Roots Archives Forum

http://www.roots-archives.com/release/2412

is it any good?

I've never heard of this album before, but it's from a crucial year. Could be hit or miss. Let me know if you find anything out about it.

Yes it's a good roots album, not crucial, musicaly its very good, vocaly if i m not confused he seems like Junior Murvin.

Not a must but Pretty good

A roots album? I think not. Honeyboy (Martin) is a lovers and big people's music singer based in the uk - look at the track titles. That's not to diss the album but if you are expecting roots and great sophistication and Jr Murvin then think again although he did have that kind of light, yearning high tenor. He did make some fantastic tunes over the years though: Dreader Than Dread, Fight Life, Impossible Love and the awesome double-header Homeward Bound/Peace In The Land. But personally I think 1980 is a little late for his best music so tread carefully.

thanks. . i have a killer 12" by him. . . just wondering how that album was. he has other singles on the cactus label as well but not really my style. the 12" i have is def. ROOTS. . lovers lyrics but a hard riddim.

On the Roots archives pages of this album it's mentioned "Roots" and i agree, Roots Reggae is a kind of reggae, Early Dancehall is another kind of Reggae, Just like Dub another form of reggae. So Roots Reggae could even be ina lover style What about Gregory Isaacs the king of Lover, its not Roots ?.

Thid is my opinion, the debate is open LOL Roots can be ina lover style ?

Roots Lovers more likely. Gregory, Sugar Minott, Dennis Brown, Al Campbell and a whole lot more can classify in there.
Singers like Honeyboy and Winston Curtis are not even Lovers Rock (you all know what THAT is, don't you), there are just schmaltzy crooners mooing over some more or less classy riddims. Like Suzifan said, this has been dubbed 'Big People Music' even in the 1970s. And yeah, I count Denroy Morgan in the same category.
This music hurts.

Honeyboy Martin doesn't sound at all like Junior Murvin to me. He is a smooth ballader in the "big people" or "sentimental" category (that's how the elder jamaican audience in the UK refers to this type of singing). Kind of ballad / country-ballad / 50's doo-wop chord progressions adapted to the reggae cannon.
On the other hand, Junior Murvin is pure soul falsetto from the Curtis Mayfield school.

Not a Roots album, lyrically (mostly lovey dobey stuff)and chords wise pretty sweet (not minor chord bussiness apart from the last 2 songs:"Got To Carry On" and "Master Chef") , but very Rockers in terms of production. Drumming is heavier than 99% of what the younger fans refers to as "Roots" or "New Roots" these days.
This album includes 4 Aswad menbers, and boy can they play! Drummie Zeb and George Oban are tight!
(similar line up that recorded the Motion album at that time) plus super musician John Kiapey. Top Uk session guys.


I like these kind of UK Lovers - Rockers productions from the late 80s (well, I grew up on that). Even if the backing vocals are a bit off-key (there was no pitch shifting plugins in those days....great)
And I love Syndrums!