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While the title intimates that this might be a best-of or some kind of career survey, in fact, it's not. You'd need a cross-licensed multi-disc box set at minimum to do that for Perry's extremely eclectic output, and this is just a 13-song single CD that focuses exclusively on his Black Ark productions for Island in the 1970s. Perry's the artist of record on just three of the 13 tracks; the others include Perry productions of reggae stars Augustus Pablo, Junior Murvin, Max Romeo, and the Heptones, as well as more minor singers Keith Rowe, Devon Irons, and George Faith. If you're into Perry for the weirder and bolder aspects of his production, this might not be the best pit stop, since actually much of this is just top-notch reggae vocalists, with Perry adding a tinge of adventure from the producer's chair. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course: Murvin's "Roots Train" is great high-pitched male reggae singing, the Heptones offer fine harmonizing on "Sufferers Time," and Rowe's "Groovy Situation" is just fine romantic '70s reggae (albeit with ghostly female laughter), period. The odder, more eccentric mixes of sounds and effects are heard in Perry's own tracks, particularly in the ethereal swirl of "Dread Lion" (one presumes that's Pablo's melodica in the mix), and the weird reverb-phase effects of Pablo's "Vibrate On." It's shameful that there are no recording dates or original release information for any of the tracks, but then that's something of a tradition for reggae reissues, even ones on major labels, such as this CD.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
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Junior Murvin, Composer, Author, MainArtist - Dillinger, MainArtist - Lee "Scratch" Perry, Composer, Author, Producer - Blue Mountain Music Ltd., MusicPublisher
An Island Records Release; ℗ 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lee "Scratch" Perry, Composer, Author, Producer, MainArtist - Westbury Music Ltd., MusicPublisher
℗ 1977 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Augustus Pablo, MainArtist - The Upsetters, MainArtist - Horace Michael Swaby, Composer, Author - Lee "Scratch" Perry, Composer, Author, Producer - Westbury Music Ltd., MusicPublisher
℗ 1979 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
George Faith, Composer, Author, MainArtist - Blue Mountain Music Ltd., MusicPublisher
℗ 1977 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Keith Rowe, Composer, Author, MainArtist - Lee "Scratch" Perry, Producer
℗ 1977 Island Records Inc.
Copyright Control, MusicPublisher - Lee "Scratch" Perry, Composer, Author, Producer - Devon Irons, MainArtist
℗ 1976 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
The Upsetters, MainArtist - Lee "Scratch" Perry, Composer, Author, Producer, Engineer, Recording Arranger - Blue Mountain Music Ltd., MusicPublisher
℗ 1976 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Max Romeo, Composer, Author, MainArtist - The Upsetters, MainArtist - Lee "Scratch" Perry, Composer, Author, Producer, Engineer - Musicare Ltd, MusicPublisher - Westbury Music Ltd., MusicPublisher
℗ 1976 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Junior Murvin, MainArtist - Lee "Scratch" Perry, Composer, Author, Producer - New Town Sound Ltd., MusicPublisher
℗ 1976 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
The Heptones, MainArtist - The Upsetters, FeaturedArtist - Lee "Scratch" Perry, Composer, Author, Producer - New Town Sound, MusicPublisher
℗ 1976 The Island Def Jam Music Group
The Upsetters, MainArtist - Lee "Scratch" Perry, Composer, Author, Producer - Blue Mountain Music Ltd., MusicPublisher
℗ 1979 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Max Romeo, Composer, Author, MainArtist - Lee "Scratch" Perry, Composer, Author, Producer - Westbury Music Ltd., MusicPublisher
℗ 1976 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Album review
While the title intimates that this might be a best-of or some kind of career survey, in fact, it's not. You'd need a cross-licensed multi-disc box set at minimum to do that for Perry's extremely eclectic output, and this is just a 13-song single CD that focuses exclusively on his Black Ark productions for Island in the 1970s. Perry's the artist of record on just three of the 13 tracks; the others include Perry productions of reggae stars Augustus Pablo, Junior Murvin, Max Romeo, and the Heptones, as well as more minor singers Keith Rowe, Devon Irons, and George Faith. If you're into Perry for the weirder and bolder aspects of his production, this might not be the best pit stop, since actually much of this is just top-notch reggae vocalists, with Perry adding a tinge of adventure from the producer's chair. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course: Murvin's "Roots Train" is great high-pitched male reggae singing, the Heptones offer fine harmonizing on "Sufferers Time," and Rowe's "Groovy Situation" is just fine romantic '70s reggae (albeit with ghostly female laughter), period. The odder, more eccentric mixes of sounds and effects are heard in Perry's own tracks, particularly in the ethereal swirl of "Dread Lion" (one presumes that's Pablo's melodica in the mix), and the weird reverb-phase effects of Pablo's "Vibrate On." It's shameful that there are no recording dates or original release information for any of the tracks, but then that's something of a tradition for reggae reissues, even ones on major labels, such as this CD.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:59:17
- Main artists: Lee "Scratch" Perry
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Island Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2003 Universal Music Operations ℗ 2003 Universal Music Operations
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