020)

9) No In A Dat (Album Version): Horseman (2014)

10) Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (Cover of The Beatles): My Brightest Diamond (2008)

 

1989: Of Course I'm Lying EP: 5

1994: The Black Album: 3

1998: Gangster Tripping EP (USA promo CDS): 4

1998: VC Recordings Summer Sampler EP: 2 

2008: The White Album Recovered (Mojo magazine promo CD): 10

2014: Dawn Of The Dread: 9

2015: Sticky Fingers (Deluxe Edition): 7

2019: In The Viper's Shadow: 6

2020: First Class Bitch EP: 1

2021: Live At The Rum Puncheon: 8

Couldn't Drag Me Away (45:19) (Box) (Mega)