#80s reggae

[gottahavesoul]

Steel Pulse - Your House (True Democracy, 1982)

[gottahavesoul]

 Naturalites - Lately (1986)

[gottahavesoul]

Naturalites - Lately (1987)

[gottahavesoul]

Wailing Souls - Act of Affection (1981)

[gottahavesoul]

Errol Dunkley - Happiness Forgets (1981)

[gottahavesoul]

Roots Massive pt.3 (70's & early 80's Reggae & Roots Reggae selection)

1-The Meditations - Justice 2-Tarishi- Jah Children 3-Wailing Souls - Pack Your Things 4-Determination Band - Freedom 5-Black Jade -  Lonely Days Lonely Nights & Lonely Times 6-Burnig Spear - Social Living 7-Marcia Griffiths - Hurting Inside & Version 8-Officials - Distant Drums 9-Tacumah - Expensive Dreams & Expensive Dub 10-Itals - Jah Glory 11-Somolians - Rock With Me & Rock Rock Version 12- Fabienne Miranda – Destiny & Version 13-B. B. Seaton - Morning sun & Sundown 14- Sister Jam - A man Like You & Orchid Path Dub 15-Naggo Morris - Down In The Ghetto & Version 16-Black Uhuru - No No No & version 17-Judah Eskender Tafari - Rastafari Tell You & Pt.2 18-The Cables - Jah Children Unite & Version 19- David McIntosh & His Bros – Trying To Be Nice & Iron Rock 20- Kwame Heshimu – Beast Of Burden & Version 21- Barrington Levy - Deep In The Dark & Version 22-Carl Darkin – Back A Yard 23- Elizabeth Archer & The Equators – Feel Like Making Love 24-Dessus – Ghetto Children 25-Ernie Smith And The Roots Revival – To Behold Jah 26- Hugh Mundell - My Mind & Version 27-Nadine Sutherland - Starvation & Hungry Dub 28-Lloyd Parks - Come Back Early & Version 2 29-Ginger Williams - This Life 30- Joyella Blade – Cairo 31-Misty In Roots - Poor & Needy 32-Richie Mcdonald - Broad Road & Broad Dub 33-Fermena Edwards - I Need Somebody's Shoulder To Cry On

[randomvarious]

Black Uhuru - “Brutal” Três Décadas De Reggae Vol.1 Song released in 1986. Compilation released in 1996. Reggae

The legendary reggae group Black Uhuru are known for a few things. One, they're regarded by many as the spiritual successors to Bob Marley & The Wailers; two, they won the first ever reggae Grammy; three, they counted superstars Sly & Robbie as members, who ended up developing both Black Uhuru's signature sound as well as their own; and four, for one reason or another, they've rotated through a handful of lead singers throughout their history.

All of those facts came into play for the group's 1986 album, Brutal. BU's previous LP, 1983's Anthem, took home the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, but after it was released, tensions within the band boiled over and caused lead singer Michael Rose to depart. But arriving in his stead was the not-yet-exalted, but nonetheless similar-sounding Junior Reid. Reid would only last with BU for a couple albums, but he would deliver a notable dancehall flavor with his vocals to a band that was otherwise known for its rootsiness. As a result, Brutal would earn BU another Grammy nom and produce five singles, however, oddly enough, none of those singles were the album's title track.

In the Biography section of Black Uhuru's Facebook page, they write that, "together," Sly & Robbie "developed a musical style full of deep bass thumps, loud drum slaps, sharp keyboards, long instrumentals with guitar riffs, whirly back round noises, echos and the signature'woh oh oh's' creating they're 'classic' sound." And you'll find all of those ingredients on "Brutal," a song on which Reid laments the world's deplorable social conditions ("Public sector hot like hell, private sector armed at the bell").

I think one of the main things that makes "Brutal" such a nice track is its drums. I mean, just listen to how those things pound and how they're arranged. Sly Dunbar's ever-changing riddims are so nice and weird and unique. And they're so integral to the track, too. There's a lot of different pieces in here (blaring guitar haze, Reid's reggae scat, insertion of string synths, a light layer of uncredited ?xylophone?), but without those drums, this song isn't worth shit, no matter how right-on its lyrics are.

"Brutal" is also a song that's sort of a lesson in reggae tone (not reggaeton, a music genre that's more than overstayed its welcome) and how little it really takes to give a tune its mood. The only instrument on this song that consistently carries a note is the keyboard, and because its chords have a little darkness to them, "Brutal" is able to sound a bit more ominous than most other reggae tracks. It's a little thing, sure, but it's also a pretty big deal. Everything on this song could remain the same, but if you raised those keyboard notes an octave or two, the overall disposition would definitely be sunnier, even if the lyrics reflect reality's brutality.

Awesome mid-80s tune from this big-time reggae band.

[randomvarious]

Today’s compilation:

Três Décadas de Reggae 1996 Reggae

Highlights:

Gregory Isaacs - “Day-O” Black Uhuru - “Brutal” Culture - “Psalm Of Bob Marley” Barrington Levy - “Under Mi Sensi” Augustus Pablo - “555 Crown Street” Beres Hammond - “Putting Up Resistance” Half Pint - “Level The Vibes” Buju Banton & Tenor Saw - “Ring The Alarm Quick” The Techniques - “My Girl” Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus - “Hear The River Jordan”