KING TUBBY and friends
DUB EXPLOSION
(Trojan)
This originally ran in the St. Louis Post Dispatch in 1995.
Since its inception almost 25 years ago, "dub" has
remained an integral part of reggae music. For the
uninformed, dub is the unique process of removing a song's
vocals, then adding layers of reverb, echo and sometimes
even vocal snippets to the original rhythm.
This unusual style truly exploded in the early 70's,
thanks to the vision of Osborne Ruddock, better known as
King Tubby. Tubby influenced a generation of artists with
his creativity, and a new disc on Trojan, "Dub Explosion,"
showcases some of the fantastic sounds from those early
days.
Subtitled "22 Roots Classics," this release is
definitely that and much more as it collects an assortment
of powerful tracks from such artists as Johnny Clarke,
Cornell Campbell, Linval Thompson, the Mighty Diamonds and
the Viceroys. Each rhythm is then given full dub treatment
and the results are tremendous.
Things explode right off the bat with "Love of the Jah
Jah Children," and for the next 70-plus minutes you'll be
treated to some of the greatest roots dub ever recorded,
mixed by either Tubby or one of his contemporaries. This is
an exceptional compilation as there is truthfully not one
weak track to be found.
On a sad note, King Tubby was murdered in 1989, but not
before leaving a legacy as one of Jamaica's true musical
innovators. Check out "Dub Explosion," turn it up LOUD, and
hear for yourself. This one will blow you away!
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