Bob Marley and the Wailers, King Tubby, Sly and Robbie - The Ultimate Reggae Dub & Riddim Collection

Bob Marley and the Wailers, King Tubby, Sly and Robbie - The Ultimate Reggae Dub & Riddim Collection
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW



When you're browsing through the Reggae CD's at these mega stores, you are bombarded with all kinds of compilation CD's of which sometimes the covers already say enough.
"DON'T BUY ME", they scream.

There's a big change you're going to skip this one too. The picture on the cover isn't really attractive, and we've seen too many albums with titles such as this one to be convinced that it really describes the content.

And this is definitely not the ultimate Reggae Dub and Riddim collection. Obviously.

However, if I were you I wouldn't skip over this collection too soon either. Because it really does give you a good impression of Dub music.

Two discs carrying pretty interesting stuff! Full albums that can really be considered crucial, along with some very nice singles, this collection really is packed to the max.

What to say about the full album DUB ROCKERS DELIGHT, simply presented as a collection of Sly and Robbie dubs on this "compilation"? Tunes which have been sung over by none less than Don Carlos and Lacksley Castell. Yes, that one surely is crucial.

The album is followed by a selection of King Tubby mixes of riddims layed down by Sly and Robbie in the Channel One Studio. Before the Roots Radics became the Channel One Studio Band, Sly and Robbie have been the backbone of two preceding studio-bands: the Aggrovators and the Revolutionaries. Their sound is legendary until this day. Listen to the set of Bob Marley "covers" that they played back in the 1970's, in stricktly DUBWISE STYLE.

The second disc is packed with riddims played by the Wailers and the studio band of Lee Perry's BLACK ARK. This shows a side of Bob Marley's work that has not often been heard by the average Reggae fan.

Many stories have been told about this period of Bob Marley's progression. Not the least one is that all the recording he did with Lee Perry seemed to have been pirated by the latter. At least, according to Bunny Wailer in a documentary broadcasted by the BBC.

But of course that doesn't take away anything from the quality and relevance of the tunes on the second disc of this noteworthy compilation. The music has been played with JAH love and you can hear that.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this compilation each and everyone who is interested in Dub and Reggae, as it gives a really good idea about just three aspects of this great culture.

But "The Ultimate Reggae Dub And Riddim Collection"? Of course not. Because that collection consists out of 100,000's of albums fe true. And sure it must be somewhere, but where?

Yabby You - Dub It to the Top

Yabby You - Dub It to the Top
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW



When you want to buy Reggae Music, having a bit of background knowledge can proof to be quite fruitful.

The way albums are presented and credited is often different then how this is done in western music.

Let me give you an example: it might be that you like the singer Yabby You very much. You know his albums One Love, One Heart and Fleeing From The City and you think it's great.

So when you would see this album, Dub It To The Top, you might think it's another album which features this singer Yabby You.

But that's not the case.

Yabby You is indeed a singer, but also a producer. He is the one who discovered one of my all time favorite Reggae singers: Michael Prophet.

The mighty King Tubby has mixed plenty of Dubs for Yabby the producer as well.

And both are present on this album, but you won't see a mention of it in the title.

It's a part of Reggae Culture. Because now Yabby's skills as producers are highlighted and another time his skills as a singer.

Dub It To The Top is an 18 track collection of great DUBS by tracks which Yabby (helped) produce(d).

Many of the riddims are well-known in the inner circle of Reggae enthusiasts.

The first part is reserved for some crucial and militant Rockers music mixed skillfully by the Master. The second contains brain-smashing dubs from some of the hottest Michael Prophet tunes.

You must buy this album!

The versatility of possibilities within Reggae music becomes apparent when you realize the different vibe in each tune.

Heavy dubbing, jazzy vibes with hornsman Tommy Mc Cook blowing his way over the rhythm. Vocal snippets from singers and deejays echoing on top of essential drum and bass lines.

And the styles are manifold too. Don't ever think that Reggae Music is just another style, no it is a RHYTHM with many styles and varieties. On this album you'll get acquainted with some of these styles.

In a period of just three years, Yabby managed to produce some crucial Rockers music as you can hear in the first part of the disc.

And in the second part you'll be introduced to some early Rub a Dub music, dancehall music before it became the coke headed babylonian style shortly after Bob Marley's death.

All tunes have been used by Reggae Singer MICHAEL PROPHET (One of Yabby You's Discoveries, along with Black Uhuru's Michael Rose) who you can hear throughout the many crucial DUBS that Blood and Fire put on that second part.

In fact it wasn't Blood and Fire who did the selection. They just reissued "Yabby You Meets Michael Prophet: Vocal & Dub". And according to the LINER NOTES that come with this release, the "crème de la crème" of Jamaican Dub participated on it. But you don't have to read these notes to know this: the sound speaks for itself.

Dub it from the top to the very last drop in this essential course how to dub it to the top!

Culture - Harder Than The Rest

Culture - Harder Than The Rest
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW



Get ready for a Roots experience, brought to you by true masters of the genre.

An all-star list of musicians playing a skillfully arranged style of Reggae Music that will keep you rocking from the top to the very last drop.

Joseph Hill and his fellow singers riding the rhythms like cowboys drive their horses.

So of course this album will satisfy your hunger for more after listening to other Culture albums.

Just for a while, though.

Because you'll want more, and more, and more.

Culture's raw and engaged vocals have impressed Roots music lovers ever since they marked their permanent place in the Reggae Top with their debut.

And the tradition is continued with Harder Than The Rest.

This combination of truth and right with righteous reggae has proven to stand the test of time. Yes, that's why it's called Roots, you know. It can't dead.

Impressive.

And hard.

Album after album after album.

Culture - Cumbolo

Culture - Cumbolo
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW


If you want to know what is Rockers Music, well, then you can always put this album in the player.

Culture's Cumbolo is a school example of Rockers Music fe true.

And not just, because Sly and Robbie lay down a solid foundation of Drum and Bass for an all star list of musicians to fill with incredible horn themes and tight riddim skanks.

Not just, because when you approach the album in a technical way you will find that this is solid music based on well thought of ideas and themes.

For there is more to Roots Music than just the technical approach. It has to do with the contents of the lyrics as well, and how they are brought.

And that is exactly, where this album enters.

Righteous Rastamen singing truth and right from the depths of their souls.

Yes, this is Rockers. Stricktly Rockers.

It makes you relaxed to fill you with energy again. It makes you strong when you feel weak. It makes you long for more.

And more.

Peter Tosh once called it "Reggaemylitus" and right he was. You'll get hooked fe true by listening to music such as you can find on Cumbolo, truly one of Culture's strongest albums.

Culture - Baldhead Bridge

Culture - Baldhead Bridge
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW



There is a reason why so many artists can be very good and never ever will be able to reach to the heart and soul.

There is a reason why vocal groups such as Culture have impressed so many with their debut Two Sevens Clash and the follow-up album Baldhead Bridge.

You guessed it, it has nothing to do with talent. Not really, that is. And it has also nothing to do with getting the best musical education in the world.

There is not a trick in the book to reach the heart.

Or is there?

Well, it's not really a trick.

Or maybe it is.

It might have something to do with the strong conviction that the members of Culture display in their music. An awareness of Babylon combined with a desire to speak out for JAH and truth and right.

Maybe that's why some will always wonder why they love Culture Music so much and yet may never be able to know why.

Baldhead bridge is just one example.

When you listen to the music and meditate over the words, you will feel it and know it.

Culture - At Work

Culture - At Work
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW



In Reggae Culture, we can find many harmony groups: one lead singer and one or two, or even three back ground vocalists.

Just thinking of a few isn't really that difficult: Israel Vibration, Black Uhuru, Wailing Souls, and of course Culture.

And we shouldn't forget that the Wailers originally started out as a vocal trio too.

Culture ruled the Jamaican charts when Bob Marley and the Wailers were riding the international charts, and that gives an indication to the relevance of the works of Culture.

This album will introduce you to Culture at work: catchy riddims, vocals from the heart.

Many consider it to be one of their weaker albums, but if that really is, then it says something about Culture's Quality!

Oh yes, it's true that the music on Culture At Work is quite different then the Rockers we can find on classics such as Culture's debut Two Sevens Clash, but the music is well digestive.

Especially when you realize that in 1986 (when this album was originally recorded) Jamaica was being flooded with cocaine in an attempt by Babylon System to stop the movement of Rastafari from liberating the people's minds.

And Culture has always been on the forefront in the struggle against Babylon.

Mad Professor - Beyond The Realm Of Dub

Mad Professor - Beyond The Realm Of Dub
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW



In the 1980's, Mad Professor released his -now legendary- "Dub Me Crazy" series. Mad Professor not only established his name with them, he also definitely established a standard in DUB mixing with that line of albums of which this is the second one. Effects form the sound, there's almost no dry ("effectless") instrument to be heard. Things which are usually in the back of the mix come forward because of the massive amount of effects they're being put through. These are the kinds of dubs of which their vocal counter-parts can hardly be recognized. Dubwise time! Yes, this album is best enjoyed in an ire atmosphere with good speakers. Close your eyes, and you will find out just how mad this professor is and just how crazy you can become from experiencing this chapter.

The tracks used for this album are all tight, Roots Reggae Riddims. They make you move and groove, from the first to the last one. Sometimes slow, sometimes fast, sometimes mellow and sometimes militant. The tunes are well selected, the way of mixing makes them into one chapter. Just one chapter in a line of albums which are very rightfully called "Dub Me Crazy".

Mad Professor - Afrocentric Dub

Mad Professor - Afrocentric Dub
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW



Yet another masterpiece by the hands of the Mad Professor, straight out of the Asylum of Dub. This album contains some of the ruffest riddims from Mad Professor's ARIWA Studio's. Most of the ten killers are kicking DUBS from Michael Prophet's album Rootsman, which is ofcourse also an Ariwa release. Ofcourse?

Yes. Mad Professor mixes and produces music which is recorded in his own studio and he also releases the material. A common, but often misunderstood aspect of Reggae Culture. So that's why you'll find Michael Prophet on tracks attributed to Mad Professor. Or vice versa, in the case of Michael Prophet's Rootsman. Mad Professor definitely goes deeper where he stopped on that album: complicated echo's, more filters, more this and more that. When you own Rootsman, you must also have this one.

And just like "Rootsman", this album has a conscious theme. Many people complain that Dub can not have a message, which is nonsense if you just realize how much a title can say, a few words here and there can have more impact than a lyrical stream. Afrocentricic Dub has all this, too.

So much to say about this album, even before I even mentioned the magnificent Dubbing performed by Mad Professor. There is not a single part on this album in which there is not something going on. Sometimes subtle, sometimes provokingly loud. Enough to keep you playing this album again and again and again.