Album: Party Time
Artist: The Heptones
Born: Kingston, Jamaica
Released: March 1977
Genre: Dub
Influenced: Culture, The Specials, The Congos, Beastie Boys
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There's so much to love about this album. It was recorded at the legendary Black Ark at the peak of Lee "Scratch" Perry's powers, has one of the best Dylan covers ever released and is full of boundless energy and flawless harmonies. My introduction to their music was the Arkology CD released in the late 90s, which brings together various tracks recorded at the Black Ark studio, from the likes of Junior Murvin, Max Romeo and The Upsetters. Along with Party Time, Romeo's War Ina Babylon and Murvin's Police & Thieves form a trinity of classic Perry-produced 70s albums, but neither is as consistently brilliant as this record. One listen to the Heptones' previous album, Night Food, gives you a sense of how far Perry advanced their sound; a few highlights aside, like the innovative country-reggae of Country Boy and the stellar harmonies and rocksteady beat of Book Of Rules, it lacks the intoxicating atmospherics and emotional depth of Party Time. In fact, the album title gives a misleading impression of the album's overall mood, which is downbeat and plaintive, as reflected in the beautifully sad harmonies of Barry Llewellyn, Earl Morgan and Leroy Sibbles. This footage of the Heptones and others recording Play On Mr Music gives a flavour of Perry's unique approach to production at the Black Ark.
Lead track Party Time is a dub reworking of an earlier Heptones single and, though it isn't exactly the sound of festivities in full swing, it still has an understated, positive vibe and soulful harmonies. Crying Over You (another rework, of their 60s single I Am Lonely) has a great rhythm and what sounds to me like a mournful, underwater brass section, while Llewellyn sings about a girl deserting him. One of my favourite tracks is Now Generation, which returns to the band's rocksteady roots and is the first of several politically and socially conscious songs on the album. Mr President is more overtly political, taking the US to task for not doing more to help the world's poor, while Serious Time is one of the best sounding tracks on the album. Showing that Dylan's influence reached as far as Trench Town, I Shall Be Released is an inspired cover, emphasising the song's gospel roots and giving it a real Rastafari flavour ("I see Jah light come shining"). Two of the highlights on side 2 are Storm Cloud and Perry's own song, Sufferer's Time, which shows him engaging with the same themes of slavery as explored on Bob Marley's Catch A Fire. Party Time is dub's crowning moment for my liking.
There's so much to love about this album. It was recorded at the legendary Black Ark at the peak of Lee "Scratch" Perry's powers, has one of the best Dylan covers ever released and is full of boundless energy and flawless harmonies. My introduction to their music was the Arkology CD released in the late 90s, which brings together various tracks recorded at the Black Ark studio, from the likes of Junior Murvin, Max Romeo and The Upsetters. Along with Party Time, Romeo's War Ina Babylon and Murvin's Police & Thieves form a trinity of classic Perry-produced 70s albums, but neither is as consistently brilliant as this record. One listen to the Heptones' previous album, Night Food, gives you a sense of how far Perry advanced their sound; a few highlights aside, like the innovative country-reggae of Country Boy and the stellar harmonies and rocksteady beat of Book Of Rules, it lacks the intoxicating atmospherics and emotional depth of Party Time. In fact, the album title gives a misleading impression of the album's overall mood, which is downbeat and plaintive, as reflected in the beautifully sad harmonies of Barry Llewellyn, Earl Morgan and Leroy Sibbles. This footage of the Heptones and others recording Play On Mr Music gives a flavour of Perry's unique approach to production at the Black Ark.
Lead track Party Time is a dub reworking of an earlier Heptones single and, though it isn't exactly the sound of festivities in full swing, it still has an understated, positive vibe and soulful harmonies. Crying Over You (another rework, of their 60s single I Am Lonely) has a great rhythm and what sounds to me like a mournful, underwater brass section, while Llewellyn sings about a girl deserting him. One of my favourite tracks is Now Generation, which returns to the band's rocksteady roots and is the first of several politically and socially conscious songs on the album. Mr President is more overtly political, taking the US to task for not doing more to help the world's poor, while Serious Time is one of the best sounding tracks on the album. Showing that Dylan's influence reached as far as Trench Town, I Shall Be Released is an inspired cover, emphasising the song's gospel roots and giving it a real Rastafari flavour ("I see Jah light come shining"). Two of the highlights on side 2 are Storm Cloud and Perry's own song, Sufferer's Time, which shows him engaging with the same themes of slavery as explored on Bob Marley's Catch A Fire. Party Time is dub's crowning moment for my liking.
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