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HUGH MUNDELL
MUNDELL
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1982 - Greensleeves -
studio - discs:1
This is the fourth album from the great and late Hugh Mundell (born on 14th July 1962, killed in 1983). He was shot dead one year after this very powerfull set. Hugh was only twentyone years old! "Ah so it go", jamaicans say. But this was a great loss and it is nice to think that if Hugh would be still with us he would still sing beautiful songs. There is a wonderful positive wave permeating this set. The songs are heartfelt and the Roots Radics proved again that they were one of the best backing band around. What positively impresses is a strange approach to the music. Some songs are constructed around a mix of "dubbed" Roots. It is not pure Dub nor pure Roots. In some cases it is Roots with a texture of Dub alchemies. A good example is the obscure "Going Places". Other tracks are more musically conventional but Hugh unique vocal approach, and his Rastafari faith, gives them a special and very personal touch. There is no low peaks in this very confident set. The powerful "Rasta Have The Handle" opens the album setting the whole athmosphere. "Tell I A Lie" follows with a beautiful horns section. The above mentioned "Going Places" maybe is the most interesting song with its Dub/Roots mixed up approach. The original eight tracks are followed by two unreleased songs plus two Dubs. These Dubs are "Jacqueline Dub" and "Rasta Have The Handle Dub". The former is not particularly impressive. The latter is more powerfull. This album was produced by Henry "Junjo" Lawes. It was recorded at Channel One and was mixed by Scientist at King Tubby's. The entire album is a small gem from an artist that cannot be forget!
AFRICA MUST BE FREE BY 1983
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1978 - RAS - studio - discs: 1
"Africa Must Be Free By 1983" is the debut album from the great and late Hugh Mundell. The set was recorded in 1978 at Lee Perry's Black Ark (two tracks were recorded there: "Let's All Unite" and "Why Do Black Man Fuss And Fight"), Channel One, Harry J and Joe Gibbs. Under the keen eye of Augustus Pablo (here working as producer and writer) Hugh Mudell delivers one of the best debut set ever recorded in Jamaica. When Mundell recorded this set he was only sixteen years old! The set opens with the easily recognisable Black Ark's atmosphere of "Let's All Unite", setting the mood of the set even if only two tracks were recorded there. That day Perry was in the premises for sure. The second track is "My Mind", a sulphurous slow tune. Follows the title track "Africa Must Be Free By 1983" with its Rockers atmosphere kept low and engaging. The fourth track "Why Do Black Man Fuss And Fight" is again a song cut at Perry's: studio. What a sounds, anything like that could have been recorded in other places whatever the facilities. If I would be asked about the most touching song of the entire album probably I would choose this. The following song is "Book Of Life" versioning Jacob Miller's "Keep on Knocking" rhythm, here delivered through a personal approach. The sixth song is "Run Revolution A Come", a two and a half gem of slow deep Roots. This track should last ten minutes. Follows "Day Of Judgement", a fast song if compared to the other presented here. Follows the meditative "Jah Will Provide". The set closes with "Ital Sip". The personnell involved in this album are: Horsemouth Wallace, Jacob Miller, Ben Bow and Santa Davis on drums; Robbie Shakespeare and Leroy Sibbles on bass; Earl "Chinna" Smith on lead guitar; Earl "Chinna" Smith ,Clayton Downie and Geoffrey Chung on rhythm guitar. The recordings were engineered by Phillip Smart , Errol Thompson and Sylvan Morris. This highly spiritual set from the young Rastafarian Hugh Mundell will leave you astonished.
AFRICA MUST BE FREE BY 1983 DUB
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1978 - RAS - studio - discs: 1
The Dub version of the epochal "Africa Must Be Free By 1983" by Hugh Mundell was mixed by Prince Jammy. Even if this set is not particularly impressive there are some examples of good Dub. To appreciate completely the set it should be approached after listening to its original counterpart.
THE BLESSED YOUTH
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1978-1981 - Makasound - studio - discs:1
"The Blessed Youth" is a collection presenting all the self produced songs Hugh Mundell recorded between 1978 and 1981. Some of these tracks were produced by Augustus Pablo. A few tracks were previously available inside the "Blackman's Foundation" compilation, but now they are properly compiled here. The present collection actually presents the entire self produced "Time And Place" set (1980): "Great Tribulation", "Time Has Come", "Live In Love", "Time And Place", "Short Man", "Can't Pop No Style", "Rastafari's Call", "Oh How I Love H.I.M." (here presented as the Hugh Mundell and Max Edwards version), "Feeling Allright " (here presented as the extended version), and "Hey Mr Richman" (here presented as the Hugh Mundell and Max Edwards version). The added material on this compilation is: "Rastafari Tradition", "Blackman's Foundation" (featuring Hugh Mundell and Jah Bull), "Don't Stay Away", "Stop Them Jah" (as an extended version), and "One Jah, One Aim, One Destiny". If not all the material collected here is superior, in any case here we have the very good "Time And Place" album (as stated above with some alternate tracks), plus some other interesting songs. A very good collection.
yardie-reggae.com - 2007