World in Trouble reggae music CD album mp3		 Click pic to buy!

World in Trouble (M Records, 2005) 

*GUEST REVIEW*
Our world sure is in trouble--a whole heap of it--and while reggae music may not be the cure for every ill, it goes a long way toward making more people conscious of those ills.  Deejay Ranking Joe has been chanting in just such a conscious manner for more than 30 years, presently enjoying a resurgence thanks to good works with the Easy Star All-Stars and Version City Rockers, as well as Blood and Fire's 2003 release Zion High, a collection of some of his vintage tracks.  World in Trouble finds Ranking Joe in customary fine form, often sporting the same deftly dry delivery as greats like U Roy while adding his own trademark yelps, scats and rapid-fire chats.  Railing against poverty and corruption, sending warning to the wicked and shouting praises over nice murky roots riddims played by a distinguished cast of Jamaican and UK players under the production guidance of multi-instrumentalist dubmaster Ryan Moore, this veteran deejay digs deep into the classic style with consistently strong results.

-Tom Orr

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Track Listing
1. Seek Ye First
2. Poor Man Struggle featuring Michael Rose
3. Control Your Temper
4. World in Trouble
5. Wake the Nation
6. Don't Follow Babylon featuring Michael Rose
7. Nowhere to Hide
8. Don't Try to Use Me
9. Don't Try to Use Me [Version]
10. World in Trouble [Vibronics "Skaboom" Remix]
11. Don't Follow Babylon [Blood and Fire Meets Waiwan Remix Dub Shop Style]
World in Trouble
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World in Dub reggae music CD album mp3		 Click pic to buy!

World in Dub (M Records, 2006)

*GUEST REVIEW*
Without disregarding the name above the title, understand that producer and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Moore deserves the lion's share of the credit for the dub excellence presented here. This is the dubversion of Ranking Joe's World in Trouble, a first-rate deejay album which benefitted from strong riddims laid down by a cast of seasoned players, production that was rough and tough without being sloppy, and some of Ranking Joe's most eccentric yet consciously and culturally focused toasting ever. Since this is a dub disc, the vocals naturally aren't going to figure into the equation as much. Choice bits of the artist's scatty, stammering style tickle the ears at select moments, but what really gives this one the fire is the way Moore lays on the essential dub components in amounts that always suit the flow. Bass lines are fattened up, echo shots explode across the landscape, riddims rise and fall, and vocal remnants emerge long enough for some extra attention-grabbing. World in Dub is really the best of two worlds in dub: it's modern without sounding cold, and it's obviously infused with the spirit of the great dub masters, though it doesn't try to copy every nuance from the pre-digital era. It's just plain killer.

- Tom Orr

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Track Listing
1. World in Dub
2. Gideon Sounds
3. Dub Central
4. Monkey Dub
5. Happy Version
6. Seek Ye Dub
7. Dub Babylon
8. Original Dub
9. Equal Rights Dub
10. Poor Man Version
11. World in Dub [Vibronics Skaboom Remix]
12. Dub Babylon [Remix]
World in Dub
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