Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Josey Wales - Reggae Legend


Having recently reviewed both Johnny Osbourne and Sugar Minott ‘Legends’ box sets, Johnny for United Reggae last month and Sugar here earlier in the year, it was brought to my attention that dancehall superstar Josey Wales has also had a ‘Legends’ box set released as well.
Born in St Marys, Jamaica, Josey Wales aka The Outlaw and sometimes The Colonel was one of the best deejays of the 1980s and these four albums will show you why.
First up is 'The Outlaw Josey Wales' which was released in 1983. It was produced by Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes at Channel One with the Roots Radics firing up some of their best riddims such as the much used classic Mad Mad for ‘Let Go Mi Hand’ and Fat She Fat for ‘No Bother Me’.
His second album soon followed in the same year, but this time he strode out on his own producing the album himself with the help of Cornerstone producer Michael 'Pep' Chin. There is more of a rootsy feel to this second album with the High Times Band supplying more classic riddims such as Answer for ‘It Have Fe Sail’, Heavenless for ‘The World Is Like A Mirror’, Real Rock for ‘Too Greedy’, Vanity for ‘Yu Wrong Fe Send Come Call Me’and Queen Of The Minstrel for the beautiful ‘Maxine’. The album also featured the hit single ‘Drug Abusing’.
The third album is 'Two Giants Clash' with Josey clashing with Yellowman, as they ride atop the same Roots Radics riddims, with Lawes back in the producer’s seat. It doesn’t really cut it for me this album as Yellowman at times seems to be just going through the motions on songs like ‘Mr Big Shot’ and ‘Wrong Girl To Play With’, though he does redeem himself somewhat on ‘King Of The Crop’ which rides on Frankie Paul’s Stars. So Josey wins this one on points for me with songs ‘Bobo Dread’ on the Lovers Race riddim, ‘Jah A Mi Guiding Star’ on the afore mentioned Stars and ‘Sorry To Say’, a song about not being able to take a red eye girl, cut to Slim Smiths old Studio One smash Rougher Yet riddim.
The last of the four discs is 1985’s George Phang produced set ‘Undercover Lover’. The digital age is about to dawn. Now I’m not a great fan of digital, but Sly and Robbie with their Taxi Gang supply take some great old riddims like Phil Pratt’s Talk About Love, used to great effect for the albums title track, plus there are takes on the Real Rock riddim for ‘Nuffy Nuffy’ and Rockfort Rock is used on ‘Pon Street Again’. While the smash dancehall king of the digi riddims Sleng Teng is used deftly on ‘Freeze Who Goes There’. Also the song ‘Jose Ready’ which utilises the Hypocrites riddim has a certain catchiness to it, though this is with out doubt due to touches of The Cates Sisters ‘Get Along Without Ya Now’ in the chorus.
So once again Greensleeves bring out another fantastic box set and when these box sets are priced at just £11.99, as it is at Amazon, then its hard to find reasons not to buy.

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