Friday, August 21, 2009

A Couple Of Nice Roots Tunes



Here are a couple of nice roots tunes that I was meaning to put up over the weekend, but events (perfect weather for taking the kids out to pick blackberries) intervened. First up is one that I got off a mailing list about 10 years ago, 'Earth Runnings' by the Africans. I bought it because I had another great tune by the Africans on the 'Rebel' label, called 'Have A Grand Time' , it was cheap enough to buy on the off-chance, and the guy who ran the list had it flagged as having a great dub.

He was certainly right about about the dub; but until yesterday when I was trying to figure out how to describe it, I'd never listened to the vocal side all the way through.

It's actually quite a solid roots tune. Judge for yourself:

Vocal: http://www.mediafire.com/?2wmjmizy2mz
Dub: http://www.mediafire.com/?jjmodumzgzn

Second up is a classic roots tune from Enos McLeod with backing vocals by the Mighty Diamonds. Both sides have already been compiled on a Pressure Sounds release called 'The Genius Of Enos' and if you don't know it, I'm hoping this will encourage you to buy it or at least check it out.

Vocal: http://www.mediafire.com/?mktjz2ou5a5
Dub: http://www.mediafire.com/?yljurkmw1qj

BTW, nice to get a shout from Popbitch ("Somebody's roots collection")
- plenty more tunes to come.

3 comments:

the_voice_of_reason said...

No idea who the Africans are, but the tune is very much in the vein of Earth & Stone or the Cables. wild guess, but might the lead singer here be Busty Brown, more mature than in his Lee Perry years, but before the Messengers?

Rhythm wise, the tune owes a little to Gregory Isaacs' "Mr Cop", which was itself lifted from an Impact All-Stars riddim released as "Jam-Rock-Reggae" on "Java Java Dub"

xela said...

Dear bro

Do you know more from The Africans
cause I know they sing gathering from wildflower label and cool im dong
two sweet reggae roots tune !
see you

xela said...

Dear bro !

Do you know more from the group The Africans cause' I know they sing also cool im dong and Gathering from wildflower label !

It' simply marvelous !

see you !