Search - Lee Perry & Friends :: Chapter 3: Live as One

Chapter 3 has some filler, but also some killer

Derrick A. Smith | USA | 12/14/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The "Words" series from Trojan Records is focused on Lee Perry's pre-Black Ark and early Black Ark productions, which are, alternately, more elemental and more uninhibitedly-experimental than much of his later Black Ark productions. Now at Chapter 3, Trojan is apparently straining to find novel archival material. For instance, he first two tracks of this volume are further cuts of Junior Byles' number one hit "Curly Locks": the first is merely an alternate extended mix of the original performance, featuring more horn and keyboard, and the second is a mundane recasting of "Silver Locks" (found on Chapter 2.) The collection doesn't lift off the ground until Chenley Duffus' "Sincerely" (with the ubiquitous version following), a lovely lovers' rock that Perry must have fancied (it may have charted well), since he remixed the instrumental track as the backing for two more Duffus-sung covers, "Goodnight My Love" and "The End of the Rainbow", both of which appear later on the disc. In true Upsetter fashion, each subsequent mix/performance becomes more over-the-top, while retaining a warm, playful flavor.Other choice cuts include "Mumblin' and Grumblin'", a Junior Byles "consciousness" tune, the typically-cynical sentiments of which are leavened by an odd sing-song vocal chorus; Lee Perry's "Finger Mash" that sounds like Stax Meets the Dragon; and Joy White's girl-group-inna-yard "Lady Lady.""