Easy Star All Stars
(Easy Star)
In many ways, Beatles' fans are a lonely bunch.
The music of the first super group - arguably the most talented collection of contemporary musicians of the past century - is so multi-faceted that it can and has been analyzed, enjoyed, and rediscovered for decades.
But those that want to quench their musical thirsts for additional Beatles' material have had few options. Although Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are still very active in contemporary music culture their work is a faint reminder of The Beatles' collective experience. The same can be said about the individual work of the late John Lennon and George Harrison. In the case of the Beatles the whole equals much more than the sum of its parts.
Well, belly up to the musical bar because Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band will surely satisfy. The new rendition of the 1967 classic Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band comes from the same folks that released 2006's Radiodread, a reggae take on Radiohead's Ok Computer.
This album features vocals from a list of reggae and dancehall artists including Steel Pulse, Matisyahu, Michael Rose of Black Uhuru, Ranking Roger (English Beat) and a host of others. Now before fans begin to bandy about terms such as "sacrilege" it should be noted that the music was treated with something akin to reverence with the same lyrics and many of the same arrangements as in the classic album.
Yes, there are definite reggae nuances - notably extra percussion and horns - but this album is much more Beatles than reggae. Following the exact track listing of the original, listeners will find many of the renditions are standouts. Consider "For the Benefit of Mr. Kite" which uses the same funky, circus-coming-to-town keyboards that so enthrall fans of the original work. But Roger's vocals - interrupted briefly with a pure reggae interlude - works to modernize yet preserve the original piece. The same is true of occasional slight word substitutions - such as in "A Day in the Life" when "dregs" is substituted for "head" ("Dragged a comb across my head").
It's a safe bet that the modern Lonely Hearts will not only be embraced by die-hard Beatles fans, but introduce the Beatles' magic to a whole new group of listeners.
Standout Tracks: "Good Morning, Good Morning," "A Day in the Life" NANCY DUNHAM
