When you think of British reggae from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s people like Aswad and Misty in Roots who came from Ladbroke Grove and Southall in London respectively or Steel Pulse who were from Handsworth in Birmingham seem to take all the plaudits, but over in South West England there was, as the title of this LP would suggest, also something of a reggae explosion happening in Bristol and this album, on Bristol Archive Records goes a long long way to highlight some of the bands from that area that did not perhaps get the recognition that they deserved.
The first band up is Black Roots with ‘Bristol Rock’ a mighty slice of UK roots styled reggae plus plus in the fold are Juvenile Delinquent’ and a 12” mix of ‘Tribal War’, both of which carry on in the same excellent vein, with strong melodies, potent harmonies and rock solid bass lines. Believe it or not this band apparently throughout their career recorded no less than ten albums and released more than eight singles before bowing out of the public eye in the mid-90's so why oh why is it I have never heard of this group before!
Another band featured heavily is the multi cultural Talisman with two live tracks recorded on the main stage at Glastonbury in 1980 and a 12” dubwise version excursion mix of their first single ‘Dole Age’, which originally saw release on Recreational Records in 1981.
Restriction are another one of those bands who unfortunately only ever had one release a four track 12” in 1983. It was mixed and engineered however by Mad Professor at his Ariwa Studio in London and the two tracks taken from that EP are the deejay lavishness of’Four Point Plan’ and something of an easy going, echo laden, self titled theme tune. It is not all about the dread and heavy reggae though as Sharon Bengamin pops up with a lush not sloppy lovers track in the mould of Janet Kay with ‘Mr Guy’. That said if there is one reason to by this album it is for Joshua Moses’ ‘Africa Is Our Land’, which is undeniably a roots classic to match anything from Jamaica.
I can’t recommend this album highly enough every track shines bright and Bristol Archive Records should be duely comended for putting this together and showing what we have sorley missed from Bristol’s vibrant reggae scene.
The first band up is Black Roots with ‘Bristol Rock’ a mighty slice of UK roots styled reggae plus plus in the fold are Juvenile Delinquent’ and a 12” mix of ‘Tribal War’, both of which carry on in the same excellent vein, with strong melodies, potent harmonies and rock solid bass lines. Believe it or not this band apparently throughout their career recorded no less than ten albums and released more than eight singles before bowing out of the public eye in the mid-90's so why oh why is it I have never heard of this group before!
Another band featured heavily is the multi cultural Talisman with two live tracks recorded on the main stage at Glastonbury in 1980 and a 12” dubwise version excursion mix of their first single ‘Dole Age’, which originally saw release on Recreational Records in 1981.
Restriction are another one of those bands who unfortunately only ever had one release a four track 12” in 1983. It was mixed and engineered however by Mad Professor at his Ariwa Studio in London and the two tracks taken from that EP are the deejay lavishness of’Four Point Plan’ and something of an easy going, echo laden, self titled theme tune. It is not all about the dread and heavy reggae though as Sharon Bengamin pops up with a lush not sloppy lovers track in the mould of Janet Kay with ‘Mr Guy’. That said if there is one reason to by this album it is for Joshua Moses’ ‘Africa Is Our Land’, which is undeniably a roots classic to match anything from Jamaica.
I can’t recommend this album highly enough every track shines bright and Bristol Archive Records should be duely comended for putting this together and showing what we have sorley missed from Bristol’s vibrant reggae scene.
Buy on vinyl or CD direct from Bristol Archive Records
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