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Compendulum

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Compendulum

Compendulum

By Gerard McMahon on Thursday, June 16, 2016 - Comment

More Sweet Nectar From The Sugar Shack.

Sampler

Just when it seemed that the Reggae Archives at Bristol's Sugar Shack Records must surely have run dry - after repeated releases of overlooked first time round U.K. roots records - it produces yet another gem in 'Compendulum'.

Compendulum This 16 track whopper is well worth the price, even if only to hear Birmingham's Black Symbol's deep gravel pitch lead singer Fatman on 'Feeling Irie'. His St. Ann's, Jamaica birthplace proximity to – no, not Bob Marley – but Burning Spear, is surpassed by the uncanny vocal resemblance to the latter roots' legend. This treat is further extended by the inclusion – with brass embellished bass and female vocals – of 'Jah and I'. In fact, Black Symbol contributes 6 tracks (2 in dub) to this compilation, which should surely help secure its status.

Wolverhampton's Capital Letters continue to make their characteristic impression too, with a fine delivery of 'Jah Music', equalled only by the dub version. The compilation also presents other familiar faces, with the unique Bunny Marrett and rough house Ragga\Dancehall's Prince Green\Drummie getting in on the act with four and two tracks respectively. Even Jashwha Moses puts in an appearance, with a cut called 'What A Situation', that bears a striking rhythmical resemblance to Joseph Hill's 1978 Culture classic 'Natty Never Gets Weary'.

Overall, under the guiding hand of Chris Potter, this is another welcome addition to the Shack's stock and surpasses some of the same source's more recent releases. Compendulum will persist on 'play' here for the forseeable future.