I'm becoming overwhelmed with Rasta music lately, so the only way to feel as if I'm not drowning is to go on a jag. If you don't like this type of music...well...you're out of luck for the the next few days. The Conquering Lion of Judah is taking his place front and center, and Rascall Flatts and Mumford and Sons will be forced to sit at the back of the bus.
Guess I'll start with some Culture to get the ball rolling. Enjoy?
From Jo-Anne Greene at All Music:
One of the masterpieces of the roots era, no album better defines its time and place than Two Sevens Clash, which encompasses both the religious fervor of its day and the rich sounds of contemporary Jamaica. Avowed Rastafarians, Culture had formed in 1976, and cut two singles before beginning work on their debut album with producers the Mighty Two (aka Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson). Their second single, "Two Sevens Clash," would title the album and provide its focal point. The song swept across the island like a wildfire, its power fed by the apocalyptic fever that held the island in its clutches throughout late 1976 and into 1977. (Rastafarians believed the apocalypse would begin when the two sevens clashed, with July 7, 1977, when the four sevens clashed, the most fearsome date of concern.) However, the song itself was fearless, celebrating the impending apocalypse, while simultaneously reminding listeners of a series of prophesies by Marcus Garvey and twinning them to the island's current state. For those of true faith, the end of the world did not spell doom, but release from the misery of life into the eternal and heavenly arms of Jah. Thus, Clash is filled with a sense of joy mixed with deep spirituality, and a belief that historical injustice was soon to be righted. The music, provided by the Revolutionaries, perfectly complements the lyrics' ultimate optimism, and is quite distinct from most dread albums of the period.
Although definitely rootsy, Culture had a lighter sound than most of their contemporaries. Not for them the radical anger of Black Uhuru, the fire of Burning Spear (although Hill's singsong delivery was obviously influenced by Winston Rodney), nor even the hymnal devotion of the Abyssinians. In fact, Clash is one of the most eclectic albums of the day, a wondrous blend of styles and sounds. Often the vocal trio works in a totally different style from the band, as on "Calling Rasta Far I," where the close harmonies, dread-based but African-tinged, entwine around a straight reggae backing. Several of the songs are rocksteady-esque with a rootsy rhythm, most notably the infectious "See Them Come"; others are performed in a rockers style, with "I'm Alone in the Wilderness" an exquisite blend of guitar and vocal harmonies. One of the best tracks, "Get Ready to Ride the Lion to Zion," is a superb hybrid of roots, rocksteady, and burbling electro wizardry; its roaring lion (created who knows how) is a brilliant piece of musical theater. "Natty Dread Take Over" twines together roots rhythms, close harmonies, and big-band swing, while even funk and hints of calypso put in appearances elsewhere on the album. Inevitably, the roots genre was defined by its minor-key melodies, filled with a sense of melancholy, and emphasized by most groups' lyrics. But for a brief moment, roots possibilities were endless. Sadly, no other group followed Culture's lead, and even the trio itself did not take advantage of it, especially after parting ways with Gibbs. When Culture re-emerged in the mid-'80s, they swiftly moved into a reggae lite/world music mode a world apart from where they started. Thus, Clash remains forever in a class all its own.
Technical Information:
Artist: Culture
Album: Two Sevens Clash (The 30th Anniversary Edition)
Year: 1977
Audio Codec(s): FLAC
Encoding: Lossless
Rip: EAC
Avg. bitrate: 858 kb/s
Sample rate: 44100 Hz
Bits per sample: 16
Channels: 2
File size: 390 MB
Length: 1:03:31
Personnel:
Herman Marquis: alto saxophone
Albert Walker: harmony vocals
Kenneth Dayes: harmony vocals
Lloyd Parks: bass
Robbie Shakespeare: bass
Sly Dunbar: drums
Bingy Bunny: guitar
Lennox Gordon: guitar
Frankie Waul: keyboards
Harold Butler: keyboards
Tarzan: keyboards
Joseph Hill: lead vocals
Sticky: percussion
Tommy McCook: tenor saxophone
Vin Gordon: trombone
Bobby Ellis: trumpet
Joe Gibbs: Producer
Errol Thompson: Producer
Tracklisting:
01. I'm Alone In The Wilderness (3:23)
02. Pirate Days (2:49)
03. Two Sevens Clash (3:28)
04. Calling Rastafari (2:27)
05. I'm Not Ashamed (3:59)
06. Get Ready To Ride The Lion To Zion (3:24)
07. Black Starliner Must Come (2:39)
08. Jah Pretty Face (3:37)
09. See Them A Come (3:20)
10. Natty Dread Taking Over (3:45)
Bonus Tracks:
11. See Dem A Come (12" Mix w/ Prince Weedy) (6:56)
12. See Dem Dub (3:58)
13. Natty Dread Taking Over (12" Mix w/ I-Roy) (7:20)
14. I'm Not Ashamed (12" Mix w/ I-Roy) (7:55)
15. Not Ashamed Dub (4:25)
Two Sevens Clash Megaupload Link