|
|
 |
Click pic to buy! |
| A Place Called Africa (Trojan, 2002) *GUEST REVIEW* This two-CD set compiles a total of 40 reggae songs about Africa, from between 1967 and 1983. This lyrical approach is interesting, and any roots reggae lover can easily name good songs on Africa for such a compilation from different artists. The compiler, however, avoided, at least partly, "obvious" roots classics (or this related to Trojan catalogue limitations), and focused besides this on early, thought to be less-Rastafarian, reggae, somewhat untypical songs by otherwise less conscious or lovers singers, or on relatively underexposed (roots) artists. The first CD goes from 1967 through the early 1970s, the second one largely covers the mid- and later 1970s and up to 1983. While classics like Junior Byles' "Place Called Africa," The Ethiopians' "The Selah," and Dennis Brown's well-known "Africa We Want to Go" are present, it mostly consists of unknown songs by sometimes unknown artists, although name changes may explain why some voices sound familiar; for instance, Max Romeo sings here as one of the Sons of Selassie on the great "I Man a African," and Ronnie Davis is/became one of the Itals. Several songs are Lee "Scratch" Perry sessions noticeable in the "Black Ark sound" (including mooing cows) on several songs. I liked the choice of the Ethiopians' 1970 song "I 'll Never Get Burnt." Several of the more rootsy tracks are, in my opinion, among the best songs, often from artists I did not know much of. Examples are Audley Rollens' catchy "Repatriation," Lizzard's likewise catchy "Ithiopians," the beautiful, dreamy "Land of Love" by the Sons of Light, and Peter and Paul Lewis's "Ethiopian Land," but also Sugar Minott's track, and early reggae songs, e.g. Desmond Dekker's "Pretty Africa," or "Africa is Paradise" by the Conscious Minds are nice, as well as some songs I already knew (always a risk with compilations), such as those by Alton Ellis. Many songs are what you can call "sincere." Minor points are maybe the relatively many re-workings/covers and/or DJ songs, and also a few lesser, somewhat generic songs. All in all, however, an original and varied set. - Michel Conci |
| Track Listing CD 1: 1. Going Back Home -- Al & The Vibrators 2. (I've Got To) Return Home -- Alva Lewis 3. Pretty Africa -- Desmond Dekker & the Aces 4. Africa -- Clancy Eccles & Chorus 5. I'll Never Get Burnt -- The Ethiopians 6. Come Ethiopians Come -- The Melodians 7. A Place Called Africa -- Junior Byles 8. Africa Stand (Place Called Africa Version) -- Dennis Alcapone 9. Going Back to Africa -- Alton Ellis 10. African Herbsman -- Bob Marley & the Wailers 11. Africa Is Paradise -- Conscious Minds 12. Don't Cross the Nation -- Little Roy 13. The Selah -- The Ethiopians 14. Rocking to Ethiopia -- Dennis Alcapone 15. Repatriation -- Audley Rollens 16. Musical Drum Sound [Repatriation Version] -- I-Roy 17. True Born African -- Alton Ellis 18. African People -- Winston Jarrett & The Righteous Flames 19. Adisababa -- Delroy Wilson 20. Y Mas Gan -- The Abyssinians CD 2: 1. African Descendent -- I-Roy 2. Africa Want Us All -- Allan King 3. Rasta Man Going Back Home -- Flowers & Alvin 4. Africa (We Want to Go) -- Dennis Brown 5. Zion Land -- Dadawah 6. Africa We Are Going Home -- Time Unlimited 7. I Man a African -- Sons of Selassie 8. We Got to Forward Home -- Horace Andy 9. Africa -- Winston Heywood & The Hombres 10. Ithiopians -- Lizzard 11. Ethiopian Land -- Peter & Paul Lewis 12. Got to Go Home -- Ronnie Davis 13. Land of Love -- Sons of Light 14. Moving on to Zion -- Johnny Clarke 15. Africa Is the Black Man's Home -- Sugar Minott 16. Garden of Life -- Leroy Sibbles 17. Majority Rule (For Africans) -- Jimmy Riley 18. Africa Is for Black Man -- Linval Thompson 19. Africa -- Ranking Dread 20. African Roots Rock Reggae -- Dillinger |
 |