Search - Various Artists :: Trojan: Dub Rarities

A Simply Stellar Box Set from Trojan

Shona | Clairton, PA USA | 01/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I own over 30 Trojan Box Sets (brought my first one back in 1999) and my approach to buying them is simple; 50 tracks* and 3 CDs for a little over the price of one CD -- you really can't go wrong. Yes, this sort of reveals that most Trojan boxsets are not creme-de-le-creme compilations. However, they provide an easy (and relatively cheap way) to get into some serious bulk into your reggae catalog.



So I was very pleasantly surprised when I popped in Disc 1 of this set. I tend to believe the opening track sets the tone for a compilation; and "Rub A Dub A Weh Them Want" by Tapper Zukie couldn't have been a better choice. Other diamond-quality tracks include "Key Dub" by the Key All Stars, "African Jumper" by the late, great Tommy McCook, "Broad Back Skank" by Tapper Zukie {again}, "Just Like a Dub" by Witty's All Stars and "Scientist In Fine Style" by The Roots Radics. Heck, if any of the aforementioned tracks were just on one CD, it would be worth the price in my opinion.



I also own the other two Trojan Box sets. I must say, from a collectors standpoint, this would be the one I would suggest. From start to finish, I think that the Trojan Box Set: Dub is a nicer play. However, there were many tracks on there I had heard before or are easily available elsewhere. I can't really blame Trojan for this though, because since joining Sanctuary, they have been able to steadily expand their catalog to music rights. So later Trojan releases (like this one) are just more diverse.



My only gripes are the re-mastering on some tracks is not excellent. But it's a LOT better on average than I've seen on other "classic" reggae compilations. I have no gripes about the liner notes...compared to Trojan's old liner notes...they've improved 500%; they also include the year of the tracks release now...which is truly more crucial than the liner notes writer's exposition.



This collection is a great buy; if you are just getting into dub, if you have no idea which Trojan Box set to buy next, if you are looking for some nice atmosphere music for your Caribbean shop, or if you want to test out your car's sound system (ok...inside joke there, dub surprises you sometimes in the car because you'll hear various sounds out of different speakers and sometimes those sounds will "solo"...that's how dub is designed) -- you won't be disappointed."

RUB A DUB!

Locks Lion | Blue Mountain Peak | 03/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"TROJAN DUB RARITIES: With the Trojan reissue program set to continuous recycle, it's really refreshing to pick up the latest in the very reasonably priced boxed set series, which includes quite a few cuts that probably haven't seen the light of day in thirty years - alongside the usual compliment of re-re-re-(...)-issues. Okay, so the sleeve notes are pretty much useless and actually inaccurate in several instances, but when the hair-raising horn section first bubbles to the top of the mix on Tapper Zukie's opener, RUB A DUB, such considerations immediately become irrelevant. What we have here is a top-class selection of hard-to-find dub versions featuring stellar mixdowns by the likes of Scientist, Niney the Observer, Lee Perry, Linval Thompson, and countless other all-time reggae greats. Of course, you should be aware that a typical dub version excises most, if not all, of the original vocal track, and essentially emphasizes the interplay of drum and bass, along with fleeting component echoes of skanking rhythm guitar, horns, and keys. The versions selected here run the range from stripped-down, minimalist rhythm workouts like the Roots Radics' heavyweight SETTLE DOWN VERSION, to bright, bouncy instrumental numbers, such as the melodica cut of Junior Murvin's classic POLICE & THIEF (BABYLON THIEF DUB), or Tommy's McCook's rootsy AFRICAN JUMPER. While some of the rhythms will definitely be familiar to the reggae faithful, there's enough quality "new" material here to appeal to beginners and veterans alike.



Not all of Trojan's boxed sets are as clearly essential as this one, but other top picks include the 12" set, the two-volume DUB set, and the INSTRUMENTALS and DANCEHALL sets as well."