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Niney & Friends: Blood & Fire: Hit Sounds From The Observer Station 1970-1978 (TJDDD265)

I was kind of thinking that a Niney perspective would come along before long and here it is. A mix of 70’s reggae styles with some heavyweight names, mostly consciousness material.

Top names abound like dennis Brown, Michael rose, dennis Brown, Cornell Campbell, freddie McGregor, junior Byles, gregory Isaacs, Ken Boothe and more, vocal groups like th eHeptones and the top Dj’s of the time, Dillinger, I Roy, denis Alcapone, Big Youth. Yet somehow and despite reminiscences the package is somwhat disappointing. The rhythms don’t seem to hold the test ot time too well. Classics of their time maybebecause I do feel that at the time they were gripping.

Top tracks/Rhythms are Max Romeos rasta Band Wagon, Dennis Browns Give a helping hand and his killer cut Wolf and Leopard, Rasta no Pick Pocket is just wonderful as is Freddie Mac’s Anthem Follow this Ya sound.

Niney & Friends: Blood & Fire: Hit Sounds From The Observer Station 1970-1978 (TJDDD265)

Format: Double CD album Released: Jun 27 2005 Price: £13.99 Blood & Fire gathers together the cream of Niney's work from the seventies, from the 1970 smash that opens the set to Freddie MacGregor's heavy Roots masterpiece from the tail end of the decade. The producer's penchant for weighty subject matter is reflected in the material featured, most of which can truthfully be described as classic of their time.

Tracklisting

2-CD SET

DISC 1

Blood And Fire - Niney

Mr.Brown Coffin - Dennis And Lizzy

Bawling For Mercy - Dennis And Lizzy

Psalms 9 To Keep In Mind - Tommy McCook And Bobby Ellis

Beg In The Gutter - Niney

Babylose Burning - Maxie Niney Scratch

Softie Cellar - Ben Rude Dick (Max Romeo)

Rasta Band Wagon - Max Romeo

When Jah Speak - Murt,Turt And Purt

Message To The Ungodly - Niney

The Coming Of Jah - Niney And Max

Ally And Ailaloo - Niney And Max

Keep On Pushing - Heptones And Niney

Beardman Feast - Niney And Max

Silver Words - Ken Boothe

Rebel Ride - Dennis Alcapone

Rasta No Born Yah - Sang Hugh And The Destroyers

Westbound Train - Dennis Brown

Train From The West - U Roy

Cassandra - Dennis Brown

Wild Goose Chase - Big Youth And Dennis Brown

Bring The Couchie Come - The Reggae Crusaders

Leggo The Wrong - Astley Bennet

I Man A African - The Son Of Selassie

Ninefinger Jerry Lewis - Bunny & Ricky

DISC 2

Tribulation (Extended Version) - Dennis Brown & Silver Camel

Rascal Man - Delroy Wilson

Rasta No Pick Pocket - Niney

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner - Michael Rose

Giving A Helping Hand - Dennis Brown

Half Way Up The Stairs - Delroy Wilson

Flat Foot Hustling - Dillinger

Can't Enter Zion - Niney

Africa/Dub Roots Of David - Dennis Brown, King Tubby's & The Observer All Stars

I Heart Is Clean - Cornel Campbell

Hotter Yatta -I Roy

Travelling Man - Dennis Brown

Nebuchadnezzar - Dillinger

Clap The Barber - Michael Rose

Wolf And Leopard - Dennis Brown

Materialist - Horace Andy

Beardman Shuffle - Observer All Stars

Here I Come - Dennis Brown

Train To Skaville '77 - The Ethiopians

One Trainload Of Collie - Tommy McCook

Paymaster - Gregory Isaacs

Rasta Man Camp - Freddie McGregor

Weeping - Junior Byles

Mr Do Over Man Song - The Heptones

Lovers Rock, Jamaican Style - Freddie McGregor