ROOTS and CULTURE

           Jeez...I stepped out to pick up a pack of Rizla's and two weeks slip by!

                                        VP Records 4 disc document of CULTURE with producer
                                                                       JOE GIBBS!

I never review the new stuff because "fresh off the press" releases retail at full price. And if it's gonna be a hot mover stores may puff up the cost even more. My frugal self notices these subtle increases.  Only after the initial consumer rush to buy a CD dies out does a store resuscitate life back into the limp sales by dropping it into the bargain bins. That's when I wander along. As a matter of principle, I still haven't pick up Capleton's latest disc, I-Ternal Fire, because I'm patiently waiting for the price to drop a few bucks. And Capleton is one of my all time favorites! Even old faithful EB's hasn't budged. Amazon has the Mp3 download selling for $8.99 which is where I wish the hard copy was at. Besides the sound of the Mighty King Shango needs to be heard through floor model cabinet speakers. The best computer speakers won't shake your soul and rattle your bones! Good speakers should stand taller than your children. Woofers alone should be about the size of a large frying pan. I hooked up a state of the art Bose system to my computer but the bottom end is about the size of a thimble. Decades ago I used to channel the sound through my bass guitar PA System. Which explains why I'm always saying, "what?" and "huh?" 

Until I can figure out how to play all the downloaded tunes on my traditional stereo, I'm slow in adapting to an all Mp3 format. Are there methods that my Senior Citizen self is too out of touch to know about? I am asking for help here! 

This box set is new to everybody. I easily slid this into my budget. Okay, this review is a little delayed, because it took about two weeks ship. Media mail is not the speediest, it is the cheapest, plus I spent the last few weeks soaking in it's vibes. 43 tunes worth of heavy vibes! I am gonna make the wild accusation that the term "Roots and Culture" derived from this JAH guided band of ROOTS singers because I had never heard that Reggae description until long after JOSEPH HILL, CULTURE'S main mouth piece, proved his dominance. My main motivation in getting my greedy little hands on this collection was to get an CD update of BALDHEAD BRIDGE. A well loved vinyl copy means being worn out from too much pleasure. I already own the deluxe CD 30th anniversary Shanachie edition of TWO SEVENS CLASH so the first CD in the box-set is a double. (the weird thing is...the Shanachie set seemed to be marketed at Punk Rockers with a pointless essay written by some heroin chic guitarist!) I had never seen the second CD, MORE CULTURE, for sale. Ever, in any format, so I consider it's inclusion as warm and inviting as a home cooked meal. Not often do I get a chance to hear late seventies era gems with virgin ears. The remaining fourth disc, AS HARD AS THE REST, is a collection of alternates, dubs and singles. No left overs here! Feed your soul.

                                           My personal fave from the JOE GIBBS era. 

Some math. The Shanachie's BALDHEAD BRIDGE on disc would have set me back about $11.00. For a few dollars more, I got three extra discs. Two of which are indispensable to me. That adds up positive. I expect great sound quality from VP and they do not disappoint with the remastering. An extremely minor gripe with the REGGAE LEGEND box sets series were that no info booklet was included. I understand the original releases were shy on linear notes to begin with and to kept the price grounded low, no scribes were hired. But this set comes with an eight page booklet of explanation and of course the facsimiles of the "back album covers" of the individual CD sleeves. Another big plus. Consider this collection necessary. 

                                           A perfect record and one of many to come!

Crusty old Rastas will preach that CULTURE'S debut album TWO SEVENS CLASH was the bands best. There is no denying that 2/7's Clash is a maelstrom of Righteous words and vibes but CULTURE had a steady habit of putting out one massive classic after another! Need proof? Check their Island Records catalog. CULTURE' CD'S are like incendiary devices! Blazing stuff. Joseph Hill never tired of pushing the message of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie into deaf ears and wicked minds. 

If you delight in the revelations of Joseph Hill's spiritual twin, BURNING SPEAR, you will find yourself at home with these records.