Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band

Easy Star All-Stars: Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band. Released 13.04.09.

If you're reading this then you are probably either A) a fan of Easy Stars' previous offerings, or B) a Beatles fan. In both cases I suspect this latest release from Easy Star Records will leave you with a rather large smile on your face.

The Easy Star All-Stars have an impressive history of taking classic records and re-recording them in a reggae-style (not simply that, but in every style of reggae from ska through to dancehall), and this project is no exception. Each and every track from the Beatles' classic "Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" has been painstakingly deconstructed and then reconstructed before being put back together in the right order from the opening orchestral warm-up to the mock run-out groove at the conclusion of a very interesting ride. And it is a ride.

Along for that ride are, as with the first two re-imaginings, many of the reggae world's finest vocalists and musicians. On "Easy Star's..." (which annoyingly, but expectedly doesn't work as well as an abbreviated title as "Sgt. Pepper's..." does) a veritable who's-who of reggae including Luciano, Daddy U-Roy, Max Romeo, Michael Rose and Frankie Paul lend their considerable and historical vocal skills while Steel Pulse and The Mighty Diamonds appear to lend their weight to the project. A collection of such greats should make this an album worthy of your hard-earned money before you even consider the challenge they have all undertaken.

It was obvious on that first run-through that some of the tracks were simply amazing. "With a Little Help From My Friends" with Luciano's to-be-expected amazing voice was stunning. Immediately after, Frankie Paul's "Lucy In the Sky..." proved that once again ("Dub Side of the Moon" had showed us once before of course) that reggae and psychedelia can work very well together. "When I'm Sixty-Four" appears to have been specifically written to be recorded this way with Sugar Minott singing and a dub work-out at the end, and "A Day in the Life", with Michael Rose and Menny More sharing the two-tracks-collide vocals, is a joy to hear. On first listen I was left with an uncomfortable feeling inside me. Something just wasn't quite right with the whole thing. The second run-through didn't do a lot to convince me otherwise. In the car later (by now at listen number four) I had a discussion that concluded that it was either over-familiarity with the source material or something about the Beatles' simplicity not lending itself to the new style that was the problem. I can, I thought then, discount theory number one as I have probably listened to "OK Computer", the subject of Easy Stars' last versioning as "Radiodread" as many times as "Sgt. Pepper's...". Was it just that the new versions just didn't work then?

I am very pleased to say now, however, that I was probably right with my first guess. This album is definitely a grower. I think the Beatles, in particular the songs of this album, are so ubiquitous that hearing a majority of the tracks so completely differently (yet still so true to the originals - how do Easy Stars keep doing that?) just throws the listener somewhat. As a reggae fan I can once again confidently say that the Easy Star All-Stars have done good. This is an album that works and works well. The mix of reggae styles compliments the Beatles' mix of styles on the original and they've been crafted and performed exceptionally well.

What of the non-reggae fans, the music fans, the Beatles fans who undoubtedly want to hear what these upstarts have done to this classic album? The several passengers in my car who were made to listen to it had mixed reactions. Only one person seemed to not like it at all. Among the rest, the common consensus was that some tracks worked and some tracks didn't. Perhaps, with the chance to let it grow on them, as happened to me, they would conclude that it all worked very well indeed, and, still like me, it's an album that can be played again and again.

This is just a breath of fresh air - a joyous celebration of a classic English album. I loved Easy All Stars previous albums, Dark Side and Ok Computer, and I instantly feel the same way with Lonely Heart's Dub Band. This is for everyone, not just reggae fans or midnight tokers. I'm neither, myself. It's a a great uplifting album and I only wish Lennon was alive to hear it. He'd love Lucy in the Sky, for sure. No more blather...just buy it! :)

Overall it's a great album but it's a bit more of a grower than the other two. What really works for me is She's Leaving Home what a sweet voice.

Only thing that dissapoints me is it doesn't have the dub versions at the end like the other two albums. Though there is a link where you can download them from their site but the bit rate issn't great for those. I would much rather have them on the album itself.

As for what ever they do next...well I understand that the idea is to "re-do" concept albums. How about Bowie's Ziggy Stardub and the Dreads from Mars?