Rating:
Genre:
Reggae
Release Date: 02/28/1994
Run Time: 61:02
Dub poetry, a unique reggae subgenre characterized by political poetry delivered over an instrumental backdrop, has never really gained full acceptance in the reggae community. Although its urgent political messages and straightforward roots rhythms make it seem like a natural fit for fans of conscious reggae, dub poetry has too often come across as a dysfunctional marriage of convenience between words and music. This CD brings together two LPs previously released in the early '80s:
Word Sound 'Ave Power was an anthology of singles by such notable dub poets as
Mutabaruka and
Breeze (aka
Sister Breeze), as well as more obscure artists like
Glenville Bryan and
Navvie Nabbie, while
Dub Poets Dub was a companion dub version of that album. The combined collection could be used as an argument for either side of the dub poetry debate. On the one hand, you have incisive commentary from
Breeze, whose views on foreign aid can be summed up in one couplet: "They come, they work, they smile so pleased/ They leave and you discover a new disease." And
Mutabaruka is his usual sharp-eyed self on
"Set de Prisoners Free" and
"Out of Many One." But then you have lines like "I'm a victim, a victim/ A victim of de stinkin' system" from
Malachi Smith, and the painfully pedestrian anti-drug pronouncements of
Tomlin Ellis. These are not "poems" that deserve to be recited. They could possibly be redeemed by strong melodies, but without such support they sound like eighth-grade social studies essays. The dub versions all vary from good to excellent. This one is recommended, but so is the judicious use of the skip button.
~Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
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