One of many
exceptional politically charged dub albums from Adrian Sherwood’s most
excellent On-U Sound stable of artists, End of The Century Party brings
together a wide and diverse array of talent. From the ex-Sugarhill house band
trio of bassist Doug Wimbish, guitarist Skip “Little Axe” McDonald, and the
beats programmer/multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Keith Le Blanc
(collectively aka Tackhead), to ex-PiLsters Jah Wobble and Keith Levene, to roots
merchants such as the late Bim Sherman and Style Scott’s Dub Syndicate, plus a
host of other label luminaries. Throw in an ex-roofer (allegedly) from Bristol
with a loud hailer voice, one Gary Clail, have Sherwood himself take care of
the mixing and production, and well … you’ve got an irresistibly potent brew.
Who cares that
they decided to celebrate the end of the century a decade or so early?
Clail and Tackhead
had worked together before, most notably on an album called Tackhead Tape Time
(1987), but also when Clail was employed as a ranting/chanting/toasting MC with
a live/touring version of the band. On End of The Century Party however, it’s Clail
who takes centre stage, and this album to some extent acted as the launching
pad for an otherwise sporadic “solo” career which included four more
full-length releases – Emotional Hooligan (1991), Dreamstealers (1993), Keep
The Faith (1995), and Nail It To The Mast (2014). Rumour has it another one is
due in 2019, but I can’t be sure about that.
End of The Century
Party combines helpings of techno, dub, funk, sampling, and spoken word (though
not necessarily rap), with large chunks of social commentary and a set of
highly politicised lyrics. Themes include vegetarianism (on ‘Beef’), corporate
corruption (on ‘Two Thieves And A Liar’ – with specific targets being
Stockbrokers, Accountants, and Lawyers – you decide who’s what), dreaded
privatisation (on ‘Privatise The Air’ – parts 1 and 2), and of course, football
(a particular passion of Sherwood’s as expressed on ‘Leroy Leroy’).
‘Beef’, later
released as a single and given a bpm boost, and also included on Clail’s
Emotional Hooligan album, is probably the best known track for non-On-U Sound
devotees, but the rootsy dub of ‘Two Thieves’ and the quite phenomenal ‘A Man’s
Place On Earth’ are the stand-out moments for me.
If you’re a fan of
Adrian Sherwood and/or Gary Clail and/or Tackhead, or the On-U Sound label
itself, you’ll likely already have this album. If you’re not yet a convert, but
keen to learn what all the fuss was about, then this is a great place to start.
It’s fair to say
that one of my most anticipated album releases of early 2019 is the seventh
instalment in On-U Sound’s Pay It All Back series.
Earlier this
month, some 23 years after the release of the volume six, the label announced a
March 29 release date for the unveiling of a mouth-watering volume seven. Here’s
the blurb from the On-U Sound Bandcamp page (where you can also pre-order, here):
“An 18 track showcase of new Adrian
Sherwood productions featuring previews of several forthcoming On-U releases,
unique mixes, deep cuts, and unreleased tracks from Roots Manuva, Lee “Scratch”
Perry, Coldcut, Gary Lucas (Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band), Mark Stewart,
Horace Andy and more. The long-awaited latest instalment in the legendary On-U
sampler series that first emerged in 1984. In the classic tradition of the
series the tracks are stitched together with a number of special pirate radio
style segueways, making for a unique journey through the modern world of On-U
Sound! Both vinyl and CD editions come with a fully illustrated and annotated
On-U catalogue, track exclusive to physical formats and is presented in a
gorgeous colour-printed kraft board sleeve.”
The full Pay It
All Back set, volumes one through six, is the only long running compilation
series - on any label - I’ve managed collect in its entirety in the same format
… only on CD, sadly, although I had at least one, if not two, of the early
volumes on vinyl back in the day.
With the first six
volumes having provided an in-depth overview of the label’s first decade, and
nothing since 1996, volume seven is more than just a little overdue.
There have, of
course, been many other Adrian Sherwood and On-U compilation releases during that
period, but the Pay It All Back series remains the most definitive. Up until
1996, at least.
In anticipation of
the forthcoming addition, I’ve compiled a How to Buy On-U Sound (collections)
guide, and although every On-U devotee would add and delete as applicable to
create a completely different set of favourites, the ten releases listed below
all take pride of place in my own collection, roughly in order of preference.
How to Buy On-U
Sound …
15 Years in an
Open Boat (1997)
Although each Pay
It All Back volume comes with its own unique set of charms, 15 Years in an Open
Boat is perhaps the only collection to trump them all, and it currently ranks
as the most comprehensive On-U Sound overview to date, covering off the label’s
first - and surely most important - 15 year period. 29 tracks across two CDs
and/or LPs. As such, we get everything from Prince Far I’s seminal ‘Virgin’ (of
1982), through to Sherwood’s mid-90s work with the likes of Little Axe, Audio
Active, and 2 Badcard. It also ticks boxes for the hugely significant Tackhead
(‘What’s My Mission Now?’), Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry (‘Jungle’), Dub Syndicate (four
tracks), and many others along the way. 15 Years in an Open Boat is an absolute
essential for any self-respecting On-U collector.
Pay It All Back
Volume Three (1991)
My pick of the Pay
It All Back bunch. Just. It opens with Strange Parcels’ ‘Disconnection’ and it doesn’t
relent across 17 FX-drenched Sherwood masterpieces. Perry and Dub Syndicate again
feature, the latter with another three gems, but there’s also arguable career
highpoints on this one for key Sherwood sidekick Gary Clail with ‘False
Leader’, and the much loved Little Annie, aka Annie Anxiety, with ‘I Think of
You’. Naturally there’s some Barmy Army (two tracks), African Head Charge, Mark
Stewart, and the late, always missed, never forgotten, Bim Sherman, who closes
proceedings with ‘Nightmare’. This one is pretty much the equivalent of an On-U
“Who’s Who” of the label’s roster as things stood at the end of its first
decade.
Pay It All Back
Volume Two (1988)
Where it all
started for me, on vinyl, and while the On-U Bandcamp page appears to insist that
Volume Two is short and sweet at just nine tracks in length, the album in hard
copy form (CD) consists of 16 tracks, most showcasing Sherwood’s love of reggae
at the rootsy end of the spectrum; opening with Perry & Dub Syndicate’s
‘Train To Doomsville’, and closing with Dr Pablo’s melodica-driven ‘Red Sea’. Everything
in between is a genuine On-U classic. Highlights include two Bim Sherman
collaborations, with Singers & Players on ‘Run Them Away’, and Dub
Syndicate on ‘Haunting Ground’. Singers & Players back Prince Far I on two
tracks, and Far I’s own, immortal, ‘Bedward The Flying Preacher’ is another obvious
stand-out. There’s two great contributions from African Head Charge, and three
Mark Stewart/Maffia offerings across the second half.
Sherwood At The
Controls Volume 2 1985-1990 (2016)
A recent raiding
of the On-U archives from just a couple of years back. I thought the most
important aspect of the two recent Sherwood At The Controls releases - will
there be more in this series? - was the way each one highlighted the label’s evolution
from its earliest post-punk roots, and this volume serves to showcase
Sherwood’s early forays into a fledgling form of industrial EDM with tracks
from the likes of Mark Stewart (with ‘Hypnotized 12 Mix’), Tackhead (‘Mind at
the End of the Tether’), Keith Le Blanc (‘These Sounds’), Ministry (‘All Day
Remix’), and KMFDM (‘Don’t Blow Your Top’). But the dub/reggae staples - Perry,
Dub Syndicate, Sherman, and AHC - also feature prominently enough, and At The
Controls Volume 2 at its best presents a hybrid mix of all of the genres Sherwood
found himself tinkering with across the late 80s. Which means this one is
perhaps the most eclectic of all the albums featured on this list.
Pay It All Back
Volume Four (1993)
The importance to
Sherwood and On-U Sound over the years of key individuals like bassist Doug
Wimbish and guitarist Skip McDonald can never be overstated, and their
omnipresence is the most immediately obvious thing about the material found on
Volume Four: collectively, individually, or as key members of Strange Parcels -
effectively Tackhead in disguise - with that collective contributing five out
of the 14 tracks on offer. Elsewhere, we get McDonald, aka Little Axe, in a
“solo” guise with ‘Hammerhead’, and in partnership with Wimbish on ‘Stop The
Clock Part 2’ ... all of that before we even start on the duo’s involvement
with various other On-U projects - see Barmy Army, Dub Syndicate etc. And
McDonald is credited with co-production on ten tracks here. Curiously enough
though, my choice cut from Volume Four has to be the Norman Grant-produced
Twinkle Brothers dub-with-strings extravaganza that is ‘Don’t Betray Me’. A
shout out, also, to the mournful social commentary of Jalal’s ‘Mankind’.
On-U Sound - Dub
Xperience: The Dread Operators (1996)
Given that it was
released on Cleopatra Records, and includes material lifted from the Cherry Red
imprint, pesky purists might insist this one’s not authentic to the On-U label,
but one quick glance at the track-list should be enough to quell the concern of
any sceptic; things don’t get much more early On-U Sound than Creation Rebel - Eskimo
Fox, Style Scott, Sherwood, et al - with five tracks, including two co-credits with
New Age Steppers, or Singers & Players, with four tracks, including ‘Autobiography
(Dread Operator)’, which serves as an opener and title track. Prince Far I
features with ‘Quante Jubila’, and Voice of Authority, effectively Sherwood
himself, is there with ‘Middle East Power Station’. However you wish to frame
it, Dub Xperience: The Dread Operators, is pure foundation-era On-U Sound, and
a few years after its release as a standalone document, compiler Matt Green saw
fit to include it as one third of a wider On-U Sound box set, also released on
Cleopatra.
Pay It All Back
Volume One (1985)
The first release
in the Pay It All Back series, yet one I was forced to work my way back to
after buying all the rest, given its relatively rare status for the decade or
so after its release (here in New Zealand, pre-internet, at least). A couple of
tracks featuring here would resurface again on Volume Two - it probably depends
on what release/version/format is being discussed - but obviously Volume One was
crucial in that it meticulously covered off the label’s earliest output. Which
means it contains some of Sherwood’s most rudimentary and experimental
production work. The sort of stuff fans of the label would later come to know
(and love) as easily identifiable signature moments - his explorative use of space,
echo FX, and sampling, being at its most raw and cutting edge during this
phase. Highlights include Dub Syndicate’s ‘Must Be Dreaming’, and African Head
Charge’s ‘Timbuktu Express’, but there’s state-of-the-art work too from Singers
& Players, New Age Steppers, and Mark Stewart’s Maffia.
Sherwood At The
Controls Volume 1 1979-1984 (2015)
At The Controls
Volume 1 was all about excavating some of the super early Sherwood stuff that
might otherwise have been forgotten about. Again, as with the template or
formula explored further on Volume 2, it brings into sharp focus Sherwood’s
links with punk, new wave, and post-punk; bands like The Fall (with ‘Middle
Mass’), The Slits (‘Man Next Door’), and Shriekback (‘Mistah Linn He Dead’)
take pride of place, all blending seamlessly with the obligatory portions of
dub on offer here - see work offered by the usual suspects, Prince Far I,
Singers & Players, and African Head Charge. Naturally, Mark Stewart’s
seminal ‘Learning to Cope with Cowardice’ is right at home, and Vivien
Goldman’s album closer, ‘Private Armies Dub’, will doubtlessly be of some interest
to trainspotter types. For my money, this one is not quite as listenable as
Volume 2, but it’s a hugely important document all the same.
Pay It All Back
Volume Six (1996)
From a personal
listening/consumer perspective, Volume Six was all too quickly overshadowed by
the release of the more expansive 15 Years in an Open Boat set (see above) the
following year. Had I known at the time that it would be the last Pay It All
Back release for nearly quarter of a century, I might have been inclined to
give it a little more ear/air time and love. I did, however, give Audio
Active’s ‘Paint Your Face Red’, and Bim Sherman’s ‘It Must Be A Dream’, plenty
of long-term love, and although it probably won’t be a universally popular
choice amongst hardcore On-U devotees, I think ‘Japanese Record’ is something
close to the best track Dub Syndicate ever recorded. They’re all highlights
here. At just 12 tracks, in relation to other releases in the series, Volume
Six was a relatively brief offering.
Pay It All Back
Volume Five (1995)
Hmmm. Keen
observers will note the album cover I’ve posted above is rather different to
the more widely recognised/official On-U cover for Volume Five. That’s because,
in order to stay true to my own collection, I’ve posted the Restless Records
(US) version. And while I’ve always been vaguely aware that my Restless Records
Pay It All Back was a black sheep in terms of sleeves, it was only in the
course of writing this blogpost that I became aware of the inconsistencies
within the track-listing for each version … I’m not sure of the issues
surrounding licensing, but the Restless Records release includes 2 Badcard’s
‘Rock To Sleep’ instead of ‘Weed Specialist’, Gary Clail’s ‘Another Hard Man’
instead of ‘One Flesh And Blood’, and Tackhead’s ‘Laws Of Repetition’ rather
than Doug Wimbish’s ‘Life In Arena (version 1)’ … all of that said, this
volume’s highlights come in the form of Dub Syndicate’s ‘Roots Commandment’,
and Bim Sherman’s ‘Can I Be Free (From Crying)’, which are among the ten (of
13) tracks included on both editions.
Of course, this is
a far from complete “how to buy On-U” guide, and with a focus only on
collections or compilation releases, I’ve ignored so many gems within the wider
catalogue - terrific albums released by Perry, Tackhead, Dub Syndicate, Audio
Active, African Head Charge, and Sherwood in a “solo” guise, to name just a few
- but I may yet cover off a few of those in a future blogpost … for now it’s all
about looking forward to Pay It All Back Volume Seven, and an appreciation of just
how we got here in the first place ...
It’s that time
again. Time to revisit some of the albums that made the biggest impression on
everythingsgonegreen across 2018. The obligatory year-end “best of”, or in the
case of this blog, those albums that got the most ear-time on my pod throughout
the year. There’ll have been better albums released in 2018 than the ones
listed below, for sure, no doubt, but if they didn’t make their way into my
collection then they won’t have made the cut here. These are simply the “new”
albums I own copies of and listened to the most, no more, no less: 10. Cat Power -
Wanderer I’ve endured an
on-again off-again relationship with Chan Marshall’s music over the years, so I
couldn’t really call myself anything other than a fair weather fan. But I
thought Wanderer was a welcome return to form for an artist who hasn’t had her
problems to seek over the past decade or so. It was certainly one of the more
unexpected additions to my collection, and an album that kept growing in
stature with each and every listen. Wanderer felt like a very deliberate return
to the basics which served Marshall so well when she first emerged a couple of
decades ago: strong songwriting, subtle hooks, simple structure and
arrangements ... all geared to place emphasis firmly back on that sultry, seductive
vocal. It was a very consistent set, with no real stand-out tracks, apart from
the Lana Del Rey collaboration on ‘Woman’, which might just be something close
to a career highpoint. A mature piece of work that possibly flew under the
radar of all but her most committed fans. It didn’t get a full review on the
blog but the above should suffice. 9. Darren Watson -
Too Many Millionaires I can’t pretend to
be all that knowledgeable about the blues, but I know enough to appreciate the
fact that Wellington’s own Darren Watson is a serious talent. Too Many
Millionaires is merely the latest in a long line of releases to prove that
point. My review can be found here. 8. Dub Syndicate -
Displaced Masters I try to grab at
least one release from the On-U Sound catalogue every year. I’m a man of
routine and habit, and some 30-year-old habits can be hard to shake. Plus, I
know what I like, and I like what I know. This one is a late 2017 release, of
sorts, but as I was quite late getting to it, I’ll include it here regardless.
Great for On-U devotees, but it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. My review can be found here. 7. The Breeders -
All Nerve I wasn’t too
impressed with All Nerve after my first couple of listens. In fact, I recall
messaging a friend much earlier this year to say “the new Breeders is just like
the old Breeders, but not in a good way” ... as though I was expecting some
kind of revelatory experience. Labouring with the belief that somehow the band
would show signs of progression, or somehow offer something different from the
tried and trusted MO used on EVERY other Breeders album. But with false
expectation being the mother of all disappointment, I then decided to just
relax and enjoy the album for what it was. And it turned out to be another genuine
grower. Familiarity became anything but contempt, just feelings of warmth,
comfort, and a much fuller appreciation of a damned fine rock n roll album. An
uncomplicated rock n roll album. A stop-start fast-slow hybrid of fuzz, surf,
and power pop guitar. Everything I could realistically expect from the return
of the band’s Last Splash-era peak line-up. So yes, not a lot different from
the old Breeders, but still a bloody good album. Another one that didn’t get a
full review on the blog. 6. Marlon Williams
- Make Way For Love It wasn’t so much
a breakthrough year for Marlon Williams because he’d already achieved that
much, but he did win best solo artist and album of the year at the NZ Music
Awards, plus a highly coveted Silver Scroll. My review for Make Way For Love is here. 5. The Cure - Torn
Down Another year
drifts by without any new music from the still active and touring Robert Smith.
But there was this, Torn Down, a Record Store Day special. A fresh set of Smith
remixes of old material, and a belated sister release for 1990’s Mixed Up. That
will have to do. Truth be told, I loved it, and my review is here. A review,
incidentally, that was the blog’s most read/hit “new” post of 2018. 4. Thievery
Corporation - Treasures From The Temple From all accounts
- not least the word from the duo itself - Treasures From The Temple is
supposed to be a “companion” release to last year’s largely overlooked Thievery
Corporation album, Temple of I and I. Mostly because it’s a collection of
remixes and leftover work from the same recording sessions. But it’s also a
whole lot more than that rather underwhelming description would suggest. It’s
an immaculately produced, eclectic mix of reggae, dub, hip hop, synthpop, and
electronica that defies any real definitive genre categorisation. You could
argue that the music of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton (plus assorted associates)
hasn’t really evolved much since the release of the duo’s 1996 downtempo
classic (debut) Sounds From The Thievery Hi-Fi, yet the formula applied back
then still works today. The best of the plethora of guest vocalists who feature
include rapper Mr Lif, reggae dude Notch, and the divine Racquel Jones. One
small reservation: the glossy production and sheen on a couple of roots reggae
tracks somewhat detracts from the authenticity of those vibes. It may have
worked better if they’d left some grit or dirt in there. No full review on the
blog for this one either. 3. Moby -
Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurt This one is a bit
deep and cynical in places and I’m not really sure why I’ve grown to love it as
much as I have. Is it because of those traits, or in spite of them? Whatever,
if it wasn’t exactly a comeback album for Moby (who remains prolific), it
certainly heralded the return of his music to my own cynical and frequently
insular world. Reviewed here. 2. The Beths -
Future Me Hates Me 2018 could hardly
have gone better for The Beths; extensive touring, a well received debut album,
and massive amounts of barely anticipated global exposure. My review of the superb Future Me Hates Me is here. 1. Antipole -
Perspectives Perspectives
tapped into my often suppressed love of all things dark and dramatic. It’s an
album of remixes, drawing its source material from Antipole’s late 2017 release,
Northern Flux (reviewed here). I didn’t manage to give Perspectives a review on
the blog because it arrived in early November and I’ve spent the past six weeks
or so fully absorbing it. Fully immersing myself in it. I think my familiarity
with Northern Flux - which is effectively a stripped back version - only
enhanced my enjoyment of Perspectives, with the remix album adding depth and
texture to a set of tunes I had already fallen in love with. There’s a fair
amount of additional percussion and synth thrown into the mix on a lot of these
tracks, layers of the stuff even. And more generally, there’s an extra edge to
the production not always evident on the original album. Although Northern Flux
comes with its own standalone charms, of course. Perspectives includes remix
work from the likes of Ash Code, Delphine Coma, Kill Shelter, Warsaw Pact, and
Reconverb, to name just a few. I knew nothing of Antipole at the start of 2018,
but discovering the band, and then digging further into the Unknown Pleasures label
- and associated acts - opened up a whole new world. And yes, I realise it’s
probably a little unusual to have a remix release as my album of the year, but
I make up my own rules as I go along here in the padded cell that doubles as
the everythingsgonegreen office. Close but no funny
cigar: Through the first
half of the year Rhye’s Blood got a fair old workout, but ultimately the
chilled out take on soft-core disco was perhaps a little too lightweight to
stay the distance. Suede’s The Blue
Hour was yet another solid effort from one of my favourite bands of the past 25
years. Suede rarely falter, and this album was yet another quality addition to
the band’s extensive discography. First Aid Kit’s
Ruins held some appeal, before I decided it was all a little too similar to
Stay Gold, the band’s last full-length release from 2014. I remain a big fan of
the Söderberg sisters and their sweet border-defying harmonies. Local band
Armchair Insomniacs caught me by surprise with their eclectic self-titled
debut, which was highly polished and crammed full of great hooks. Where the
hell have they been hiding? (Reviewed here) Also flying a
little under the radar - for all but committed club fiends - was the
globetrotting, sometime Auckland-based DJ Frank Booker, who raided his own
archives to digitally release two disco-drenched mini-albums, Sleazy Beats and
the Untracked Collection. Both on Bandcamp, both superb. Sleazy Beats qualifies
as my short album or EP of the year.
There were plenty
of reissues, retrospectives, and deluxe releases to catch my eye (and ear)
across 2018, my own favourite addition being a toss up between Yazoo’s box set
Four Pieces (the duo’s two albums plus demos and remixes), and Bronski Beat’s
Age of Consent deluxe. The Yazoo release probably edges it on account of the
volume and variety it offered. Compilation of the
year - the inspired and long overdue late 2017 collection of New Zealand
disco-era classics and not-so-classics, Heed The Call, reviewed here. Gig of the year? I
didn’t get along to as many gigs as usual this year, but with a focus on
quality over quantity I can’t really say I missed anything - or anyone - I
really wanted to see. For my money, for the night, the vibe, and the company,
it’s hard to go past Pitch Black’s sonic dub-driven extravaganza at San Fran in
Wellington in mid-March. Reviewed here. In terms of
cinema-going experiences, unlike last year, I can’t really hand-on-heart say
there were any music-related films that held much appeal for me in 2018. And I
include Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star Is Born in that assessment. But of the
films I did see and enjoy, Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing
Missouri was probably the pick of an otherwise quite limited bunch. And although
it was a late 2017 release, and I didn’t catch it in a theatre, I thought Paul
McGuigan’s Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool had easily the best soundtrack of
all the films I viewed during the year. Right. That’s
that, annual stocktake completed. Happy festive things and thanks for reading in
2018 …
The On-U Sound
vaults are vast and deep. We already know this. Over the years we’ve seen
dozens upon dozens of examples of those vaults being explored and excavated, be
it to remaster or reissue past work, or to exhume unheard or previously shelved
material in the name of a brand new album. Adrian Sherwood and his team are
masters in the art of digging deep into the label’s archives in order to access
the good stuff. And there’s an awful lot of good stuff. The sort of work that
many other labels would have been only too happy to release in its original
form years ago.
In the case of Dub
Syndicate’s Displaced Masters - released at the tail end of 2017 - it’s a case
of returning to the master tapes and out-takes of some of that collective’s
best known work. Releasing it here in all of its stripped, raw, and unfussy
glory. And of all the artists to grace On-U Sound across the decades, Dub
Syndicate are/were perhaps the most prolific, so if you’re a fan of the label,
you’ll likely have heard the enhanced (previously released) versions of most of
this album’s material before. What we get here are the alternate dubs and tunes
from the first four Dub Syndicate albums in their naked and purest forms. Tunes like
‘Haunted Ground’ which became ‘Haunting Ground’ upon its eventual release.
Featuring, of course, the late great Bim Sherman. Or ‘All Other Roads Are Shut
Off’, which morphed into ‘No Alternative (But To Fight)’, featuring Dr Pablo
(and Maggie Thatcher). Indeed, check out Dr Pablo’s ‘Red Sea Dub’, the stripped
back slice of melodica heaven which closes proceedings here - the finished product having
featured on his acclaimed 1984 collaborative effort with Dub Syndicate, North
of the River Thames. Displaced Masters
won’t appeal to all. It’s fascinating for fans of the label to hear these
tracks in their most rudimentary forms, great for fans of Dub Syndicate, and
Sherwood completists, but it will, by definition, hold less appeal for non
converts. That’s the nature of a beast like this. Some might even call it the
dreaded (no pun) acquired taste, given that most of it showcases Sherwood’s
production at its most experimental, and right at the very start of a steep
learning trajectory. Personally, I’m a
real sucker for this stuff, and Displaced Masters is yet another worthy
addition to my already rather extensive On-U Sound collection.
I ordered the CD/T-shirt bundle for this release as long ago as March (a
pre-order for a June release), so my excitement when the package turned up in
my letterbox last week was palpable. I may be a grizzled middle-aged man, but
my inherent ability to revert back to "kid in a sweet shop" mode
right on cue really is quite remarkable at times.
Of course, that's really just another way of saying that anyone hoping
for a balanced or objective review of the latest On-U Sound compilation release
will probably be best served going to another site. The second volume of Adrian Sherwood's At The Controls series showcases
a selection of the On-U label's extensive archives from the period 1985 to
1990. It's a follow-up to last year's impressive first instalment, which
featured producer/label guru Sherwood's work from 1979 to 1984. More generally
this release covers what was arguably Sherwood's most productive period, and
highlights the man's uncanny ability to sprinkle fairy dust across a variety of
different musical genres.
As such, hard-edged industrial post-punk electronica from the likes of
Mark Stewart ('Hypnotised' 12-inch) and KMFDM ('Don't Blow Your Top') sits
comfortably alongside the heavy funk beats of Tackhead ('Mind At The End Of The
Tether') and Doug Wimbish & Fats Comet ('Don't Forget That Beat').
Naturally there's the obligatory helping of dub (roots/reggae and
electro) with tunes from Lee Perry ('Music & Science Madness'), Bim Sherman
(a stripped back dub version of 'Haunting Ground'), African Head Charge ('Hold
Some'), plus a couple of tracks from label stalwarts Dub Syndicate ... although
one of those is little more than a short interlude, effectively paying tribute
to label legend Style Scott, R.I.P.
Other highlights include the so-very-Eighties politically-charged early
hip hop of The Beatnigs with 'Television' ("it's the drug of the
nation"), which features a pre-Spearhead Michael Franti. There’s a genuine
synthpop relic from pre-hard industrial era (read: pre-heroin) Ministry with
'All Day', and Pankow's completely bent but still wonderful take on Prince's
'Girls And Boys'.
Contributions from Tackhead drummer and frequent co-conspirator Keith Le
Blanc, ex-anarcho-punks Flux, Afro-German outfit The Unknown Cases, plus the otherwise
little known Italians, Rinf, take the track-listing up to a generous 16 cuts in
total - or just over 72 minutes of listening pleasure all up.
And yet, despite the wide variety of artists and styles merged together
for this compilation - as with the first volume - nothing feels out of place. Every
track is drenched in Sherwood signature moments - be it his absolute
understanding and mastery of space through the use of echo FX or reverb, be it
the careful placement of a politically-motivated sample or three, or be it some
other odd sound-shape or subtle bass drop just when it's least expected. This
is Sherwood at the controls, as uncompromising as always, and operating at
something of a career peak.
Finally, the quality of the liner notes - not always an On-U label
strength - was a nice surprise. The CD release comes with a booklet containing
a very comprehensive set of notes, which provide some of the best commentary
I've yet read about this remarkable label. There's a good selection of rarely
seen photos - including one of a young Sherwood, with hair.
Oh, and I love the Tee, black with the album cover design, even if it is
somewhat tighter fitting than I had anticipated it would be … three months clearly
being an unruly length of time in the life of your blogger's ever expanding
waistline.
I can hardly wait for the next volume already. Make mine an XL.
Here’s Tackhead’s ‘Mind at The End of The Tether’ ...
Now we’ve lost Lincoln ‘Style’
Scott, better known simply as Style Scott, drummer and riddim guru extraordinaire.
Having emerged in the Seventies
as a key member of the legendary Roots Radics, one of Jamaica’s most prominent backing
bands, Scott worked alongside many of the greats of Jamaican music over the course
of his life. I think his best work was reserved for Adrian Sherwood’s On-U
Sound label, as the driving force (with Sherwood) behind Creation Rebel and Dub
Syndicate, who provided so many great riddims for the likes of Prince Far I,
Bim Sherman, and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, among many others. Scott also operated
his own label, Lion & Roots.
Details of his death are
sketchy at present, reports coming out of Jamaica suggest the 58-year-old was
murdered at his home.
Going way back, here’s a
tune from the missing channel, ‘Geoffrey Boycott’ …
