Title
Artist
Label
Format
Date
   Album review
The King Tubby Tapes
Horace Andy
Charm-Jet Star
2CD
10 - 12 - 2002


Tracking list


Disc 1

  1. Set Me Free
  2. It Grieve My Heart
  3. Jah Is The One
  4. Leaders Of Babylon
  5. Do Right
  6. Liberation
  7. I Love My Life
  8. Soddom & Gomorrah
  9. I've Been Around
  10. Pure Rankin
  11. Natural Mystic
  12. Totally Free
  13. Modern Babylon
Disc 2

  1. Set Me Dub
  2. It Grieve My Dub
  3. Dub Is The One
  4. Leader Of Dub
  5. Dub Right
  6. Liberation Dub
  7. I Love My Dub
  8. Dub Gomorrah
  9. Dubbing Around
  10. Pure Dubbing
  11. Natural Mystic Dub
  12. Totally Dub
  13. Modern Dub
Rating : from 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor)

Vocals : 4/5 Backing : 5 Production : 5 Sound quality : 4 Sleeve : 4


Lots of previously unreleased music from the seventies has emerged in recent years including recordings apparently retrieved from King Tubby's studio. Now here's a double-cd set from London-based Charm-Jet Star entitled "The King Tubby Tapes" featuring Horace Andy's minimal, proto-dancehall set "Pure Ranking" on CD1 and the accompanying dubs from Tubby’s priceless archive on CD2. However, if you're looking for the great Tubb's signature sounds you won't find them here. The dubs gathered on disc two are mixed by one of King Tubby's apprentices, most likely Prince Jammy. On the production side of things the credits go to King Tubby, Brad Osborne and Horace Andy himself. As already mentioned disc one comprises tracks from Horace Andy's "Pure Ranking" album with two tracks that never appeared on the original "Pure Ranking" set, namely "Leaders Of Babylon" and "Do Right". Horace Andy - real name Horace Hinds - is a prolific Jamaican singer, songwriter and guitarist who has been making records for over 35 years. He first came to the attention of the world at the age of 19 when he recorded for Coxsone Dodd's renown Studio One. After a long spell at Studio One he started working with hit producer Bunny "Striker" Lee and also Phil Pratt, Keith Hudson, Tappa Zukie and Everton Da Silva. In the late seventies Horace Andy recorded the excellent "Pure Ranking" which became an instant hit and lent its name to an album, first released by Clocktower Records' Brad Osborne. The rest of the tracks almost match "Pure Ranking" and thus we're treated to a superb collection of songs from Horace Andy, who delivers insightful, conscious lyrics over some real tough backing riddims. A number of his songs ("It Grieve My Heart", "Jah Is The One", "Liberation" and "Natural Mystic") use riddims also utilized for the Prince Jammy produced "Love Crisis" album from Black Uhuru. The dubs are more or less instrumental dub versions as none of them have the vocals of Horace Andy floating in and out the mix. A pity but nevertheless very enjoyable 'cause the sound is truly massive.

Teacher & Mr. T.