Roots / Lovers Rock

Review: Jah Upton joins Lloyd Barnes and Prince Douglas at the desk for another must-have Bullwackies dub set, originally released in 1977. The music is drawn from tapes recorded at King Tubby's with the Soul Syndicate band, in 1974-75 (before Wackies' move to New York). Certain tracks were also voiced in JA - like Don Carlos' deadly Prepare Jah Man, available here and nowhere else, over a hallmark rhythm re-run on Wayne Jarrett's Bubble Up album. Other highlights include dubs of Wackies' deep Black Harmony rhythm, Joe Morgan's Basement Session, the Love Joys' I Belong To You (a Barry White homage issued on Versatile 7"), a Chosen Brothers and two great John Clarkes (including a version of In Search Of The Human Race which eclipses the Tafari single); also a dedication to the Chinese restaurant next door in White Plains Road.

Review: Around 1980, London-based Bullwackies fan Ed Brennan circulated amongst his friends a homemade cassette of his own favourite Wackies productions. In turn, Lloyd Barnes made his own selection from this Pirate's Choice - adding several debut cuts, but retaining Ed's title and much of his artwork (omitting the barcode which he had snipped from a can of drink!). Like the Coxsone re-appropriation, this makes for a superlative compilation. Lloyd Barnes trumps Ed Brennan throughout, kicking off with a killer one-off rhythm from the vaults, featuring Bobby Sarkie of The Immortals, before teaming Joy Card's 'Black Girl' (originally on 12") with a previously unreleased singjay version by Barrington Spence. Other highlights include Clive Hunt's reading of Wayne Jarrett's 'Darling Your Eyes', Joe 'No Equal Rights In A Babylon', Auxumite's 'Interpretation Of New Sensation' (by Wackies songwriting regular Andrew McCalla), and Sugar Minott singing beautifully over an exclusive horns mix of his 'Sometime Girl' 12". "From over 150 singles and 20 albums these 10 extracts are showing you the quality and range of Jah reggae music", as the cover puts it. Another master-class from Bullwackies country.