Dub Side of the Moon (Easy Star, 2003)

*GUEST REVIEW*
Dub Side of the Moon, a reggae version of the classic Pink Floyd album, succeeds at a task that should have been impossible: improving on the original.  The expert dub effects and tricked-out production on this 2003 reggae remake actually enhance the trippy sound effects and psychedelia that made Dark Side a watershed moment in rock music. Perhaps what is most impressive about Dub Side, however, is how faithful it is to the Pink Floyd original. The Easy Star All-Stars took painstaking care crafting the album: the sequencing is exactly the same as that on Dark Side (except for added dub tracks at the end), the music is reproduced amazingly well, and there are voice-overs in precisely the right places. You couldn't make a more perfect imitation of the original classic. The guy who sold me the CD even claimed that Dub Side synchs up with The Wizard of Oz just like Dark Side.  Another thing that is impressive about this album is the variety of reggae styles it showcases: roots, rockers, one drop, toasting dancehall and dub, among others. These various styles flow together as seamlessly as the songs themselves. Although there are many stand-out tracks -- "Breathe," "Time," and "Brain Damage," for instance -- there is one in particular that simply cannot be ignored. "Money." I won't spoil the surprise by describing the sound effects the Easy Star All-Stars substitute for Floyd's famous cash register, except to say they are hilariously funny. Moreover, the song employs dub effects and 'rockers vibrations' with brilliant results. This is no novelty song or garden-variety reggae tribute to rock. "Money" is as compelling and compulsively listenable as any song in reggae. I highly recommend this album, especially for Pink Floyd fans who like reggae, and reggae connoisseurs who are looking for something new and unique to add to their collections.

- Reggie