Customer Reviews

Ghetto-Ology Plus Dub

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This release brings to light one of sugar minott's greatest recordings, Ghetto-ology, which was one of his first productions after leaving Studio One in 1978. The music is mainly provided by the Soul Syndicate Band, best known for playing with Peter Tosh, and here they provide Sugar with highly original backing tracks, loaded with interesting touches like backwards guitar, different percussion instruments, etc. Sugar's voice sounds as good as ever, strong and supple. And Sugar's lyrics bring out life in the ghetto powerfully. This release is also benefitted by the inclusion of the even rarer complete dub version of the album, which was mixed by King Tubby and Prince Jammy. All in all a great release, and a must for anyone interested in roots reggae of the late '70s and early '80s.

"I was so naive about being a star. I just wanted to play the music. When it hit, man... look here, this picture on the cover, in the boathouse, my girlfriend made me this shirt, Big Youth gave me his old guitar, and I don't remember where I got this hat from."

Ghetto-ology: living in the ghetto.

Ghetto-ology: Originally released in 1979, Sugar's first self-produced album.

Or albums, I should say. Because Ghetto-ology originally came in two versions, a vocal and a dub album. You can hear Sugar Minott, just after he left Studio One, and before he became to know as the godfather of Rub A Dub. Most tracks were layed down at the Channel One Studios by the then relatively new Soul Syndicate. The Dubs were mixed by Prince Jammy and the unknown Lancelot Mc Kenzie at King Tubby's. Also you'll hear Freddie Mc Gregor... on dums!

Ghetto--ology comes with a small booklet, unfortunatly not as descriptive as Blood & Fire always does, but it contains a little interview with Sugar Minott, conducted in 2000. Personally, I like every track on this album, especially the dubs. They all deal with conscious subjects and there's a good mix between militant steppers and one drops. Spiritually uplifting, definitly! Where you hear so many rich people say they do not believe in Jah because of all the suffering, it is the sufferer's themselves that cry unto JAH. The dubs all have a completely different musical atmosphere then their vocal counterparts. A suberb master piece of mixing, I must say.

Roots reggae collectors -- it's a classic! Positive message music.

Sugar was still finding his way at this point, as was Soul Syndicate, the backing band. Tubbs and Jammy make the mixes interesting but there's only so much they can do. FYI - the dubs are mastered from vinyl.

This album is essential to any music collection. Sugar Minott's first self produced LP shows the love and dedication of someone bursting with talent. The music is classic Roots Radics and the dubs are haunting. Now that this release is finally on CD, get your copy today! And listen for the backwards guitar, they may not have had much money in 1979 Kingston, but they were not short of innovation.

I did not like this album at all. I am not a fan of dub, but the roots was basically a juvenille effort to pull something together on the fly. Really disappointing lyrics, and n.o. vocal range.