I know the big music news this week is the "Revolver" boxed set coming in October. You can find details on that Beatles set just about anywhere on the internet. But right now, I am pretty jazzed about the Lee "Scratch" Perry set that was just released from Trojan Records.
Trojan Records tends to reissue the same music over and over, but "King Scratch" is special. There are 4 LPs and 4 CDs, and with the exception of only 8 tracks, there is no overlap. You will find some of the usual suspects, "Beat Down Babylon," "Clint Eastwood," "Return Of Django," which is no different than finding "My Girl," "Dancing In The Street," and "Stop In The Name Of Love" on a Motown box. These tracks need to be here. But this box is perfectly sequenced. Each disc has a theme and a time frame, with hits, dub, spiritual and dancehall.
Usually with any mulit-disc set, no matter the artist, I need to space things. I don't binge anything. But each side got better and better and I was sorry to hear it all come to an end.
Many legends are represented. The Congos, Junior Murvin, Carlton & The Shoes, Bunny "Rugs" Clarke, Junior Byles, Dillinger, Max Romeo, Prince Jazzbo, Dave Barker and of course, the genius behind it all, Lee "Scratch" Perry.
Don't quote me on this but, I think the streaming version is different from the box, offering up even more.
The Beatles "Revolver" set on vinyl includes 4 LPs, a 7" and 100 page hard cover book and retails for $200. "King Scratch" is 4 LPs, 4 CDs, and a paperback book with notes by Perry's official biographer David Katz, and it retails for a little over $100.
Or, you can just stream it all.
Just listen to it.
4 comments:
Looking forward to hearing this. And congrats on posting it without the disclaimer about "knowing" nobody wants to hear reggae/ska/bluebeat. You're owning it!
C in California
I've been a "Scratch" fan since the late '70's. His records used to be really hard to find. It's gratifying to see how his reputation has grown over the years, and even though I have several compilations, and recognize most of the titles, I just might need to get this one too.
Hahaha. Nice one, anonymous and I second that. No need to use a disclaimer for great music in any genre.
But wait. You mean, the boxed set includes vinyl AND CD and most of the tracks are unique to each format? I can't think of that ever happening before. I mean, I guess it has but that's..interesting. Is there any rhyme or reason to what's on vinyl versus what's on CD? And it's just $100 for 4 LPs and 8 CDs? That's what it looks like online. That's pretty awesome.
Yes, the box has 4 LPs, 4 CDs, with I think only 6-8 repeats, and yes it's only $100.
Trojan reissues are occasionally shakey, but this one isn't, at least not to my eyes and ears.
Not sure of the rhyme or reason of what made what format.
Post a Comment