"If You Can't Beat'Em...": A WEEKEND REGGAE MIX

 

The drums begin to beat. You can see the heat rising from the streets. The rhythm is infectious. You try not to move in time, but you can't seem to help it. And then, resounding over the skies of the world, like a universal earthquake, is the collective groan---

"Oh no! Not another damn reggae mix from that pain in the ass blogger!"

Look at it this way, when something makes you happy, you want to share that happiness, don't you?
(Well, most of you do, anyway.)

I can't make you love this music as much as I do. But I can try, 60 minutes at a time, to highlight the songs and artists that took me deeper and deeper into the world of reggae. The albums that made me see a bit further than Bob Marley and Jamaican tour commercials.

I wanted to take a cue from BuzzBabyJesus, and build this mix around one record, Joe Higgs' "Life Of Contradiction." I wrote about it before, almost a year ago to this day, and coincidentally, I just posted some of what I wrote on Instagram, on the exact day. It was my friend's comment that gave me the push, "I wasn't into reggae, but you described it as the 'Rubber Soul' of reggae records and that intrigued me. It really opened a window for me."

I did select three tracks from that Joe Higgs record, as well as three from The Clarendonians, two from The Paragons with Roslyn Sweat, and two from The Gaylads. Those four albums rank very high on my list of all time reggae albums.

I've also included three tracks from a brand new collection showcasing the legendary producer Dennis Bovell. Those tracks- Delroy Wilson, I Roy and Errol Campbell- can be found on "The Dubmaster," which you can learn more about over here.

I find it very easy to binge on reggae and ska. As I write this, I am mentally pulling records off the shelf and stacking up my weekend playlist.

Try not to judge too harshly. The artists take some liberties and the recording quality occasionally sounds like Jamaican weather feels. But that's where I find all the charm.

If you feel yourself about to recite your mantra, "All reggae sounds the same," remember two things:

1. It really doesn't

2. Try listening a different way

I hope you take the ride.

 

TRACKLIST
Fisherman- The Congos
Hooked On You- Delroy Wilson
Life Of Contradiction- Joe Higgs
You Can't Be Happy- The Clarendonians
Natty Dread Takin' Over- Culture
Burning Drums- Dadawah
I Need You- The Wailers
Get Up Stand Up- I Roy
Jah Man- Errol Campbell
Blackbird Singing- The Paragons w/Roslyn Sweat
Darling Forever- The Clarendonians
Peculiar Man- The Gaylads
She Was The One- Joe Higgs
The World Is A Ghetto- The Paragons w/Roslyn Sweat
You Can't Keep A Good Man Down- The Clarendonians
You Are Leaving Now- The Gaylads
Song My Enemy Sings- Joe Higgs

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