Stranger Cole isn't the household reggae name that Marley, Tosh, Cliff, Heptones and Steel Pulse are, at least in the USA, and that is a shame. He released his first single, Rough and Tough, rerecorded here, in 1963. Throughout the sixties and early seventies he released over 70 singles as a solo performer and also in duet with Patsy Todd, another woefully neglected Jamaican singer. A star of the pre-reggae rocksteady and ska styles, he started releasing albums from 1976 through 1986, after which he took twenty years off and was employed in a variety of jobs in his adopted home of Toronto. He returned to recording and touring in 2006.
This new record presents new recordings of several of his hits from the sixties- the title track, Bangarrang, Crying Every Night and Just Like a River. Added to those are a variety of covers, some of which seem like odd choices, yet they come off as inspired. War's Low Rider and Marley's No Woman, No Cry make perfect sense. Journey's Don't Stop Believing and Tears For Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World done reggae style are both fun and barely recognizable. Everything else on the record is just delightful, and rock solid.
The band is talented, the recording is excellent, and the 83 year old Cole is a fine singer. What, you didn't know there was great new reggae?
No comments:
Post a Comment