Customer Reviews

Give Them the Rights

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

 

 

GIVE THEM THE RIGHTS: You've got to feel a bit sorry for the Congos, toiling as they do in the eternal and mighty shadow of their Lee Scratch Perry-produced 1977 classic, HEART OF THE CONGOS. It's hard to imagine any review of their subsequent studio work that doesn't draw comparisons and almost inevitably find the contemporary Congos somewhat lacking. Taken entirely on its own merits though, GIVE THEM THE RIGHTS is a stunner, and even though the group's numbers have dwindled to one (Cedric Myton, whose unearthly falsetto voice was really the trademark of the classic Congos lineup), this collection has all the power and majesty of works recorded thirty years previously. This success is at least in part due to the stellar studio crew assembled for the sessions, including all-time greats like Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Chinna Smith (who's also responsible for the brilliant horn arrangements), Robbie Lyn, Style Scott, Leroy Horsemouth, Gladdy Anderson; and the list goes on. But you've also got to hand a lot of credit to Myton, whose songwriting and production work are both first-rate, and really capture the classic sound of the seventies while maintaining a cutting, contemporary edge. By employing a throng of backup singers, Myton recreates that rich choral tone that illuminated HEART OF THE CONGOS, underpinning his own free-floating falsetto with multiple background voices at lower registers. The results are rarely short of spiritual. Opening with three absolute knockouts - IT CAN'T WORK, the title cut, and KINGDOM RISE - GIVE THEM THE RIGHTS is about as close to perfect as you're likely to get this side of 1977. Only the rather bumpy BOYCOTT fails to meet the standard, but that's the exception, and with hard-hitters like UNDILUTED SOLDIER, SLEEPING GIANT and the lucious BORN AGAIN (which picks up on the theme of the Congos' classic, NICODEMUS), it's hard to level any sort of reasonable criticism. These are good, good works from Cedric Myton, a man who could certainly teach some of today's up-and-coming reggae singers a thing or two about the real roots sound. This is magnificent - five stars on the nose!

(Thanks and praises are also due to the Young Tree outfit for putting this one on the shelves at your local record store, and extra credit for the splendid packaging.)

I'd give it 10 STARS if I could
HAVEN'T HEARD REGGAE LIKE THIS IN AGES!

A MUST HAVE

THE SONG "BOYCOTT"
IS THE REGGAE ANTHEM OF THE MILLENIUM
VERY ORIGINAL!

AFTER HEARING THIS ALBUM I'VE BECOME AN INSTANT FAN

What's amazing to me is, HOW THIS CD or rather
THE CONGO'S THEMSELVES WERE SO OVERLOOKED?

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR BUY THE ALBUM!
and take pride in knowing, you are one of few
to experiance this profound, beautiful, yet so overlooked masterpeice of overflowing emotion. Such an incrediably unique piece of music!

Other AMAZING tracks include,
-"It Can't Work"
-"Give Them The Rights"
-"Kingdom Rises"
-"Undiluted Soldier"
-"Mr. Shark"
-"Lion In The Jungle" &
"Born Again"

-1LOVE-

a really really good cd, anyone that has taste should have this one *****