Product Description

According to the Virgin Encyclopaedia of Reggae, this is "regarded by many as one of the greatest dub albums of all time". Such regard is doubtless thanks to the stature of the individual talents collaborating here. Augustus Pablo, born Horace Swaby, 1954, proprietor of Rockers International recordstore & sound-system, was better known as an artist in his own right (developing a signature "Far East Sound" both as producer and soloist on the melodica). King Tubby, born Osbourne Ruddock 1941, began his adult life as a radio repairman and sound engineer, going on to pioneer a revolution in sound production, single-handedly inventing the art of the remixand the sub-genre of dub.
These tracks are less characterised by echo-chamber pyrotechnics and tricky manipulation of sonic space than many dub versions of the era, focusing more on subtle shifts in mood and complex ensemble playing. Inaddition to Pablo on melodica, the sessions feature such Jamaican studio legends as bassist Robbie Shakespeare and virtuoso drummer Carlton Barret of Wailers fame.

Track Listing

1. Keep On Dubbing
2. Stop Them Jah
3. Young Generation Dub
4. Each One Dub
5. 555 Dub Street
6. Brace's Tower Dub
7. King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
8. Brace's Tower Dub No 2
9. Corner Crew Dub
10. Skanking Dub
11. Frozen Dub
12. Satta Dub
13. King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
14. I Ruthland Close
15. 1-2-3 Version
16. Silent Satta

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1847 in Music
• Released on: 2004-01-19
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

A higher consciousness
I bought this on the advice of a good friend after really enjoying some of his Tubby vinyls at a party. My first Dub purchase, I can only echo the sentiments of those below by saying that this a beautiful record that straddles all musical genres.
This is a stunning amalgam of Augustus Pablo's ghostly melodica, echoing snatches of the haunting voice of Jacob Miller and the genius of Tubby's transcendal beats. There are many highlights such as the skipping tempo of,"stop them Jah," the beatiful re-verbs and the vocal on the recognizable,"King Tubby Meets Rockers uptown. Another highlight is the treatment that's given to the indestructible rhythm of The Abysinnian's,"Satta Dub." As with all classic records it's a little unfair to mention single tracks, all off them on here stand out, for the subtle genius of the cut and the intricate techniques that Tubby used to build a track. The bounus tracks on here fit into the original album perfectly.
Dub fans should already have this in their collection but if you are just getting into the music make this your first essential purchase. It will shatter any prejudices that you have towards this music; the louder you play it the more you learn.

as good as dub gets - strongly recommended
This album has always stood out among the many dub albums issued in Jamaica between 1974 and the early 1980s. Not being part of the very first wave allowed a greater degree of sophistication to develop, and unlike many other dub albums, even from some years later, it is in quite obvious and creatively used stereo.

The rhythms used are mixture of old Studio One classics (Swing Easy, Satta Masagana), songs Pablo produced for the young Jacob Miller (notably the title track) and Pablo's own instrumentals. They are far more musical than some of the more leaden heavy dub and consequently likely to appeal to a far wider audience. The title track, dub version of Jacob Miller's "Baby I Love You So", which itself used the rhythm of Pablo's instrumental "Cassava Piece", is arguably the greatest dub track ever recorded, certainly the best known, with vocals and instruments (especially drums) zooming in and out of the mix in a marvellously inspired and lively fashion. That it stands out on this album is testament to its brilliance, as the whole album is consistently superb, with not a single track less than excellent - a rare occurrence among dub albums. It is a tribute to the mixing genius of King Tubby.

Adding bonus tracks to an album this good is a bit superfluous, but it's worth noting that the extremely fine "Silent Satta" stands up well in this company, though it sounds likely to have been mixed by Lee Perry rather than King Tubby.

This album is a great introduction both to dub in general and to the work of Augustus Pablo and King Tubby in particular.

The classic dub album of the 70's
Returning to this album after nearly 25 years I thought I was just satisfying some nostalgia for my mispent youth, but this recording is greater than I remembered. At first listen, it may seem too mellow and even unsophisticated, but give it time. Repeated listens seep into your unconscious, untill it will become one of your favourite pieces of music, because it is deeply musical, the layers of rhythm reveal themseves slowly, like great classical music (think Bach's Goldberg variations) and the latent spirituality of the music is both calming and stimulating at the same time. No one track stands out for me, they all meld one into the next. Great for last thing at night, great for general chilling out, great even to drive to. It should be in everyones collection.