This album is described as 'Take proper old school dirty Reggae, inspired by King Tubby & Studio One and mix it with classic British song writing from the school of Billy Bragg and Ian Dury, and you’ve got something truly unique', and to be totally honest I'm really struggling to find my own words to describe this better. If you're a fan of the Aggrolites, Slackers etc you are really going to like this.
The album is roughly a 50 / 50 split between instrumental and vocal cuts, and starts and finishes with dubby style instrumentals "Way In" and "Way Out" respectively. Both cuts are one and the same really and they get the full treatment of reverb and echoes to their brooding bass line and haunting sax, to produce a couple of blissed out tunes. 'Private Person' is another instrumental dubby soundscape with Ed throwing in Spanish guitar sounding bursts that beautifully complement the melody, while on the spiritually, vocal feeling "Take Me" he's not afraid to turn his guitar to a bit of country blues.
This is the first time I've heard of Ed Rome, apart from his free download of the catchy, rocksteady "Non Relationship Rant", which features on the album, and apparently Ed has played live in the past with the likes of Lee Perry and The Beat. You can certainly hear these influences in the cuts "A Human Quality", "March" and "Mind", which are in the style of early Perry and his Upsetters material, and when the latter is mixed with Ed's gruff 40 a day vocals also reminded me a bit of Judge Dread, in sound, but with more meaningful lyrics. When you hear "Thatcher's Children" you'll find The Beat influence with that fast paced choppy bass line and Bella Edmunds lazy, flowing Sax drifting along as if she was some kind of Saxa protégé, in what could be a follow on to The Beats own "Stand Down Margret" of some 28 years ago.
This is the first time I've heard of Ed Rome, apart from his free download of the catchy, rocksteady "Non Relationship Rant", which features on the album, and apparently Ed has played live in the past with the likes of Lee Perry and The Beat. You can certainly hear these influences in the cuts "A Human Quality", "March" and "Mind", which are in the style of early Perry and his Upsetters material, and when the latter is mixed with Ed's gruff 40 a day vocals also reminded me a bit of Judge Dread, in sound, but with more meaningful lyrics. When you hear "Thatcher's Children" you'll find The Beat influence with that fast paced choppy bass line and Bella Edmunds lazy, flowing Sax drifting along as if she was some kind of Saxa protégé, in what could be a follow on to The Beats own "Stand Down Margret" of some 28 years ago.
Album high point for me is the incredibly catchy, uplifting bounce of "Some Truth" with its simple but hypnotic organ hook that gets under your skin and bright sounding accordion bursts.
Being a regular to the Rockers Revolt web site and having received any number of news letters from there that always have said coming soon....Ed Rome...New Album....I can finally say it was well worth the wait!
Tracklist
1. Way In
2. Mind
3. Private Person
4. Thatcher's Children
5. Nationality Speaks Sadly
Being a regular to the Rockers Revolt web site and having received any number of news letters from there that always have said coming soon....Ed Rome...New Album....I can finally say it was well worth the wait!
Tracklist
1. Way In
2. Mind
3. Private Person
4. Thatcher's Children
5. Nationality Speaks Sadly
6. What's Important?
7. Non Relationship Rant
8. March
9. Some Truth
10. Human Quality
11. Take Me [reggae version]
12. Way Out
7. Non Relationship Rant
8. March
9. Some Truth
10. Human Quality
11. Take Me [reggae version]
12. Way Out
Album available through Rockers Revolt - www.rockersrevolt.com
Ed Rome on Myspace: www.myspace.com/edromereggae
1 comment:
He, this very good, noce music! Bless u! Thanks for review
I find this
Ed Rome - A Life In Minutes
But, i go and buy this album(if find im shop), i like this music!
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