This is the third and final album the Wailing Souls recorded with producer Delroy Wright, and features an awesome aggregation of musicians, including Sly & Robbie, Steely & Clevie, Sticky Thompson, Walton Brownie, amongst many others. While Wright's production does utilize electronics, all three of his Souls' albums are notable for their organic sound, totally at odds with the ragga style which now held Jamaica in its thrall. There again, the Wailing Souls seemed happy to step firmly into the cracks between scenes and ...
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This is the third and final album the Wailing Souls recorded with producer Delroy Wright, and features an awesome aggregation of musicians, including Sly & Robbie, Steely & Clevie, Sticky Thompson, Walton Brownie, amongst many others. While Wright's production does utilize electronics, all three of his Souls' albums are notable for their organic sound, totally at odds with the ragga style which now held Jamaica in its thrall. There again, the Wailing Souls seemed happy to step firmly into the cracks between scenes and musical styles. Although the group would always be tagged a roots act, in fact, they'd long ago left behind a pure roots sound. This is seen most spectacularly on "Who's Running," whose driving beat is met by a fabulously smokey urban-styled horn solo; it also boasts an amazing vocal delivery reminiscent of Sting, giving the song a white reggae feel, certainly a first for a Jamaican group! "I'm Depending on You," meanwhile, is Motown inspired, but fueled by a pure ragga beat. However, three years in the States hadn't totally severed the Souls from their island home. The call and response on "It Bad Fe True" and the choral vocals of "Wash Mouth" are defiantly Jamaican based, as are the exquisite close harmonies of "Play On." There's also a trio of purer reggae numbers that swing from the heavy roots of "Cherry Ripe" to the gently swaying "Nice One," while the title track boasts a sublime blend of reggae riffing, fat bass, digitized beats, and rich infectious harmonies. Although recorded in 1988, this album was not released for three years, and its appearance then was controversial, as the Souls had progressed significantly in the interim. Regardless, this is a wonderful album, and a potent reminder of the band's past. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, Rovi
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