U Brown ADD

Review

Album Review: U Brown x Irie Ites - Still Chanting Rub-A-Dub

11/22/2024

by Steve Topple

One of the biggest names in Reggae, U Brown, has returned with a stunning new album – encapsulating half a century of being at the forefront of the Rub-a-Dub music scene.

Still Chanting Rub-A-Dub, released via Irie Ites Records, is a fascinating creation – not least because of the detective skills required when listening to it (you’ll know you’ll have heard some of the tracks before… but where?). Of course, from a musical point of view it is a stellar piece of work with Irie Ites at the helm. Names like Roberto Sanchez being on most of the mixing add to the weight of the project – as do The Ligerians. Of course, though, this is U Brown’s show.

The album opens with Run Come Dance – an upbeat and uplifting affair that hones in on that late 70s/early 80s Reggae vibe that’s unfussy yet pleasing. Little wonder, really, when you realise the exceptional Ligerians are behind the music – and U Brown provides a lyrical call for unity to match. Rub-A-Dub School featuring the late Frankie Paul continues in this vein, albeit with a BPM that’s slowed down slightly across a King Jammy riddim. U Brown and Frankie Paul play off well against each other – despite their vocals being recorded 10 years apart.

The legendary Glen Washington comes on board for Ting A Ling, another track where the riddim is by The Ligerians – here, taking Still Chanting… into more brooding territory: a minor key and unsettling horn line creates a melancholy vibe as U Brown and Washington deliver a love song, of sorts – where their contrasting vocals work well.

Hard Road sees U Brown and Trinity broadly cover Israel Vibration’s Hard Road To Travel – originally co-arranged by Rub-a-Dub fathers Roots Radics. Here, the instrumentation and overall arrangement has been completely embellished, making it fuller but still with the recognisable main melody – and both U Brown and Trinity do the track justice as well as the lyrics documenting the trials and tribulations of living under Babylon.

Cornell Campbell joins U Brown for Can’t Keep A Good Man Down, around a riddim from West Finga (itself a reworking of Campbell’s 1976 track A Poor Jah Jah Man) with production coming from Manuel Malhoeuvre and Jérôme Baccar. It’s another darkly brooding affair, with a stark arrangement symptomatic of Rub-a-Dub but with some exquisite vocals from both artists as well as thought-provoking lyrics around how proponents of the system will try and batter Rastaman down – but will never succeed.

Original GanjaMan features another legend, Linval Thompson, and another Roots Radics composition (a reworking of a Thompson track on his most recent album) – but this time, across the classic Cuss Cuss Riddim (used more times since 1968 than most people would care to remember); here put to good affect to extol the virtues of cannabis.

A thoroughly modern and accomplished artist, Chezidek, joins U Brown on the Ligerians-penned Traveling Man. It’s pure Irie Ites: unfussy yet effective, with great attention to detail on the individual instrumental lines that creates a sound that feels timeless. The talents of Chezidek are well-employed, and between him and U Brown they craft a track which weaves a strong narrative around how Rastafari see the destruction meted out by Babylon all around them – and how they try to change these wicked paths.

U Brown’s Rootsman Party winds things along nicely to another Dancehall-styled cut, taking you back to that late 70s/early 80s vibe but here in a minor key – reimagined from a classic Scientist track, Steppers. Then, the renowned Eek A Mouse delivers Whip Dem Jah Jah with him. Put together by British duo Mafia & Fluxy (of The Instigators fame), it feels very ‘UK’ – the drum/percussion line is reminiscent of Ska - while Eek A Mouse delivers his classic skat singing, and the pair provide a rousing narrative around badmind. Labba Labba (Mouth) sees U Brown and the late Naggo Morris come together across Malhoeuvre and Baccar’s reworking of the latter’s track Su Su Pon Rasta – an inspired arrangement and one that’s well-executed by all involved.

U Brown joins the late Sugar Minott on Bad Mind – originally Irie Ites's Watch Dem riddim from 2022. It’s perfection – as a compelling minor-key riddim is interspersed with elements of Dub engineering, keys that feel almost Jazz, and some deep Rub-a-Dub vibes across the winding bass line. Hearing U Brown with Minott is also very special – and the warning contained within the lyrics is powerful and pertinent.

Still Chanting… closes with Al Campbell joining U Brown for Ruff Ina Dis Ya Time – a reworking of Irie Ites and Campbell's Jah Love Conquers All from 2022. Musically it’s deft and effective: simple yet engaging, with a pleasing rhythm section that drives the minor-key track forward combined with an additional guitar that provides a secondary vocal. Both artists are on point – and lyrically, it is the perfect closer, with a reminder to all of us that if you remain faithful, then love can prevail against Babylon’s mendacity.

What really comes across from Still Chanting… is just how the Rub-a-Dub sound continues to inspire and influence Roots and Reggae artist to this day. The entire album is undeniably based around this bass-heavy, riddim-focused, Sound System-orientated sound from the late 70s/early 80s – yet it still feels fresh and relevant (helped by the pertinent lyrical messaging and modern production).

Irie Ites and their colleagues – notably The Ligerians – have created a superb musical base for the artists to work off. U Brown shows that even after circa 50 years, he’s still got it – and overall, Still Chanting Rub-A-Dub is a wonderful and infinitely listenable project.

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