Black Black Minds in Bloomington, MN

In 1977,
Prince Jammy
returned to Jamaica after several years abroad and began edging into production. That December, he sold the first fruits of his labor --
Black Uhuru
's
Love Crisis
,
U Black
Westbound Thing a Swing
the Travellers
'
Black Black Minds
, and the
dub
set
In Lion Dub Style
-- to the British
Third World
label. It was a less than stellar start, though: none of the albums made much of an impact. Neither had
back home. Originally named
the Black Aces
, the group self-released a pair of singles on its own
Travellers
label, to little notice. A change in moniker to
the Mighty Travellers
didn't help their
"Black Black Minds"
single, either. But living in the same neighborhood as
Uhuru
did, and their friendship drew them into
Jammy
's orbit. The result was
' sole album, entitled after a recut of their previous single. That number kicks off the set in fine style, exalting in the end of slavery, while warning off all who would lead the brethren back into oppression -- a well-worn theme given new impetus by emphasizing the freeing of not just bodies, but minds as well. Lyrics were definitely
' forte, their songs thoughtfully and intelligently exploring a variety of cultural concerns. Vocally, though,
were not as strong, and seemed not to have developed a style of their own yet, preferring to imitate their diverse influences. Still, the quartet delivered its numbers with suitable power and emotion, while the harmonies were uniformly flawless, as were all the musical backings. Laid down by
the Aggrovators
and
the Hi Times Band
, the album's atmospheres swing from the expectedly militant to more laid-back and even countrified auras. The latter style is best heard on
"Jah Gave Us the World,"
its unity message wrapped in a luminescent backing.
sold
"Jah"
as a single -- backed with the lovelorn
"Girl I Left Behind"
-- to the
Pyramid
label for release in the U.K. Equally notable are the heartfelt
"Poor Man Cry"
; the instructional
"Know Yourself,"
laced with incandescent harmonies; the apt set-closer,
"We Got to Leave"
; and the lovely
"Keep on Trying,"
a sufferer's song all the more beautiful for its gentle, lilting delivery. Boosting the original album, this reissue appends a pair of tracks with
's exhilarating DJ versions, while several further numbers are twinned with their extended instrumental/
versions. These additions transform a pleasant album into a memorable one -- a sharp reminder that full-lengths were intended largely for foreign audiences, with the best recordings oftentimes heard only in the sound systems. ~ Jo-Ann Greene