Back in the Black Ark by The Congos | United Reggae

Online Reggae Magazine

Articles

Articles about reggae music, reviews, interviews, reports and more...

Back in the Black Ark by The Congos

Back in the Black Ark by The Congos

Back in the Black Ark by The Congos

By on - 1 comment

Features intriguing departures from the group’s more famous works.

This project reassembles the dream team responsible for one of the best-loved roots reggae albums this side of Bob Marley. Compared to Lee Perry and The Congos’ 1977 classic pairing, 'Heart of the Congos', it’s a mixed bag, but contains several strong roots offerings and some pleasingly restrained vocals from “Scratch” himself.

The reunion, brokered by French agency Mediacom, follows a period of resurgence for both parties. Perry is teetotal and seems more eccentric than unstable, while Cedric Myton and Roydel Johnson have put aside their differences and are touring again.

Of course, the album wasn’t really cut at the fire-ravaged Black Ark, and the mercurial Perry has actually co-helmed the project alongside Abyssinians producer Clive Hunt. The result is ten compositions (recorded with legendary Jamaican musicians including 'Heart of the Congos' bassist Boris Gardiner, and keyboardist Robbie Lyn) and four more light-hearted soul covers (given a basic digital backing by the aptly-named “Computer Paul”).

Celestial World, Garden of Life, Music School and Great Powers – all co-written by Myton and featuring his extraordinary falsetto as lead – swell the body of impressive, no-frills roots the group has built post-1977. Less successful are Roy’s crooners, Crying Times and Under the Sun, which are let down by ersatz strings.

A jaunty, speedy version of Sam Cooke’s Chain Gang is an interesting novelty, with the deep-voiced Watty Burnett taking the iconic bass refrain. Burnett also sings upfront on Tony Joe White’s Rainy Night in Georgia, the most moving retread of the set.

Perry was involved in four of the songs (he was in Kingston for only four days). These are Spider Woman, Rainy Night in Georgia, Forever Young and Garden of Life, which features his familiar flange-y effects, and some choice "Scratchisms" half-spoken in his inimitable style.

Heart of the Congos II this certainly isn’t (although the various editions of the original rely on vintage studio wizardry from Scientist and Scratch to bolster some of the later tracks). But fans of Perry and The Congos will enjoy the roots material while the reconnections with reggae's US influences make for intriguing departures from their more famous works.

Originally published on BBC.co.uk

Share it!

Send to Kindle
Create an alert

Read comments (1)


Posted by J J on 03.23.2010
Great review, hadn't realised Scratch did some vocals on this.

Comments actually desactivated due to too much spams

Recently addedView all

Video
Var - Poor and Needy
27 Sep
Video
Mortimer - Lightning
11 Aug

© 2007-2024 United Reggae. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. Read about copyright

Terms of use | About us | Contact us | Authors | Newsletter | A-Z

United Reggae is a free and independant magazine promoting reggae music and message since 2007. Support us!

Partners: Jammin Reggae Archives | Jamaican Raw Sessions | Guide nature - Traversées de la baie du Mont Saint-Michel | One One One Wear