Customer Reviews

Man in the Hills & Dry & Heavy

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

 

 

Like the cover sleeve says, "two classic albums on one cd!" It was wise of Island Records to put these two albums ("Man In the Hills/Dry & Heavy" 1976-77) on one cd. Out of all Winston Rodney's work these two albums are the most indistinguishable from each other, the material being quite upbeat in places with hints of jazz-like horns incorporated in. Also, being sandwiched between two other classic Burning Spear albums, "Marcus Garvey" '75 and "Social Living" '78, the music company probably felt they would make more money putting these two sets together which are only slightly weaker than their immediate successor and forerunner.

It never fails with Burning Spear; every time I buy one of his albums, I'm dissappointed at first and then growing to love it later, go out and buy another one, am disappointed then grow to love it then....etc. etc. These appealed to me much more quickly than most of his stuff, though and some of the songs here are my favorites of the artist. I love "I W.I.N." and "Throw Down Your Arms." "Dry & Heavy" is really good. The first one I began to listen to a lot was "Children." "Mother" is great, also and "The Sun" is an exciting one. But their isn't a bad track on the whole cd! From beginning to end I highly recommend this; for collectors of reggae or anyone who likes music and especially for fans of Burning Spear.

There's a lot to read inside the cover insert as well.

I have "Marcus Garvey," "Hail H.I.M.," and this two-for-one cd. This one is my favorite. It has a brighter sound than Marcus Garvey and Hail H.I.M. and the songs are just beautiful. My favorites are "The Sun," "No More War," "Throw Down Your Arms," and "Door Peep." To be honest, there isn't a bad song on the entire cd!

Marley is my brother. But like many of us who have brothers and sisters, even though we have tremendous respect for their talents, they can be so annoying that we must get out and leave the room. My quest was for those 70's reggae grooves that have yet made an impression on today's artists to bring back a revival. Forgive me as I am ignorant to much of its history. I listen to Barrington Levy's, "Shine Eye Girl" and "No Fuss No Fight", and there are moments where I lose myself in a space in time in which I envision crowds of people in the streets of the Kingston of old, but I am alone. Not lonely but at peace. Some go to islands and drink alcohol in umbrella glasses under palm trees to achieve this commercialized state of being. Some smoke. All the while, I am able to go anywhere at any time by going within. I close my eyes and listen to Jimmy Cliff, to Toots and the Maytals, to Dennis Brown, to Alpha Blondy. If your not getting the feel here than I got nothing for you. "Man in the Hills", "It's Good", "No More War", "Lion", "People get Ready", "Children", "I.W.I.N.", "Dry and Heavy" these are the favorites. What makes Winston Rodney the more unique is the flute plays perfectly into his music and lyrics which only just enhances that 70's groove.

It is an impressive collection that for over an hour delivers non stop soulful sounds and ideas, the groove just flows, the words are true and have that interesting build up through repetition and transformations, that burning spear creates, kin of like Thelonious Monk, but with the warm caribbean sun and breeze. I could not imagine anyone not loving this music.

The Spear's second & third LPs packaged together also show his development as a poet of intense, deeply personal spiritual vision. Man In the Hills, produced by Jack Ruby, is an extension of Marcus Garvey, often brooding, occasionally preachy, a bit constricted. Includes the classic Black Soul with its generations of great, great grandmothers & grandfathers.

The self-produced Dry & Heavy reworks a number of pre-Garvey singles into new songs, & the love really starts to flow in Any River, The Sun, & Throw Down Your Arms - the latter with very different feel than No More War. Spear shares a private smile here & there, with touching autobiographical references, the songs sound looser, but a little less chantlike, everything sung with economy, never a note, wail, or moan too much, vocal harmonies placed like horns, the artist we have come to know & love for three decades emerging. The bands on both albums are peerless. Altogether, uplifting, indispensable music for the human race.

Spear mushroomed into a youth mass movement that epitomized roots with one Winston Rodney, the musical mystic from Jamaica trancing his followers into wonderful rhythm and spirituality,however one defines it's meaning...and many meanings can exist..This CD is bass heavy but fine, these 2 wonderful albums on 1 CD is a treasure...Spear and all the members of his ongoing band play well while the band always changed around the arrangements to his bedrock of early songs that somehow never dies despite the recycling going on for 35 years.

Those colors and full original artwork is missed but the notes and packaging will do.

Maybe this cd is more for Burning Spear completists than anything else. The 2 old albums on this cd aren't essential for reggae or for Burning Spear, but it's music.