Search - Keith Hudson :: Pick a Dub

Undoubtedly one of Dub Musics Greatest Albums.....

fetish_2000 | U.K. | 09/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although not as frequently mentioned in Dub Circles as the likes of: King Tubby, Mad Professor, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Augustus Pablo, who all helped push the boundaries of Dub music forward. Keith Hudson was one of the premier Producers in the mid-70's, not only working with some of the genres biggest names, but producing some the biggest upcoming artists. And although releasing nowhere near as many albums as say, someone like "Lee 'Scratch' Perry" & "King Tubby", his albums ususally arrived perfectly formed, and with some of the most nocturnal and Eerie Dub around. And Such was his proficiency with his field, that this album ("Pick A Dub") has been referred to in some quarters as "The Greatest Dub Album ever made".



There is no doubt that this was not only Keith most accomplished work, but also remains a landmark release. And although it sometimes doesn't quite seem to get the same recognition as some other Dub titles, it truly is deserving to be considered amongst the genres finest works. "Is it the Greatest Dub album ever made??"....well, that question proves to be considerably harder to answer. What Hudson does so well when producing these albums, is that the music itself is stripped right back to basics. So oddball sound-effects or goofy sampling is largely absent here, and instead his albums generally focus on the drum and Rhythm sections, that are embed with a spacey, detached scintillating sound. With the soundscapes largely reliant on the producers exceptional mixing skills, and veering toward a trimmed-down and musically stark sound that relies as much on a forbooding mood and percussive heaviness as much as it does reverberated bass and spaced-out grooves.



It's a sound that is heavily indebted to the echo-laden music of Dub Reggae, but here there is little of the studio trickery to rely on, and instead points it's spacial sound around melodic basslines & druggy grooves, and considering that its not a particularly long album (around 35 minutes) there's not a minute of this album is wasted with pointless noodling or ideas that don't push the sounds forward. You can certainly notice when you listen to this album, that the production is a little bare-bones in comparsion to some of the later albums, with less of the Jazzy fusions of Lee Perry's work, or considerable use of delay on King Tubby's finest work. but the rhythm sections are completely compelling, and seeing as this album is largely instrumental (although small snatches of vocals are present from Horace Andy, Big Youth & Hudson), that takes the Dub form, of a sort of doom-and-gloom bass-heavy approach is incredibly well-implemented here. And while the approach can be a little idiosyncratic, and leans heavily towards the more experienced Dub listener, there's simply no denying that is a album that you can really create a mood with, or indeed lose yourself in (under the right circumstances) that cements its position as arguably one of the finest exponents of the genre. And so, back to the original question...."Is it the Greatest Dub Album Ever??"



Well....its certainly an album that followers of Dub music are (quite rightly) calling one of the genres greatest calling cards, and the idiosyncratic and pounding rhythms are certainly some of the best that I've heard, that are so good, that they are simply able to fall back on just being exceptionally well produced, and not merely a product of a multitude of sampling & mixing desk effects. And although it's probably not the best album to start your dub collection with if your new to Dub, it could be argued that no Dub collection, could truly be called 'Complete', without it. With the results of this album clearly speaking for themselves. This is dub album as musically, melodically and dynamically worthy as anything out there. And the drums and deep, deep bass are just simply sublime. And although I (personally) couldn't call it the outright "Best Dub Album ever", as I feel that there are a couple of Lee 'Scratch' Perry, King Tubby & Scientist albums out there, that are (in my eyes) on equal footing with this expectational album, I'm

certainly not in the slightest bit surprised that some people consider this the finest Dub album ever!! Utterly essential!!!"

Keith Hudson--Pick A Dub

Heidi M. Hawkins | Bellingham, WA: City of Subdued Excitement | 06/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the finest dub recordings from the height of the Jamaican dub era. Classic mid-1970's style dubs, very consistent, if a bit lo-fi. If you like dub, this recording is a must. If you don't know if you like dub, you'll find out by listening to this. If you don't like this, you don't like dub. One of my favorites to listen to on my weekly Amtrak commute. I have yet to tire of that heavy bass. Augustus Pablo's melodica solo opener of the first cut caught me right away. Keith Hudson wrote and produced the material, and sang on some of it, though of course the vocals are reduced to tiny snippets as is the standard for dub. Features the heavy rhythm section from Bob Marley's Wailers at the time--Aston Barrett on bass and Carlton Barrett on drums. One of the first dub albums to appear in Jamaica, and a big seller at the time."

Crucial Dub !

P. D. Laffey | Hitchin | 08/04/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Another great release from Blood and Fire Records . This album was originally released in 1974 and is credited with being one of the first Dub albums to have been released in Jamaica . The underrated Keith Hudson built this echo-laden mosaic of sound around the melodic basslines of Aston Barrett , and the rhythms of Carlton Barrett's , high-hat to the fore , drums . He then interspersed the sound of the rhythm section with the razor sharp guitar licks of Earl " Chinna " Smith , occasionally adding the sound of the great Augustus Pablo's haunting melodica , and the percolatng vocals of Horace Andy and Hudson himself to the mix to create 35 minutes of crucial Dub that is as inventive and imaginative as the more celebrated Dub albums out there . This album definitely deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of - Augustus Pablo's - King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown , - Lee Perry's - Super Ape , and Joe Gibbs - African Dub Part 3 , so hopefully this excellent Blood and Fire release will redress that balance !If this cd does appeal to you , I'd also recommend - Yabby U's - Prophesy Of Dub , as this is another unsung Dub classic that should have a higher profile ."