Michael Smith - Mi Cyann Believe It (UMG/Island re issue 2023)
I saw that UMG are re issuing ten albums for Black History Month including this absolute Jamaican Dub Poetry classic. So yesterday I dug out my original 1982 press of the album, see the link for the info and more about Michael Smith that I posted yesterday…
Anyway the re issue piqued my interest as these titles are cut and mastered at Abbey Rd and this one has been extended with four of the instrumental cuts produced by Dennis Bovell with The Dub Band, members of Aswad and others.
Perhaps predictably its not as good sounding as my original and the instrumental cuts I note are tagged on to the end of each side and sound like there cut at slightly less volume to the rest of the album which make them sound a little anti climactic.
On its own merit the sound is probably OK and the pressing is good, so probably still worth checking in the abscence of a good clean original, especially if Dub Poetry like Linton Kwesi Johnson, Mutabaruka etc is up your street.
I haven’t played my 1973 vinyl for quite some time, but it never sounded this good.
It’s quite remarkable how right they got this pressing and yet how wrong they got the recent Animals release.
This is absolutely perfect
Linton Kwesi Johnson - Independant Intavenshan (Island Chronicles 2CD)
More crucial Dub Poetry from the great LKJ aided and abetted by The Dub Band with Dennis Bovell at the controls.
Superb cherry pick of LKJ’s recordings for Island.
