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Exiles in Babylon by Merger
Exiles in Babylon by Merger
Freethinking weirdness from this little known London group
Makasound’s unusual reissue programme continues with this 1977 concept album by London outfit Merger. Ostensibly Mike Dan (also known as Mike Dorane), Winston Bennett and Barry Ford, plus a revolving door of additional members and contributors, they played a progressive roots mix of jazz, disco, soul, African and even psychedelic ingredients during the late 1970s and early 80s. Ford, the only member still in circulation, linked up with Makasound through his involvement in Earl Chinna Smith’s 'Inna De Yard Volume II'.
'Exiles In A Babylon' attempts to distil and appraise the diverse strands of the black experience across a series of loose, baggy, yet tightly played jams and the occasional slower more reflective roots number. The former - such as Understanding, African Lady, Ghetto Child and Massa Gana - bounce along to the almost constant kick drum of the disco beat. The instruments (including electric guitar, resonator guitar, synthesiser and flute) seem to go off on their own tangents while staying together, giving the sense of organised chaos one gets from the big band arrangements of Howlin’ Wolf. In comparison, the swinging tumbling title track and the poignantly prophetic Have You Heard (featuring the curious deep voice of Michael Dan) are quite reserved, supplying the album with its heart.
Makasound, never afraid to rattle the cage of tradition, have seen fit to re-arrange the running order of the original release, and added two bonus tracks. These are Rebel, whose familiar yodelling motif and lyric suggest a tribute to Bob Marley, and Freedom Fighters with a dreamy flower power harmony that calls to mind the eerie, oft-dismissed work of Lee Perry and Sam Carty at the Black Ark.
Those who resent the incursion of jazz values on reggae (a position that risks both fetishising its cruder elements and ghetto-ising it as an exclusively low-brow concern) may see this as a load of noodling shapeless yawn. But for those who don’t, Exiles In A Babylon is a fascinating slice of freethinking weirdness that sits just to the right of The Light Of Saba and Peter Tosh, Eric Gale and Joe Higgs’ instrumental opus Negril.
Copyright Angus Taylor 2nd February 2009 ©
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