Though I find myself with some vestige of my childhood superstitions – I still knock on wood, unfortunately – I have fought my whole adult life to rid myself and my life of superstitions as much as possible. So I found the Mayan apocalypse stuff to be utterly ridiculous and I find every single fringe group’s prediction of Armageddon or what have you to be not only not credible but comical, as long as nobody gets hurt. (That doesn’t always happen.) But I like to think that, if done properly, I can still handle the impulse for apocalyptic fear that seems ingrained in us humans in art. I would argue that there’s the odd good-to-great movie based around a premise that, I think, in real life I would laugh at if presented to me with a straight face. (The Last Wave. Take Shelter.)
But the problems I already have with the dubbier side of roots reggae are exacerbated here with the apocalyptic theme of this record. Not only are the songs not memorable enough for me, but the whole thing abut how the world will end on July 7, 1977 is fucking joke and it’s hard to take it with any grain of seriousness, since I am not carried away by the music. (If I loved the music, I’m sure I would have no issue with the ridiculous prophecy.)
So I find myself mystified by this record but, more so, the rapturous reviews (yuk yuk yuk). Why do people love this so much? What am I missing?
6/10 I guess
- “Calling Rasta Far I” – 2:30
- “I’m Alone in the Wilderness” – 3:25
- “Pirate Days” – 2:52
- “Two Sevens Clash” – 3:30
- “I’m Not Ashamed” – 3:59
- “Get Ready to Ride the Lion to Zion” – 3:27
- “Black Starliner Must Come” – 2:42
- “Jah Pretty Face” – 3:39
- “See Them a Come” – 3:24
- “Natty Dread Taking Over” – 3:46
- Joseph Hill – lead vocals
- Albert Walker – harmony vocals
- Kenneth Dayes – harmony vocals
- Lloyd Parks – bass
- Sly Dunbar – drums
- Lennox Gordon – guitar
- Robbie Shakespeare – guitar
- Eric “Bingy Bunny” Lamont – guitar
- Franklyn “Bubbler” Waul – keyboards
- Errol “Tarzan” Nelson – keyboards
- Harold Butler – keyboards
- Uziah “Sticky” Thompson – percussion
- Herman Marquis – alto saxophone
- Vin Gordon – trombone
- Tommy McCook – tenor saxophone
- Bobby Ellis – trumpet