Black Art From the Ark

Anyone looking for a good compilation that shows off the genius of in full flight has a number of options, each one sure to demonstrate his skills as a producer and/or his wildness as a performer. Add ' 2021 collection to the list. Comprised of rare roots sounds from the mid- to late '70s by artists as big as and as obscure as , unreleased dubplates, 12" extended mixes, and dubs, the set hits a sweet spot where was quixotic enough to make things sound weird, while still never getting in the way of the song. Case in point, 's "Say a Little Prayer," a beautiful song of praise with lovely vocal harmonies that features guitars bathed in phaser, trilling horns darting in and out of the mix, and enough reverb to fill a bathtub. It's a wonderful combination of singer and song, production and arrangement that's repeated over and over on the collection, which is split between tunes that hover right on top of lost-classic status and a handful of versions that show off 's loose-as-a-goose approach to dub. Of the former, 's "Brotherly Love" is deep roots music with a strong message, 's "I Never Had It So Good" is a dubby love song that pairs a stripped-down arrangement with pleading vocals, 's slow-rolling lament "Nuh Fi Run It Down" has a huge hook, and ' "Oh Me Oh My" is simultaneously the poppiest and dubbiest song here. shows up to deliver "What a Sin," a typically tough and odd track that comes complete with some elastic crooning by the man himself. The dub versions are all different and madcap enough that one never experiences the fatigue that sometimes sets in on a collection like this where the version follows the song like clockwork. chops the vocals and sends them spinning off like tops, adds sound effects, and sets the space echo to daze; check out "Such Is Life Version" or "Ska Version" for examples of his mastery behind the mixing board. fanatics will no doubt jump on this right away, but as a starter pack for a neophyte, goes a long way toward showing exactly why he is so revered and imitated. ~ Tim Sendra