From Sicily to Kingston Jamaica.
The brilliant Alborosie debut album, still one of his best includes the anthemic Kingston Town and Herbalist ( JA alternative economy “export green stash import green cash” 
)
Playing CD theres also a “Deluxe Edition” on Tidal but not heard it
Really enjoying this from the revitalised Wailing Souls
Recorded and produced with Reggae Supa Alborosie
Recommended
Vinyl, CD,Tidal master
A genuinely life changing LP for me.
Too long a story to go into here. Very briefly I grew up with a very close knit circle of childhood friends whose lives started to go in a very dark direction due to unemployment, drink and hard drugs.
I had an interest in Reggae from quite an early age seeing the likes of Ken Boothe & Max Romeo on TOTP and somehow saw The Wailers legendary OGWT performance (although I dont recall how at a single figure age I would have been allowed to stay up late enough)
Punk, through bands like The Clash & Ruts exposed Reggae further and I was listening to bands like The Gladiators & Culture whilst my friends mostly seemed to be immersing themselves in some of the more negative aspects of Punk.
Then the so called New Wave Of British Heavy Metal grabbed me, Iron Maiden, Saxon etc. 2 Tone was happening and I was fully into that, I even had the two tone tonic trousers, shirts, rude boy look etc. During this period in '79, the year I left school, a TV documentary on Steel Pulse really inspired me and I went out and bought the newly released Tribute To The Martyrs, I had Handsworth Revolution but it didnt really hit me like Martyrs did. Through this album I was inspired to learn and read about Apartheid South Africa, Martin Luther King, Steve Biko & George Jackson and I got ever deeper into Reggae and then JA music as a whole.
My lifestyle completely changed and took a different path to the ultimately doomed one of those much missed friends all whom have since passed away through drink, drugs or violence.
This album truly changed and literally saved my life, I’ve bought every Pulse album since
George Faith classic, melding Soul with Lee Scratch Perry’s sonic extra terrestrial laboratory.
Super Eight or as Island titled it, with a re jigged track listing and mix, To Be A Lover take your pick
Sublime
From reggaevibes.com
The album is somewhat reminiscent of a typical 1970s showcase album, with the vocal versions followed by the respective dubs. Only 8 songs, elaborated by Perry to ‘extended’ hypnotical vibrating versions. The entire album is infused with Perry’s creative, experimental Black Ark sound, with its layered sound and typical Black Ark effects such as phaser, echo, compression, and delay, supported by heavenly background vocals from The Meditations and Mighty Diamonds. The album, recorded in eight months, truly exceptional for the time, was originally released as Super Eight on Black Art in Jamaica and To Be A Lover on Black Swan in the UK in 1977. Also noteworthy is the fact that all 8 tracks are original riddims, to our knowledge the riddims were never used before, so it looks like the whole album was made from scratch during those eight months. Remarkable, and not according to the pattern that Perry normally used for his productions.
The album starts convincingly with the infectious, lingering groove of the Midnight Hour/Ya Ya medley. With the help of Perry’s ingenious arrangement, George manages to easily merge the soul of Wilson Pickett with the catchy and funky Lousiana style of Lee Dorsey’s hit Ya Ya. All of this becomes even more admirable when you know that the original versions are uptempo songs!
The title track, a first-class cover of William’s Bell hit from the late 1960s, was a hit in Jamaica and the UK. It’s a perfect song for George Faith’s soulful voice, full of emotion and passion. The only self-written song is Opportunity, in which he is supported by a sparse backing and a repeating background chorus. So Fine, the cheerfully swinging hit by Johnny Otis, is reduced in tempo by Perry and George, embedded in a sea of echo and dubby effects.
On side B the tempo goes up with I’ve Got The Groove, an original by The O’Jays. He has turned it into a danceable song, with very few effects. And what about the Paul Anka cover Diana. This sugar-sweet pop hit from the 1960s has been transformed by Perry and George into a credible, almost authentic reggae song. It is proof of George’s vocal excellence and versatility and the strength of Perry’s riddims. From the hit factory of Motown comes (Gonna Give Her) All The Love I’ve Got, a classy song by Jimmy Ruffin. The version presented to us here equals the original. On the last track George shines in the cover of Tyrone Davis’ smash hit Turn Back The Hands Of Time, his rendition is top class, a perfect amalgamation of soul and reggae!
From Rico to another great JA Bone player and fellow alumni of The Alpha Boys School
Don Drummond, the so called Memorial Album.
Don suffered mental health problems, was accused and convicted of murdering his girlfriend and subsequently died a few years later, still only in his mid thirties, under controversial circumstances after being committed to the Bellvue Institution.
This CD twofer or stream expands the original LP to 49 lovely tracks
“One of his regular accompanists, the gifted guitarist Janet Enwright , later recalled how at a concert at Kingston’s Cricket Club’s Sabina Park in 1959, celebrated jazz pianist Dave Brubeck stopped playing in awe at Drummond’s astounding improvisational skills, while also around this time George Shearing and singer Sarah Vaughn are attributed as rating the Jamaican as one of the world’s top five trombonists.”
Playing this really as it’s also in memory of Bunny Wailer, two fine songs of his Hallelujah Time & Pass It On are on here. Two other songs Reincarnated Souls and The Opressed Song that were left off the released LP (although they later turned up on the Deluxe CD) were re recorded by Bunny for his classic Blackheart Man album.
Not taking anything away from Peter & Bob but playing this for Bunny
RIP
Great Sugar Minott album recorded at Lloyd Bullwackie Barnes basement studio in The Bronx New York
Wicked A Go Feel It
And its Dub counterpart African Roots Act 3
Another gem from the house of Wackies.
A perhaps lesser known name to some, the brilliant Milton Henry Who Do You Think I Am
Top notch Soulful Roots n Lovers material. Quality!
Imo the best Horace Andy Reggae album period.
Another jewel in the house of Wackies crown, the perfect marriage of Horace’s vocal style and unique signature Wackies psychedelic dub sound.
Massive Attack fans will instantly recognise Spying Glass as it was covered with Horace on Vocals for their Protection album, here is the original along with Money Money, Cuss Cuss, Stop The Fuss, Lonely Woman, Let’s Live In Love, it’s all killer no filler as they say.
Highly recommended
Continuing the Wackies vibe.
The lovely Love Joy’s Lovers Rock Showcase.
Lovers Rock mutated through the Wackies mixing board into a sublime lovers/deep dub hybrid
If you like Black Ark period Lee Scratch Perry chances are you’ll like this
Essential 3CD expansion of The Heart Of The Congos. If you have the excellent Blood & Fire version you still need this.
Includes the previously scarce original mix of the album along with the more familiar international release and a disc of 12" mixes and dubs.
Great picture @Sloop_John_B
I’m guessing Guiness which of course is popular in JA but they have the much stronger export brew.
Thanks for posting
So the Go-Feet vinyl is the international mix? I have that and the Blood and Fire double CD but I still lack all I need?! I’ll have a look and see how much it is. I’m sure you will have heard Zara McFarlane’s version of Fisherman, which I really like.
A moving story, Dread. I’m sorry that you have lost so many friends. I have only got Handsworth Revolution so I should look for some more Steel Pulse.
I’ve just seen that the Sound of Vinyl is selling the three LP Marley, Uprising set at a discount (£23.99 instead of £30.99). I think I will pass as I got the expanded version of the Live album on vinyl and it doesn’t sound great compared to my original release.
Hi Clive,
Yes the Go Feet vinyl is the international mix, but the first mix iirc was very rare outside JA. It’s worth getting the 3CD expanded version for the first mix even if you have the Blood & Fire, I think disc 3 of the expanded version also has material not found on the B&F.
Thanks, yes I have Zara Mcfarlanes album that includes her lovely cover of Fisherman. I have her first two albums and love her fusing of Jazz vocal with her JA heritage. Highly recommended
Steel Pulse are consistently good and one of the best Reggae bands performing Live, all their albums are good.
I would recommend approaching their albums chronologically, the line up has changed a lot over the years but core members David Hinds & Sidney Mills have kept the band fresh and vital.
Alternatively, Sound System The Island Anthology is a good double CD set compiled from their first three albums for Island and augment that with the unfortunately titled Smash Hits compilation which covers some of their later albums
Good discography here
Steel Pulse Discography
http://www.andybrouwer.co.uk/disc.html
If you do CD’s, for a really good low cost BMW set look no further than
The Complete Island Recordings
A great set at a bargain price, no frills, bonus tracks etc it’s the albums as they were originally released on LP in a neat little clamshell box and mini replica sleeves, good sound too.
Its proved popular with forum members on the WYLT2021 thread
Thanks, but I bought all but one or two of those on vinyl as they were released and a few of the deluxe double CDs as well.
