the 2005 greensleeves comp is much better than the 2006 one and i'd highly recommend it. one drop/roots reggae made its first major comeback in jamaica in the mid/late 90s with several dancehall artists converting to rasta e.g. buju banton and capleton and new conscious artists like sizzla, luciano and so on. since then it's always been around, spawning at least a few massive hits each year and a number of excellent albums. a rush of hits in summer/autumn 2004 (can't satisfy her, the drop leaf riddim, welcome to jamrock) sparked renewed interest in the one drop style (though can't satisfy her isn't strictly one drop, but these terms are used loosely and rarely understood entirely - anyway it's conscious, sung, rootsy reggae as opposed to slack, deejayed bashy dancehall). 2005 was a really good year for new roots, with loads of great singles released while danechall took something of a back seat. this was in part to do with the escalating violence in jamaica - artists were recording more conscious tunes and also people stopped going to dances so much and stayed in listening to the radio more. consequently, more meditative radio-friendly tunes became hits rather than the frenetic dancehall-led bashment stuff.
re: how they compare/differ from the originals - most one drop productions are lickovers of 60s or 70s rocksteady/reggae productions, often originally studio 1 or treasure isle. the new ones are largely digital, computer produced, using synths rather than live instruments (though horns are usually live i thinik, and some produers e.g. bobby digital use more live stuff than others, which is why there productions are generally better)
i don't know the serious times comp, but here's some stuff worth checking:
various - universal message 3 (vp records) - some overlap with one drop 2005 but a wicked album still
sizzla - da real thing (vp)
warrior king - power to chant (vp)
sizzla - rise to the occasion & soul deep (both greensleeves - neither is really one drop, but are lumped in with that style)
I wayne - lava ground
richie spice - spice in your life
other artists worth checking - norris man, natural black, lutan fyah, chuck fender, fantan mojah, gyptian
re: how they compare/differ from the originals - most one drop productions are lickovers of 60s or 70s rocksteady/reggae productions, often originally studio 1 or treasure isle. the new ones are largely digital, computer produced, using synths rather than live instruments (though horns are usually live i thinik, and some produers e.g. bobby digital use more live stuff than others, which is why there productions are generally better)
i don't know the serious times comp, but here's some stuff worth checking:
various - universal message 3 (vp records) - some overlap with one drop 2005 but a wicked album still
sizzla - da real thing (vp)
warrior king - power to chant (vp)
sizzla - rise to the occasion & soul deep (both greensleeves - neither is really one drop, but are lumped in with that style)
I wayne - lava ground
richie spice - spice in your life
other artists worth checking - norris man, natural black, lutan fyah, chuck fender, fantan mojah, gyptian
pretty much dittoing gabe here.
still, i've reviewed serious times for the forthcoming wire along with one drop 2006, so won't say too much but you can read about it there.
2005's one drop was much stronger, because there was a real sense of people making conscious new roots reggae that was *relevant to a dancehall audience* at that point. that to me is what one-drop has become - predominantly digitally produced roots with a ghost of bashy wallop. take the i swear riddim, hard times etc for example...
2006'S greensleeves comp is a lot softer, a lot more lovers-y, but definitely ok, too.
i've really enjoyed this period of reggae - even though i expected not to, being a jiggy dancehall fan at heart.
still, i've reviewed serious times for the forthcoming wire along with one drop 2006, so won't say too much but you can read about it there.
2005's one drop was much stronger, because there was a real sense of people making conscious new roots reggae that was *relevant to a dancehall audience* at that point. that to me is what one-drop has become - predominantly digitally produced roots with a ghost of bashy wallop. take the i swear riddim, hard times etc for example...
2006'S greensleeves comp is a lot softer, a lot more lovers-y, but definitely ok, too.
i've really enjoyed this period of reggae - even though i expected not to, being a jiggy dancehall fan at heart.
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john eden
male pale and stale
I'll delve into 2005 further, then!
But for my money these off 2005...
GENTELMAN - Superior
ANTHONY B - World Of Reggae Music
FANTAN MOJAH - Hungry
LUTON FIRE & JOSIE MEL - Rasta Still De Bout
GYPTIAN - Serious Times
are not as good as these off 2006...
Gash Dem - Fender, Chuck
Herbalist - Alborosie
Real Thing - McLean, Bitty
Chant Dem Down - Sizzla
Jah Time - Fantan Mojah
(i.e. the 5 I recognise and like most of each, tho "Hungry" is probably the exception)
But for my money these off 2005...
GENTELMAN - Superior
ANTHONY B - World Of Reggae Music
FANTAN MOJAH - Hungry
LUTON FIRE & JOSIE MEL - Rasta Still De Bout
GYPTIAN - Serious Times
are not as good as these off 2006...
Gash Dem - Fender, Chuck
Herbalist - Alborosie
Real Thing - McLean, Bitty
Chant Dem Down - Sizzla
Jah Time - Fantan Mojah
(i.e. the 5 I recognise and like most of each, tho "Hungry" is probably the exception)
