What a System (Kool Yu Foot, 1999)

Compared to Albert Griffiths, Clinton Fearon is one of the relatively forgotten members of the Gladiators (The real forgotten member, however, would be Gallimore Sutherland...well, then again, the real real forgotten ones would be original members Errol Grandison and David Webber, but I digress...), but on What a System, he steps from the shadows, heading up the Boogie Brown Band.  Now (well, at least in 1999) based a long way from Jamaica -- in Seattle -- Fearon nonetheless captures the folksy rural roots sound that made the Gladiators so popular in the 1970s.  He even throws in a remake of his former group's "Chatty Chatty Mouth," which fits nicely into the sound of the rest of the album.  I think if you are a Gladiators fan, you'll enjoy What a System, but as for myself, I've never been a huge fan of them.  While I can appreciate their artistry from an objective standpoint, I can't really get into their music that much.  It's just a matter of individual taste; some people like certain things, some don't.  As such, I couldn't commit myself fully to the Gladiator-like What a System.  Although I like the fiery title track, I found the rest to be roots by-the-numbers.  Solid, but certainly nothing spectacular.  Fearon's occasionally raspy voice and elder statesman presence give him the feel of a reggae blues man -- venerated but not always fully appreciated.  This album may indeed help him garner some respect from Gladiator fans who thought that Albert Griffiths had all the talent, but non-fans might feel a familiar sense of indifference.

CD2:
1. Rock Your Dub
2. What a Dub
3. Raised in the Dub
4. Chatty Dub
5. Dub Road
6. Dub Massa
7. One Dub
8. Another Dub
9. Dub Feelin'
10. Dub Your Song
11. We Shall Overdub