Lee Perry/Various: Voodooism

Lee Perry/Various - Voodooism
Pressure Sounds CD 009



"Voodooism" was Pressure Sounds' first compilation of the work of the legendary Lee "Scratch" Perry at his equally legendary Black Ark studio (the others which followed it are "Produced and Directed by the Upsetter" and "Divine Madness... Definitely"). The tracks on it are all 7" vinyl rarities from the mid to late 70s, and span a wide spectrum of the Upsetter's inimitable sonic innovations, while remaining firmly within a cohesive theme of deep, spiritual roots.

The CD opens appropriately devotionally with "Psalms 20" by James Booms (aka James Brown), a half-sung, half-spoken recitation of the psalm over a riddim that is a close cousin to that of "War In a Babylon", if not quite close enough to be considered a version of it. The B-side, "Proverbs of Dub", is a typical Upsetter skank with snippets of both lead and background vocals fading in and out of the mix; somewhat by the numbers, but none the worse for that as an example of the unmistakeable Black Ark sound.

Errol Walker (who recorded 2 other Black Ark classics, "In These Times" and "John Public", to be found on Island's monumental "Arkology" box set) contributes "Better Future", an impassioned plea for an end to racism and senseless violence over a suitably swirling and energy-charged mix. "There will come a time when everyone shall know the real meaning of love, what a day that shall be..." There is some very nice echo on the vocal snippets in the bass-heavy dub.

Zap Pow's "River" is a real treat for fans of the thick, swirling, psychedelic sound of the Black Ark - its multi-layered, keyboard-saturated mix flows like its namesake, with jazzy bits of trumpet and trombone floating alongside dreamy, laid-back vocals that nonetheless carry a distant urgency. Its dub, "River Stone", while almost stripped of vocals, goes even deeper into reverberating, smoke-like textures of sound. "Chillout" music long before that was a genre.

The urgency comes back in full force on Earl Sixteen's "Freedom", an uncompromisingly dread chant for liberation and tribute to those "putting up the freedom fight", with clashing, metronomic percussion creating a heavy steppers feel without sacrificing the subtleties of sound that only Scratch could create. Sadly the sound quality on this tune is not great, with noticeable vinyl crackle, especially on the flipside version, "Right You", but the strength of the song itself more than makes up for it. The echo-laden dub emphasises the guitar melody.

"Mash Down" by the Roots (not to be confused with the hip-hop group of the same name), is a moving downtempo harmony tune, with a wistful feel reminiscent of Horace Andy's "Rome". The lyrics have that quintessentially Jamaican mix of testimony to tribulation, Biblical piety and paradoxical optimism, with the strong yet fragile, emotion-laden vocals reminiscent of "country style" groups such as the Maytones or Mighty Diamonds.

The Hombres' "Africa" is a repatriation tune with a dignified strength and devotional lyrics making it feel like a pan-African national anthem. The riddim chugs head-noddingly along behind the vocal, with just enough dissonance to lighten the tone without making it seem incongruous. The dub doesn't do as much in terms of sonic experimentation as many others on this set, but still brings a satisfied smile to the face.

Leo Graham's "Voodooism" is a sprightly tale of resistance against malicious witchcraft, typifying Perry's phase of interest in occult topics, with its half-pious, half-boastful proclamation of faith in divine protection against meddlers and traitors. "Dubism", its version, like many of the others here, masterfully showcases the perfect blending of elements into a warm, organic whole of the Upsetter sound.

"African Style" by the Black Notes is a deep, heavy roots tune, with a dark, deep bass and spooky rattling and hissing sound effects as well as ominous one-note piano lines in the mix, perfectly suiting the passionate demand for casting off Eurocentrism and reclaiming African identity. "Take back your English speaking, and give I I and I teaching". The reverb-drenched dub emphasises the dread, foreboding vibe - classic Black Ark roots to stand alongside that of better-known names such as Junior Delgado or

"Rasta Train", by "Lee & Jimmy" (Perry, of course, and, most likely, Riley), has a very different vibe, with an almost digital-sounding metronomic bassline and Scratch's half-sung, half-scatted toasting accompanied by humming female backing vocals. (Jimmy Riley, despite being credited, is not obviously in evidence, and it's the same riddim, though a different recording of it, to Raphael Green and Dr Alimantado's tune of the same name on "Arkology".) The next track is credited as "Yagga Yagga", also by Lee & Jimmy, but is in fact the dub to "Many a Call" by the Unforgettables, the only major mistake on this set; it's a nice dub, but unremarkable as Black Ark dubs go.

Watty & Tony's "Rise and Shine", however, is one of the great Black Ark oddities - a traditional-sounding Nyabinghi-style chant with obscurely religious lyrics over a fairly minimal percussive riddim, but with spooky atonal piping that distinguishes it from the many similar tunes and gives it the same kind of unnerving feel as parts of Scratch's self-produced, mostly-instrumental albums such as "Return of the Super Ape" or "Revolution Dub".

The set closes with Lloyd & Devon's "Wolf Out Deh" and its version "Shepherd Rod", another condemnation of hypocrites in timelessly Biblical terms sung in a blissful falsetto over a mellow downtempo riddim with warm, swirling keyboards and echoing percussion in the background, and of course Perry's quirky imitation of a wolf's howl among other vocal interjections.

Overall, this is definitely the rootsiest and in my opinion the strongest and most consistent of the Pressure Sounds Lee Perry compilations. While many of the artists and most of the songs on it are fairly obscure compared to, for example, those on "Arkology" or "Open The Gate", they are equally strong (if perhaps not quite reaching the gnostic heights of the latter) and this set amply shows that Perry was and is no respecter of fame or standing, giving the same devotion and inspiration to his productions for lesser-known singers as for the "big names". Any Perry fan, or indeed any roots fan, is unlikely to regret dabbling in a little "Voodooism"...

Lee Perry/Various - Divine Madness... Definitely

Lee Perry/Various - Divine Madness... Definitely
Pressure Sounds PSCD32



This is the third in Pressure Sounds' series of compilations of Lee "Scratch" Perry productions, following "Voodooism" and "Produced and Directed". Like the others, it concentrates on tunes from the mid-70s prime of the legendary Black Ark studio; however, this compilation also comes with a bonus CD of radio interviews with Scratch (from one of which its title is taken). The tunes presented here are a varied selection, showing off a full selection of the proliferation of styles and trends at the Ark, yet bound together by the inimitable Perry magic.

D. D. Dennis's opener, "Woman and Money", is lyrically rather questionable to say the least, with its equation of women to currency as "the two most dangerous things in this world, that a man just can't live without". However, its chugging, R&B-influenced riddim is head-noddingly satisfying, and more so on its B-side, "10 Cent Shank", which, stripped of the vocal, is dominated by its boogie-style piano solo, making it one of the nicer, if less freaked-out, Perry produced instrumentals, and one which shows the heavy, if often overlooked, influence of 50s and 60s US music on his style.

"River To Cross" by the Viceroys also has an "old-fashioned" feel, though in a different way, with rocksteady, country and gospel being the points of reference. Simple yet effective spiritual harmonies make this an unashamedly joyful, if sadly rather short, track. In contrast, Milton Henry's "Sweet Taste Of Memory" is a fine example of the lovers side of the Black Ark, comparable to some of Perry's work with the likes of Junior Byles or George Faith, a soaring and oddly isolated vocal weaving its way around a multi-layered, esoteric yet laid-back mix, giving far more depth than such a lyric would usually command.

Eric Donaldson's "Stand Up" is a blissful roots classic, with the swirling, mesmerising Black Ark mixing turned up to full effect, featuring reverberating percussion and snippets of melancholy but somehow simultaneously joyful trombone. Eric is passionately charged with righteousness, yet relaxed and triumphant as only a Scratch production could make one, joyfully proclaiming "Don't you shed no tears for me, don't you cry no more... everything is alright". The dub is a particularly mad one, with cut-up bits of echoing vocal (not on the original tune), ringing cowbells and extreme use of reverb and distortion: Scratch in deranged genius mode to the fullest extent.

"So Many Ways" by Reggie Antonie is somewhat more conventional, although still rather odd in its combination of a cliched love song lyric, crooned in the style of an easy listening track from the 50s (Elvis and Sinatra both come to mind), laid over a typically slow and eccentric Upsetter skank. Again there is an odd isolation effect on the vocal, one of Scratch's trademarks on tunes by solo singers. The dub is basically a straight version overlaid by random percussion solos which seem (and probably are) totally improvised.

Time Unlimited (the group which first brought to fame Junior Delgado, later to record the magnificent roots epic "Sons Of Slaves" for Scratch) provide the repatriation tune "Africa We Are Going Home", punctuated by dramatically yelping and howling scat vocals (perhaps meant to imitate various African animals). The dub emphasises the jaunty keyboard skank, with ghostly echoes of the group vocals somewhere far in the background, but almost indiscernible on a casual listen. There is a dark yet playful, slightly cinematic mood here that is reminiscent of some Prince Buster ska tunes.

Bree Daniels's "Oh Me Oh My" is another fairly insignificant lovers lyric, yet again given weight and depth by Scratch's inspired mixing, that blissful, swirling vibe in effect again, with fuzzy keyboards in the foreground and distant echoes of percussion like waves crashing somewhere behind. The dub emphasises the fluid, mixed-up textures, bringing back the vocal and various instruments, then dropping them again, and extending for over a minute longer than the vocal to produce a whole which feels a lot more than the sum of its parts.

"Take Warning" by Ralph Haughton and the Ebony Sisters has a classic roots feel and is heavily reminiscent of Perry's work with Max Romeo, particularly in its use of the female vocal chorus, but also in Haughton's preacher-like phrasing and combination of Biblical and anti-gang violence lyrics, and in its satisfyingly solid Upsetter riddim. The version is also reminiscent of those to Max's well-known tracks, with the bass to the forefront, tantalising snippets of vocal (Perry plays on words by cutting the "war" from "warning") and striking, powerful rhythm guitar.

Jimmy Riley's "Sons Of Negus" is even dreader, the most uptempo track on this set, with a powerful, foreboding riddim, and Riley testifying passionately, over dramatic organ crescendos and in his trademark raw, soulful yet uncompromisingly rootsy voice, against false Rastas and acts of slander, while exhorting the true faithful to "stay red now, in the kingdom of dreadlocks". On the version, "Kingdom of Dub", Perry overdubs a spoken-word dialogue between a news reporter and a Rasta elder (played, of course, by Scratch himself), while the heavy riddim bubbles in the background.

The set finishes with a glorious, nearly 10 minute long instrumental version, by the inimitable Augustus Pablo (here playing both synth keyboards and melodica), to George Faith's "To Be A Lover", on which Pablo's playing is so lyrical in tone that, if you know the lyrics to the original (which can be found on the Island box set "Arkology"), it's almost impossible not to start singing along by the middle of the tune, while playful studio effects complement the rich, warm mood: a beautifully mellow closer to a satisfying, if not necessarily all heavy roots, selection which is guaranteed to leave the listener with a smile.

The accompanying radio interview CD features Scratch talking to reggae journalists Roger Eagle and Steve Barker, starting out in relatively straightforward style (talking about Coxsone Dodd, Bob Marley and other contemporaries), but soon getting into the typical Perry rhyming, preaching, quoting lyrics and cryptic plays on words forming a sometimes scary, sometimes funny, sometimes deep and sometimes seemingly wilfully stupid, yet always entertaining stream of consciousness; it's not actually one continuous interview, but edited together from various sessions of the seminal radio programme "On The Wire" from 1984, 1986 and 1991. While probably not something that most listeners would want to listen to particularly often, it's certainly a valuable and fascinating, if tantalising, document of the thought processes of one of the most legendary of eccentric geniuses, including his explanation of his infamous burning down of the original Black Ark and his comments on what is often regarded as his masterpiece, the 1977 album "Heart of the Congos": however, the highlight is Scratch's 3 minute freestyle toast over the super heavy "Ark of the Covenant" riddim from that album, which is track 10 on the disc.

Roots fans may be slightly mystified at first listen by the preponderance of lovers tracks on this set (although they will certainly not be disappointed by tunes like "Stand Up", "Take Warning" and particularly "Sons Of Negus"); however, despite some lyrical quality control issues, sonically this compilation represents the full spectrum of inspired insanity of the Black Ark, and is essential for Scratch fans who want to hear something beyond the better-known tunes from his immensely prolific 70s output. Another nice one from Pressure Sounds.

Prince Jammy/Various: The Crowning Of Prince Jammy

The Crowning Of Prince Jammy
Pressure Sounds CD PSCD25



"The Crowning Of Prince Jammy" is a collection of some of the man born Lloyd James's greatest productions from the late 70s and early 80s, while he was emerging from his "Prince" status as King Tubby's protégé and establishing his own identity as a producer alongside contemporaries such as Jah Thomas and Junjo Lawes, but before the digital revolution of 1985 allowed him to undisputedly claim his position as "King".

The set opens with Black Uhuru's " King Selassie I" (aka "I Love King Selassie"), taken from their Jammy-produced first LP "Love Crisis"; this appears to be the original 1977 version, rather than the overdubbed 1979 version, and is a classic example of the early Uhuru, and Waterhouse, sound. (It can also be found on the Greensleeves re-release of both versions of "Love Crisis"/"Black Sounds Of Freedom").

Next up is Wayne Smith's evocative "Time Is A Moment In Space", a mournful song of lost love which in fact originates from an old country and western tune. A wonky, spooky keyboard is reminiscent of some of Lee Perry's later Black Ark work (eg. Danny Hensworth's "Mr Money Man"), but the heavier, more monotone bass vibe of early dancehall is already evident. The dub has the classic Tubby's echo techniques, but in a pared-down, strong yet subtle context.

Johnny Osbourne's rousing steppers anthem of theological devotion, "Jahovia" was, oddly, not released as a single at the time, but only on the "Fally Ranking" LP. "The Earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof, but it's heating like a melting pot", and the riddim is suitably hot and unrelenting. The version is a particularly bass-heavy, echo-laden workout, "warrior style".

Half Pint's "Puchie Lou" is a completely different vibe, breaking the chronological sequence by skipping forward to 1983; it's a bouncy, melodic love song in an uptempo yet mellow dancehall style, Half Pint showing the lighter side of the Waterhouse singing style. Mighty Rudo's "Waterhouse", a joyful tribute to both the studio and district, is on a similar riddim, despite being from after the birth of digital reggae in 1985. The lyrics resonate with localism of a wholly positive kind and a loved yet never idealised community, while at the same time pleading for an end to violent "political" rivalries conducted on a petty parochial basis: "I'm not here to build no strife, I just want to see everyone staying alive... I don't want to live in the sophisticated kind of cities..."

Earl Zero's "Please Officer", however, takes it straight back to the dark side with another rumbling, bass-heavy steppers riddim and a strident lyric of police brutality which pulls no punches in its condemnation of the whole Babylonian system. This 12" version is extended with a full-length dub to over 7 minutes, and is followed by its equally long and equally heavy B-side instrumental "Pablo In Moonlight City", one of Augustus Pablo's dreadest melodica pieces.

Half Pint returns with "Mr Landlord", over the classic "Hypocrites" riddim, its strong reality lyrics attacking exploitative ghetto landlords leavened by an irrepressibly funky horn riff. The following dub is the one which gives this compilation its title, a thunderous version to Junior Reid's classic "Jailhouse". Why the vocal of this is not included here, I don't know; however, enough snippets of it remain to make the tale of unjust imprisonment and torture comprehensible, adding an extra layer of paranoia to the spine-chillingly dread, wild and multi-layered dub mix; a true classic of "versioning" reminiscent in feel of Black Uhuru at their darkest and most industrial.

"Mr Vincent" by the fairly unknown group Black Crucial is another anti-landlord testimony of poverty, again lightened by the major key sweetness of its riddim, with a particularly nice piece of piano floating in the mix. Johnny Osbourne's "Mr Marshall", however, is another relentlessly heavy steppers tune, opening with powerful crashing of guitars and cymbals and propelled by militant double drumming, the stridently passionate lyric chanting down all warmongers and hypocritical authority figures, making no distinction between state and gangland hierarchies; another of Osbourne's most crucial tunes from the "Fally Ranking" album.

"Return of Jammy's Hi-Fi" is a masterful dub deconstruction of Horace Andy's classic Tubby/Harry J produced "Pure Ranking", showcasing the heaviness and inventiveness of Jammy's mixing, with the blissful keyboard melody melted down and echoed into wild, tantalising swirls of percussion, without even needing to retain any of the vocal. Sugar Minott's "Give The People What They Want" is probably the least memorable track here, due to its relatively conservative (at least in comparison to most of the ultra-heavy tunes here) mix, but still a nicely mixed and sweetly voiced, if rather staid, plea for rights and justice.

The closing track, Hugh Mundell's "Jah Fire Will be Burning", is, while not having as much radical studio deconstruction as most tracks here, still a highlight of the set for being simply one of the heaviest, most apocalyptically dread roots tunes ever recorded, with Nyabinghi style drumming, deep lo-fi bass, and a haunting, majestic trumpet underneath one of the Blessed Youth's darkest and most passionate vocals, describing, in imagery straight from the Book of Revelations, the downfall and bleak aftermath of industrial society. "The smoke of the dreadful furnace turns the sun and the air into darkness... what a great, great day that shall be." Prescient, terrifying and revelatory.

This is by far one of the heaviest collections of late 70s/early 80s tunes out there; almost every track on it is a killer for anyone who likes music which is dark, tense and political, yet also joyful and spiritual. While there are many other Prince/King Jammy compilations around, many of them overlapping with this one, you cannot go wrong with this as an introduction to one of the foremost second-generation reggae producers. My only (slight) gripe with it is the non-inclusion of the original vocal of Junior Reid's "Jailhouse" (I'm still looking for that on CD), which seems odd considering its dub provided the title for the compilation; however, this album proves Pressure Sounds' status as a worthy ascendant to the throne of reggae reissue labels.

Lee Perry - Produced and Directed by the Upsetter

Lee Perry - Produced And Directed By The Upsetter
Pressure Sounds PSCD19



Second in the Pressure Sounds label's series of compilations of Lee Perry productions from the Black Ark era, "Produced and Directed by the Upsetter" brings together 10 previously rare 7" singles and their B-side dubs.

"Produced and Directed" opens with Watty "King" Burnett's "Free Man", a joyous tune with deep, funky trombone, in which the "King" proclaims that he is safe from all the dangers of corrupt Jamaican society. Whether his boast is true or not, it captures a powerful vibe of the Black Ark as magical sphere of protection. The dub emphasises the lazy, celebratory bone refrain, while deploying Scratch's trademark echoed vocal snippets to head-nodding effect.

"Zion" by The Flames (probably Winston Jarrett's band of that name, although with the sometimes arbitrary names often given by Scratch to ad hoc vocal groups, it's hard to know for sure) is a mellow tune declaring love to Africa as holy land of Rastafari, with (like many of the tunes on this set) a curiously "old-fashioned" skank and a mannered, soul-influenced vocal. Nice but at only 2 1/2 minutes (and its dub the same length) it doesn't really get the time to leave much of a lasting impression.

Easton Clarke's "Bike No Licence" is a wryly ironic tale of mishaps resulting from a JA traffic curfew, with a sense of humour but a deep testament of injustice beneath. The dub brings to the forefront the jauntily off-key Upsetter keyboards which are a key element of the early to mid Black Ark signature sound, although (like most of the dubs on this set) it isn't a particularly radical departure from the vocal side.

"Crying Over You" by the Heptones, from the same sessions which produced their magnificent "Party time" album, is one of the highlights of this set - an impassioned lyric of lost love, delivered in Leroy's justly celebrated soulful voice. The swirling, tension-filled Black Ark sound is in full effect, with a powerful, majestic horn riff reminiscent of (although not quite the same as) the Studio One classic "Unchained". "Crying Dub" takes it deeper into head-swimming dub gnosticism, vocal snippets and channel-swapping in force again, one of the few dubs here to really display the Upsetter's awesome talent of deconstruction.

The Silvertones' "Financial Crisis" is another tune with a warm, comforting "old-time" feel; despite the darkness of the reality of its subject matter, it portrays a quintessentially Jamaican brand of irrepressible optimism, its chorus exhorting the sufferers to "have a little faith" in divine deliverance from the tribulations of capitalism. However unrealistic the message is, this is a tune that cannot fail to induce happiness, even when stripped of its vocals.

Junior Murvin's "False Teachings" has a fairly stripped-down, basic riddim, but is nonetheless powerfully hypnotic, Murvin's startling falsetto reaching possibly even higher notes usual here, yet still feeling effortless. While blaming alcohol, as he seems to do, for all the hypocrisies of Babylon seems a little odd, it is in fact consistent with the lyrics of several other Black Ark tunes. The tiny snippets of his vocal in the dub seem almost otherworldly.

Winston Heywood and the Hombres' "Backbiting" is another easy-going good time skank, despite its deceptively hard-hitting lyric denouncing exploitative capitalists and warmongers: "Not one will escape this great fire". The dub again doesn't do anything massively interesting, but still nicely showcases the riddim.

"Houses of Parliament" by the Meditations is a percussion-heavy, almost Nyabinghi-style track which stomps along aided by call-and-response vocal (sung primarily in unison rather than harmony) and tinkling piano - very different from, but just as rootsy as, their better-known tunes on the "Arkology" box set. The percussion is even more to the forefront in the dub. "Where will you run to, where will you hide?"

George Faith's "Guide Line" is one of the heaviest and rootsiest tunes here, deep and swirling with a passionate soulful vocal counterpointed by a sweet female chorus - a far cry from George's more typical lovers fare. "We need some love and I-nity". Trippy, layered sound effects make this an exemplary Black Ark tune that could have come from nowhere else. Sampled conversational voices haunt the background in the dub along with more playful effects reminiscent of a classic Looney Tunes cartoon.

Junior Murvin's "Philistines On The Land" is yet another cut to the instantly familiar riddim over which he also voiced "Police and Thieves" and "Bad Weed" (in fact even retaining the "oh yeah" background vocal from the former), but this time the lyric is broader-reaching, extending the message of "Police and Thieves" to condemn the whole of the Western political and economic system through eschatological metaphor. The very randomly titled "Bingo Kid" is in fact a fairly straight dub of the same riddim, with added staccato yet blissed-out keyboard.

While "Crying Over You" and "Guide Line" are IMO the standout tracks, the whole of this compilation is solid, showing perhaps (for the most part) a mellower side of Scratch's Black Ark period, but still with moments of his inimitable wild inventiveness. While not quite on the same level overall as "Arkology" or "Open The Gate", still a very worthwhile set, particularly for connoisseurs of the one and only Jesus Pipecock Perry.