Only Roots Vinyl & CDs

Review: Reissued via Only Roots in full, rejuvenated form, Rockers Meets King Tubbys In A Firehouse is a dub studio album by Augustus Pablo and King Tubby, first released in 1980. "Fire House" is a reference to the Waterhouse section of Kingston, where King Tubby's studio was located; however, one could consider it a double-entendre, not least since the only place to safely record such incendiary music is in a proverbial "fire station", otherwise all manner of fiery dub hell would presumably break loose. With the likes of Mickey "Boo" Richards, Leroy Wallace and Albert Malawi on drums, Robbie Shakespeare on bass guitar, and Earl "Chinna" Smith on guitar - together credited as the Rocking All Stars - the group conspire to produce such well-sculpted dub firebombs as 'Jah Say Dub' and 'Zion Is A Home'. This new reissue comes in the crispest quality yet, and once again rejumbles the original tracklist slightly.

Review: Only Roots has head into 2014 in busy fashion with several new7"s all dropping to keep dub lovers in a happy mood. This one tackles the delightful Marie Bowie, who was produced by Barry Biggs for 'It's My House'. It's a soul drenched sound with her vocals adding all the lovestruck vibes you need next to plenty of sunny melodies. On the flip is 'House In Dub' which is a killer dub in its own right but if you prefer this without the vocal, you have us worried.

Review: Only Roots Records continues to delve into the bulging vaults of Randy's Records, an imprint set up by producer Vincent Chin. He's naturally at the controls on this two-tracker by long-serving Jamaican vocal group the Gaylads. Both cuts date from 1970, though for one reason or another they were never given a commercial release. A-side 'Wha Sha Do Now' is a sweet rocksteady number in which the group's harmonic, rhythm & blues-influenced vocals rise above a fine rhythm rich in Hammond organ and deep bass. Arguably even better is flipside 'I Love The Reggae', a fuzzier and more up-tempo celebration of reggae culture that has all the makings of a future scene anthem.

Review: Legendary dancehall and reggae artist Barrington Levy started out with a fine run of albums in his early years, and then switched to serving up a steady and solid stream of singles. Some of the most famous ones include "Even Tide Fire a Disaster" and "I'm Not in Love", as well as "You Have It" which is presented here as a nice extended version. It features a pained vocal over a fat and dumpy groove with some tropical percussion and warming chords to help oil the mood. GG's All Stars step up on the flip with a version that is heavy and lazy in all the right ways.

Review: A fascinating, previously unreleased collaborative dub effort from Richie Mac with Augustus Pablo. The introductory melodic twinkles are generated using god-knows-how synth trickery, whilst Mac's full-bodied stage vocals address the pressing issues that may never leave us, and yet which may never fail to affect us. "Tired of living in poverty, seems there's still chains around me... we're going all out, all out, making a sacrifice..." Note that Pablo's dub version is known as 'Lightning And Thunder' and is well-known already - it's Mac's vocal version that's the rarity we were waiting for.

Review: This laid-back dub 45 offers a seamless blend of positive vibes and deep rhythms. Side-1 features a classic reggae track with a powerful, uplifting message of unity. Mundell's smooth vocals are complemented by a steady, groovy rhythm that captures the essence of roots reggae. Side-2 takes the message to a more instrumental and dub-infused space, with the track being heavily dubbed out, showcasing intricate rhythms, echo effects and atmospheric layers. The dub version allows the music to breathe, emphasizing its meditative and expansive qualities. A perfect pairing for dub and reggae enthusiasts.

Review: Delroy Williams dropped plenty of reggae heat back throughout the 1970s, 1980s and on into the 90s. He has a buttery smooth voice and often layers it up over dub with digital sounds and sleek synths, such as here. 'Keep Loving' is one of his best from back in 1989 and now it arrives again via Only Roots on this fresh 7". The original on the A-side is mid-tempo and fresh, with clean drums and crisp hits and squelchy bass underlining it all. The version allows that futuristic production to really shine through.

Review: Any real reggae fans will be familiar with the work of Delroy Williams. He was very active throughout the 1970s, 1980s and on into the 90s and this month has a few reissues dropping. This one comes on Only Roots and features his loving and loving 'Hear Say' on the a-side. It's got a languid and loose low end and is pure sunshine music. On the flip is Revolutionaries with 'Hear Say' (dub) which dials back the vocal and adds plenty of studio effects.