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On
the Frontline (Makasound, 2004) Makasound
(makasound.com) is an exciting new French label dedicated to uncovering and releasing rare and
lost material that has slipped through the cracks of reggae history – a bit
like a French version of Blood & Fire.
Black Roots is certainly a prime example of an act that needs such
exposure. While they had some
success in their home base of England during the 1980s, few outside of the
country were treated to the heavenly sounds of this band, whose material
deserves every bit the praise and attention heaped on fellow British bands (and
contemporaries) like Aswad, Steel
Pulse, and UB40.
Even the lesser-known Misty In Roots and Matumbi
have received more attention internationally -- at least, in the US -- than Black
Roots (and unlike similarly hard-to-find Black Slate,
Black Roots actually stuck around for more than two seconds), but thankfully Makasound is helping to remedy this situation.
On the Frontline gathers all of the songs (though not in order)
from Black Roots’ first two albums, Black Roots (released 1983) and The
Frontline (1984), which
had 8 and 6 tracks, respectively. The group’s sound is |
Black Roots: 
The Frontline: 
On the Frontline:
| Track
Listing 1. Frontline 2. Juvenile Delinquent 3. Africa 4. Blackheart Man [Extended] 5. Move On [Extended] 6. War 7. The Opportunity 8. Far Over 9. Struggling 10. What Them a Do 11. Signs & Wonders 12. Tribal War 13. The Father 14. Survival |
In Session (Makasound, 2007 [orig. released 1986])
Recorded in 1982 but not released as an album until 1986, In Session features songs recorded live at BBC Radio One by the legendary John Peel. Makasound has packaged the original 10 songs on the In Session album with six additional tracks recorded prior to 1982's live sessions, although the live tracks are of such studio quality that there's no noticeable difference in sound. It's a testament to Black Roots' musical discipline that the live takes of songs from their Black Roots and The Frontline albums (collected on Makasound's On the Frontline) sound remarkably similar to the studio versions. On the other hand, that could be bad for a fans of the band hoping to get new takes on their favorite tunes. Since Black Roots released so little material (They actually released 10 or 11 albums, but four were dubs, two were live, and another was full of remakes.), many of the songs on In Session were also included on On the Frontline, but you do get four singles not on the previous Makasound release -- "Confusion," "Chanting for Freedom," "Bristol Rock," and "The System" -- plus four 12-inch mixes. "Confusion" and "Bristol Rock" in particular crackle with the sort of unique harmonic and soulful energy of the early '80s UK reggae scene; think Misty In Roots, Matumbi, and early Steel Pulse or Aswad. Unfortunately, though, these added tunes don't measure up to "Frontline," "Blackheart Man," or "War" from On the Frontline ("Far Over," "Struggling," and "Signs & Wonders" aren't missed terribly), meaning that the only thing you can find wrong with In Session is that it's not quite as good as the group's first two albums. Normally I wouldn't recommend buying an album for just a few tracks, but even if you already have On the Frontline, In Session might be worth the purchase, since Black Roots music is so hard to come by. Listen to samples at makasound.com.
Track Listing |
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