Roots Archives Forum

Just got my turnable set-up after a few months of domestic upheaval and other unnecessary to mention vinyl listening difficulty - before I break this album out again and give it a turn, what is the opinion of the general Roots Archive populace on this album?
I'll make no reference to anything I know, think or feel about it from previous listens (actually a few years ago).

So do tell what you think. I would love to hear opingins!

don't know the album but "Reggae magic" alone is a very good track. if the rest of the album comes close then it should be a joy to listen to it .........

without checking the web: is this an original s1 album ?

I'll say nothing

There is a studio 1 release but it's just a rerelaese of a Canadian LP. I love MIttoo and especially his Canadian productions, but this is straight hockey organ styles.

And this

[cover=1866,2204]

It sort of makes up a Third World trilogy

Dave

Another great organist is Winston Wright

Check these two

[cover=6899,4441]

[cover=6822,4440]

These too are both on Third World

Dave

OK, my point in this post is that I listened to it once or twice when I bought it a few years ago and didn't like it at all - time to give it a spin again:
Track by track:
Too Late to Turn Back Now - forgettable easy listening version of this track

For All We Know - more easy listening pap. The drums and bass are stiff, bass farty, quacking flimsy gtr, James Last vibe all the way through.

Steady Rock - this is some sort of mistake! In terms of playing JM's input is just so much one hand melody and no audible rhythm or harmonizing. Sad really.

Someday Soon - clarinets and oboes? In addition to the strings. Apologetic bass, trebly skittering drums. all wrong.

Bananas - promising title but that's about it. JM gets a bit more groovy with the organ towards the end, but it is too late.

Wintergreen - this is better. But it is more of a Stax/Volt type workout which the band seem more comfortable with. JM gets some cool sounds from the wah electric piano. So far the best played and arranged track.

Alone Again Naturally - for humour value alone I'll give this one a huge break. JM covers Gilbert O'Sullivan though sadly without passion or conviction. More oboe. Dear oh dear! There is something seriously amiss with the rhythm guitar on this.

Wishful Thinking - jaunty but just too many things wrong with it to work.

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - uh oh - its the phantom of the oboe again! This a cover of a completely worn out old song which if done with the Studio 1 crew I'm sure would have turned out much better, but this is pointless.

Sledgehammer - James Last plays reggae, ja?

Telstar - I really want to like this. This oft versioned Joe Meek composition is fairly hard to go wrong with and at least on this JM's organ has a few swells and pleasing vibrato - but again there are the obtrusive woodwind and strings. Reggae your grandparents will like...or hate...

Reggae Magic - a do over of one of JM's Studio 1 hits ironically with the magic removed. This is just a bit more on track but not much.

I had hoped that this would sound a whole lot better to me than it did a few years ago, but I'm only very slightly more forgiving of it various deficiencies.
Practically any other Jackie Mittoo album is many times better than this easy listening goo.

I will say this though - the album sleeve image is excellent - one of the best. Pity it couldn't have been used for one of his better albums.

Just played it last night - got a good vibes from tracks 3 and 6 on side A and 1, 3 and 6 on B.

Those would form a highlights selection and still include the most tolerable string and oboe bits to hint at why the other tracks were left out.

The melodies are a bit bland so this must be played fairly loud to feel the band interactions.

bad album, lets face it. Didn't age well either.Life is too short to spin this one twice.