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Well, I like it , but I can't say this album really stroke me. The harmonies are not that powerfull, the riddims are alright but nothing really strong. Anyway, I'll have another listen and get you back if I finally change my mind..

I was overjoyed when I found the CD of this album some time in the mid nineties. I was on a serious Lee Perry jag at the time and having read the Grand Royale issue with the special feature on everyone's favourite crazy producer - I just had to get it. Couldn't find it new - then stumbled upon it 2nd hand.
If I remember correctly the 'issue' with this is that Lee Perry wasn't finished producing it and he never wanted to release it. I seem to remember the same is true of the Good, The Bad and the Upsetter. If true and LP had his way we would indeed be deprived of some great and truly timeless music.
If serious reggae heads have a problem with this Conscious Man album I suspect it is for a couple of reasons.
On some of the tracks there's a decidedly un-slick vibe off the production (not a problem) - and a lot of the tracks sort of lope along slowly in a country bumpkin sort of way. Really not a problem for me.
The songs are so sweet and earnest, it really an understated delight as an album.
I have imagined several times that this album might have been planned as something like the phenomenal Congos album turned out to be. Conscious Man to me is extremely interesting and listenable because it really does sound like the vocals, piano and drums have been 'saved' from the over compression of most other LP finished stuff. The phaser and space echo are on there, but first pass sort of stuff. Some of it is quite wonderful really.
You get to hear a work in progress. Note how the vocals are pretty dry most of the way through the album. If LP had finished, the vocals would have been awash with space echo delay and distortion.
Glad you brought this up!
It is really nice to hear it all again.
I love Oppression. A really clear in key falsetto and a somewhat odd stepping riddim. And at the start there is a distinct channel switch. I love glitches such as this. there's also a major hiss through the whole track - I think it might be the barely audible hand drum parts accidentally turned up! This track is interesting becuase if indeed this was recorded at the Black Ark - we know that the session recordings were almost dry with the effects added during bounce down. Wicked.
I remember now I learned from this album. Record dry.
My first collection of dubs was very much influenced by LPs methods as I came to understand them (to some degree).
I hope this was not too self indulgent. Here's the promotional bit for my stuff (this album was recorded mostly on 4-track mid nineties to 2000. Much bouncing to tape involved):
http://www.cdbaby.com/eatingbetty

ACEtone wrote: On some of the tracks there's a decidedly un-slick vibe off the production (not a problem) - and a lot of the tracks sort of lope along slowly in a country bumpkin sort of way. Really not a problem for me.
The songs are so sweet and earnest, it really an understated delight as an album.

Acetone- I was going to talk about how the music sounds like it's from the country in my little blurb but thought no on would know what I meant. Obviously I was wrong. Very nice eval of a great record. Thanks.

@Jason
indeed, people rarely mention acknowledge the fact US country music has been for years - I think even still is - listened to a lot on Jamaican Radio (or US country music radio can easily be picked up in JA). So there is both the 'from country' aspect to a lot of musician's style and - not sure if it is too much of a stretch to say it - an actual country music undercurrent in certain JA music styles. It doesn't conveniently fit with the conventional wisdom though does it?