Macka B - Change The World

Macka B the popular, gravel voiced, veteran UK MC is back with a new self produced album “Change The World”, the follow up to 2008’s “More Knowledge”.

He was recently interviewed by Angus Taylor for Reggaeville where he spoke about his concept for the album which covers a wide variety of topics from Rastafarian ideology to the scourge of gang violence, the barbarity of slavery and a lack of compensation for it, through clever use of the up surge of personal injury lawyers to make his point and of course good old fashioned love.

In fact the whole album is well written with poignant and meaningful lyrics that effectively convey each songs message whether it be a strong cry for unity and how this strength through unity can be used to Change The World or the light heartedness of ‘Medical Marijuana’, a tale about how he needs a card to allow him you to smoke Marijuana legally for medicinal purposes like those in America. This song also rides along perfectly on a vintage riddim used on the Toots and the Maytals number ‘Hold On’. Other songs that make good use of classic Studio One riddims, that have been re-edited and remixed by George 'Peckings' Price son Chris, are ‘Good Woman’ (Queen Of The Minstrels) and aptly ‘Never Played A 45’ (Boops) that encourages DJ’s to keep faith with this format and mix it in with their CD’s and mp3’s.

The remaining songs are built on a backbone of new riddims from Ironfirst Productions that have managed to blend that feel of the classic riddims of old, with pulsing bass lines and bustling horns, yet kept them contemporary and fresh.

If you are fortunate enough to catch Maka B at one of his festival appearances this summer then I’m sure many of these new songs will go down well for as he says there is “something about the feel and the vibe” (Never Played A 45) about this album that many will enjoy.

This review was first published in Reggaeville’s Festiville 2012 magazine where you can find a host more reviews, interviews and other interesting facets of information concerning this years Festival season.

David Pablo

Signs to SpringlineJamaica

2 x 12" DDL releases

with both available on one nice price CD

www.comeficonquer.com

Black Roots - All Day All Night (Deluxe Edition)

Celebrating 25 years since its original release Bristol Archive Records are bringing us a deluxe CD edition of “All Day All Night”, the album that saw Black Roots teaming up with the Mad Professor and moving away from their original earthy, raw sound to a more polished version. Despite this move musically the band's lyrics remained predominantly focused on the social and historical injustices that help define the roots genre.

The 12 original tracks from the album are as strong as any you are likely to hear and although this more polished sound does take away some of the raw and vibrancy of Black Roots early sound the lyrics are just as

By 1987 the popularity of roots reggae music in the UK had most definitely waned with the arrival of the digital style and also to more of an extent the emergence of Hip Hop and Rap. So the fact that this album was not particularly commercially successful can be blamed for that, because this is a great roots album with the Mad Professor at the controls, embracing new technology and production techniques, to give them a more contemporary UK sound.

Having previously teamed up with Nubian Records to release the critically acclaimed “Black Roots – The Reggae Singles Anthology”, Bristol Archive Records have once more been allowed into the Black Roots/Nubian tape vaults. This time we bring out a 25th anniversary deluxe CD edition of “All Day All Night”, the album that saw them teaming up with the Mad Professor and moving away from their original sound for a more polished version. Whilst the music may have been brought up to date, the band's lyrics rarely strayed away from the same themes of social and historical justice that define the roots genre.

As well the original dozen vocal tracks, we've added several dub versions and the extended 12” mix of “Pin in the Ocean”. The music itself saw the band embracing new technology and production techniques to give themselves a more contemporary UK sound, expertly helmed by the UK's leading reggae producer Neil Fraser. The dub mixes give another dimension to the music, the Mad Professor's signature mixing style meaning these mixes wouldn't seem out of place in his own “Dub Me Crazy” series.

A quarter of a century after its first release, “All Day All Night” is worthy of reissue and hopefully will find a new audience amongst fans who were too young for its original release as well as appealing to those who want to supplement their vinyl issues and enjoy the many extra tracks included on this CD. Bristol Archive Records have paid their usual attention to detail and to complement the newly re mastered music, the booklet will include many previously unpublished photos of the band.

Back together after many years, Black Roots are working on a new album to be released in late 2012 as well as performing around the UK. The fact that several of these songs have found a firm place in their live set, emphasises the quality of the writing and the need for this long overdue reappraisal. Bristol Archive Records have once again fulfilled their mission and rescued another deserving and high quality album from obscurity for a new generation of fans.

Tracks CD:

Realize

Pin In The Ocean

Release the Food

Freedom

Poor Children

Spare The Rod

Conman

Seeing Your Face

All Day All Night

Mighty Lion

Suffer Me Not

Childless Mother

Additional tracks:

Pin In The Ocean (Extended Mix)

Reality Dub

Folitrickshun Dub

Dub Free

Face Dub

Fertility Dub