|
|
|
Click pic to buy! |
|
Jesus Dread: 1972-1977 (Blood & Fire, 1997) Yabby You AKA Yabby U, AKA Vivian Jackson, is one of those revered figures in the world of reggae who's almost above reproach. Listening to Jesus Dread (His nickname came from the fact that he differed from many Rastas in his belief that Jesus, not Haile Selassie, was the Messiah.), it's easy to see why. Yabby You carries himself with an air of solemn righteousness that comes through in his music. Whether he's singing or producing, his material has a somber yet earnest sound, the tunes in which he sings especially having a hymn-like, even bluesy vibe. This doesn't mean that Yabby You's songs aren't catchy or melodic, though. Actually, the chanting that often accompanies the choruses is quite "hummable." For instance, "Conquering Lion" features the "yabby yabby you" chant that gave Vivian Jackson his pseudonym and other tracks like "Jah Vengeance" and "King Pharaoh's Plague" have a similarly subdued, cyclical Gregorian feel. This material never becomes all-out gloomy, however; the fire and brimstone of the lyrics in "Jah Vengeance," for example, is tempered by the catchy "tra la la la la" melody. For a man known as much for producing as for singing, his vocals are pretty good -- akin to Pablo Moses. Yabby You's brooding sound may get a bit old by the time you get through all 48 tracks on Jesus Dread -- particularly with no less than 9 variations on "Conquering Lion" -- but it's still a great style, and the song quality is remarkably consistent throughout. As such, it's difficult to pick out a favorite, but "Love Thy Neighbor," "Walls of Jerusalem," "Deliver Me From My Enemies," "Run Come Rally," "Jah Vengeance," Wayne Wade's Hugh Mundell-like "Man of the Living," and of course the ubiquitous "Conquering Lion" are all quite strong. |
Track Listing |
 |
Deliver Me From My Enemies (Blood and Fire, 2006 [orig.
released 1977])
*GUEST
REVIEW*
The UK's Blood and Fire label has a great track record with reissue albums of Yabby You as both singer and producer, and this one's
a solid addition to that fine line. Yabby You (born Vivian Jackson) is, after all, one of the most mystical, elusive figures in reggae, a humble
soul who records and performs infrequently these days but who made roots recordings in the '70s that would have lasting musical and spiritual
impact. Deliver Me From My Enemies, originally released in 1977, was Yabby You's second album. It's chock full of cautionary spiritual songs
("Judgement Time," "Pick the Beam," the title track) with welcome sidesteps into
lovers rock and the instrumental skills of saxophonist
Tommy McCook (some of whose most memorable non-Skatalites work was produced by Yabby You). As usual, Blood and Fire has embellished the
original disc with dubs, extended mixes and deejay versions, making for an abundant re-doing. The musicians are all top
flight, particularly the
subtle magic of keyboardists Touter Harvey and Ansel Collins. I must point out, however, the omission of two songs, "Everlasting Life" and
"Economical Crisis," that were included on a UK version of this same album on Yabby You's own label that appeared sometime in the intervening
years (my CD copy is undated). Perhaps Blood and Fire did not have access to those songs, but they would have bumped up this reissue from
merely great to absolutely definitive.
- Tom Orr
| Track Listing 1.Deliver Me From My Enemies 2. Deliver Me From My Enemies Version 3. Judgement Time 4. Blood a Go Run Down King Street 5. Love in Zimba 6. Zion Gate 7. Lonely Me 8. Stranger in Love 9. Pound Get a Blow 10. Pick the Beam 11. And Amlak (One God) 12. Jah Vengeance -- Yabby You and Trinity [12" Mix] 13. Free Africa -- Yabby You and Trinity [12" Mix] 14. Babylon a Fall -- The Prophets [12" Mix] 15. Falling Babylon -- Tony Tuff [12" Mix] 16. Pick the Beam [Previously Unreleased Dubplate Mix] 17. Pick the Beam Version [Previously Unreleased Dubplate Mix] |
 |