Ruts D.C.:
Rhythm Collision 2:
Sosumi Recordings:
Out Now:
9/10
Newcomers to the dub-punk-funk world of Ruts D.C. may raise an eyebrow at the 'volume 2' part of this album's title - what happened to volume 1, you may ask? Simple - the inaugural selection was spawned some thirty years ago and this is the follow-up. And it's even better than the first.
Deservingly one of the UK's foremost, but ultimately under-rated, punk outfits of the late '70s, The Ruts oozed more raucous power, urgency and imagination than most of their ilk, producing just one album 'proper' and a multitude of compilations soon after. In among their recordings nestled the odd foray into reggae and dub, namely the b-side to the hit "Staring At The Rude Boys". While many saw "Love in Vain" as a slice of fun, other subsequent recordings revealed a deeper interest in echoes, dubs and rhythms from the Caribbean. Listen to West One (Shine on Me), the band's final single with original singer Malcolm Owen - the longer version took reggae a damn sight more seriously than The Police and other so-called harbingers of roots and culture did.
And then there was Rhythm Collision Volume 1. Assembled in 1982 from jamming sessions with acclaimed UK producer Mad Professor, it suffered from minimal distribution and sold respectably enough to keep them all in Rizlas. Musically, it was a fascinating dalliance through reggae, funk and post-punk and a super listen. Thankfully, some 30 years later, Rhythm Collision Volume 2 supersedes its predecessor by some margin.
Taking the blueprint of that first album, Ruts D.C. have added more in the way of vocalists, written some blinding songs, before handing them over to ace Brighton rootical beat selector, Prince Fatty, aka Mike Pelonconi (who worked on Hollie Cook and Little Roy recordings last year) and Brixton's Greg Wizard for a spot of studio trickery. Make no mistake - the band may have employed extra crack vocalists and nifty sound-men but this has all been translated into a harmonious and spontaneous party-album.
Tenor Fly bigs up his toasting chest with opening slammer Mighty Soldier, a peaceful call-to-arms that evokes the ragamuffin days of Rebel MC (with whom he lent vocals for the near-hit "The Wickedest Sound"), Asher D, Daddy Freddy and the like. It could have been released on On-U Sound in another universe and it's a belter. As indeed are the next four tracks, especially the sad lament to Smiley Culture on Smiling Culture, which traverses the boundaries of hope and despair in equal measure with a truly beautiful melody throughout - props to Aynzli Jones and Rob Love for helping to make this a proper reggae standard. In contrast, the soca-flavoured Mix Up is impossible to keep still to, laced as it is with infectious rhythms and guitar motifs while the optimistic One Step wouldn't sound out of place on a Taxi Gang album.
A dubbier approach has been taken with the later pieces on here - London Dub takes a well-known Misty In Roots sample (from the Live at the Eurovision album) and loops it with heavy, HEAVY bass, while Ruts founder Segs triumphantly helps steer Sun and the Stars through King Tubby and Mikey Dread territory, making the second half of Rhythm Collision Volume 2 a woozy, stoners paradise.
Only one track seems at odds with the rest - More Bass disappoints by being nothing more than an interlude leading into the Doctor Pablo/Augustus Pablo-esque Heavyweight Style, whereas one of the bonus tracks, The Road, should perhaps have taken its place - it possesses a sweet vocal from Jessica Mcintyre for a start. The extra dubs are welcome additions as well, all serving as perfect ingredients for a reggae sunsplash of an album with its heart in roots and its soul in culture. Superb.
Rhythm Collision 2:
Sosumi Recordings:
Out Now:
9/10
Deservingly one of the UK's foremost, but ultimately under-rated, punk outfits of the late '70s, The Ruts oozed more raucous power, urgency and imagination than most of their ilk, producing just one album 'proper' and a multitude of compilations soon after. In among their recordings nestled the odd foray into reggae and dub, namely the b-side to the hit "Staring At The Rude Boys". While many saw "Love in Vain" as a slice of fun, other subsequent recordings revealed a deeper interest in echoes, dubs and rhythms from the Caribbean. Listen to West One (Shine on Me), the band's final single with original singer Malcolm Owen - the longer version took reggae a damn sight more seriously than The Police and other so-called harbingers of roots and culture did.
And then there was Rhythm Collision Volume 1. Assembled in 1982 from jamming sessions with acclaimed UK producer Mad Professor, it suffered from minimal distribution and sold respectably enough to keep them all in Rizlas. Musically, it was a fascinating dalliance through reggae, funk and post-punk and a super listen. Thankfully, some 30 years later, Rhythm Collision Volume 2 supersedes its predecessor by some margin.
Taking the blueprint of that first album, Ruts D.C. have added more in the way of vocalists, written some blinding songs, before handing them over to ace Brighton rootical beat selector, Prince Fatty, aka Mike Pelonconi (who worked on Hollie Cook and Little Roy recordings last year) and Brixton's Greg Wizard for a spot of studio trickery. Make no mistake - the band may have employed extra crack vocalists and nifty sound-men but this has all been translated into a harmonious and spontaneous party-album.
Tenor Fly bigs up his toasting chest with opening slammer Mighty Soldier, a peaceful call-to-arms that evokes the ragamuffin days of Rebel MC (with whom he lent vocals for the near-hit "The Wickedest Sound"), Asher D, Daddy Freddy and the like. It could have been released on On-U Sound in another universe and it's a belter. As indeed are the next four tracks, especially the sad lament to Smiley Culture on Smiling Culture, which traverses the boundaries of hope and despair in equal measure with a truly beautiful melody throughout - props to Aynzli Jones and Rob Love for helping to make this a proper reggae standard. In contrast, the soca-flavoured Mix Up is impossible to keep still to, laced as it is with infectious rhythms and guitar motifs while the optimistic One Step wouldn't sound out of place on a Taxi Gang album.
A dubbier approach has been taken with the later pieces on here - London Dub takes a well-known Misty In Roots sample (from the Live at the Eurovision album) and loops it with heavy, HEAVY bass, while Ruts founder Segs triumphantly helps steer Sun and the Stars through King Tubby and Mikey Dread territory, making the second half of Rhythm Collision Volume 2 a woozy, stoners paradise.
Only one track seems at odds with the rest - More Bass disappoints by being nothing more than an interlude leading into the Doctor Pablo/Augustus Pablo-esque Heavyweight Style, whereas one of the bonus tracks, The Road, should perhaps have taken its place - it possesses a sweet vocal from Jessica Mcintyre for a start. The extra dubs are welcome additions as well, all serving as perfect ingredients for a reggae sunsplash of an album with its heart in roots and its soul in culture. Superb.