War Ina Babylon: An Island Reggae Anthology

by

Various Artists

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Subtitled "An Island Reggae Anthology", this 25 May 2009 mini box set consists of 64 tracks across 3CDs covering 1962 to 2005 - it's released as part of the Island Records 50th Anniversary celebrations (1959-2009) and has been eagerly awaited by fans as it contains some of the label's rarest music - much of which has never been on CD before.

The song-by-song list is available on Amazon and elsewhere, but the catalogue numbers are not - so here's a detailed breakdown. All tracks listed below are 7" singles A-sides unless otherwise noted - followed by extra info for collectors - the Year of Release and a 2010 Record Collector Price Value for the rarer stuff on Disc 1 and 2...

Disc 1 is "The Harder They Come - Ska To Reggae 1959-1973" (76:55 minutes).

1. Island WI-198 [A] (1965) (£25)

2. "The Most Of Wilfred Jackie Edwards", Mono, Island ILP 906, 1963 (£60)

3. Island WI-002 [A] (1962) (£20)

4. Island WI-011 [A] (1962) (£35)

5. Island WI-018 [A] (1962) (£18)

6. Island WI-054 [A] (1963) (£20)

7. Island WI-070 [A] (1963) (£25)

8. Island WI-128 [A] (1963) (£300 valued 7") [B-side Bob Marley]

9. Island WI-149 [A] (1964) (£25)

10. "The Best Of Millie Small", Mono, Island ILP 953, 1967 (1964 Song) (£60)

11. Island WI-154 [A] (1964) (£25)

12. Island WI-173 [A] (1965) (£25)

13. As per 10

14. Island WI-235 [A] (1965) (£50)

15. Island WI-229 [A] (1965) (£45)

16. "Take It Easy: Rocksteady With Hopeton Lewis", Mono, Island ILP 957, 1967 (£160)

17. Island WI-3045 [A] (1967) (£40)

18. "Duke Reid's Rock Steady" (Various Artists compilation featuring The Techniques), Mono, Island ILP 958, 1967 (£350)

19. Island WI-3091 [A] (1967) (£150)

20. As per 18

21. Island WI-3122 [A] (1968) (£25)

22. Island WI-3188 [A] (1968) (£8)

23. Island WI-3146 [A "The Russians Are Coming - Take Five"] (1968) (£80)

24. Island WI-3159 [A] (1968) (£40)

25. Island WIP 6139 [A] (1972) (£8)

26. Blue Mountain BM-1013 [A] (1972) (£15)

27. Island WIP 6181 [A] (1973) (£6)

Disc 2 - "Party Time, Roots, Dub & Lovers 1973-1979" (78:29 minutes)

1. Island WIP 6179 [A] (1973) (£8)

2. "Marcus Garvey", 1975 LP on Island ILPS 9355 (£12)

3. Island WIP 6226 [A] (1975) (£10)

4. Island WIP 6261 [A] (1976) (£8)

5. Island WIP 6296 [A] (1976) (£8)

6. Island WIP 6316 [A] (1976) (£8)

7. Island WIP 6356 [A] (1976) (£8)

8. Island WIP 6283 [A] (1976) (£6)

9. Island WIP 6312 [A] (1976) (£8)

10. Island WIP 6326 [A] (1976) (£8)

11. Black Swan WIP 6416 [A] (1977) (miscredited in booklet as WIP 6334)

12. Island WIP 6353 [A] (1976) (£8)

13. Island WIP 6364 [A] (1976) (£8)

14. Island WIP 6413 [A] (1977) (£6)

15. Island IPR 2006 [12" single, A] (1978) (£15) (miscredited as IPR 2002)

16. Island WIP 6449 [A] (1978) (£6)

17. Island WIP 6494 [A] (1979) (£8)

18. "Rydim Driven", 1981 LP on Island ILPS 9671 (£15) (miscredited as 1979)

19. Island WIP 6626 [A] (1980) (£6)

Disc 3 - "Welcome To Jamrock 1980-2005" (79:26 minutes):

1. Island WIP 6626 [A] (1980)

2. Island WIP 6646 [A] (1980)

3. Island WIP 6671 [A] (1980)

4. "Sly And Robbie Present Taxi", 1981 Various Artists LP on Island ILPS 9662

5. Island/Tuff Gong IPR 2035 [A, 12" single] (1980)

6. Island WIP 6777 [A] (1982)

7. Island WIP 6800 [A] (1982)

8. Island WIP 6838 [A] (1982)

9. Island IS 150 [A] (1984)

10. Island/Taxi IPR 2059 [A, 12" single] (1983)

11. Island/Taxi IPR 2061 [A, 12" single] (1983)

12. Island/Taxi TX 03 [A] (1983)

13. Island/Mango IS 341 [A] (1988)

14. Island/Mango CIDM 806 [A] (1993)

15. Island CID 560 [A] (1993)

16. Island/Mango CIDM 812 [A] (1994)

17. Island CID 691 [A] (1998)

18. Island MCSTD 40432 [A] (2005)

The extremely detailed 28-page booklet has an essay on the contents by LAURENCE CANE-HONEYSETT who co-authored the fabulous "Young Gifted & Black" book about Trojan Records and also did the well-knowledgeable liner notes for the Deluxe Editions of Tighten Up 1 and 2 (see separate reviews for all 3). He's done a great job - each page with 3 pictures beside the text showing rare label variations, artist photos, obscure album sleeves, trade adverts, music industry charts...etc. If I was to complain it's that the booklet is small and the pictures hard to see let alone appreciate, but at a retail price of sixteen quid and less online, this box set is a whole lot of value for money and I suppose some corners had to cut.

The remastering is done by TIM DEBNEY at Fluid Mastering and being Reggae Music the sound quality ranges from muddy and awful in the early Sixties to sublime in the Seventies and Eighties - Disc 2 and 3 being particularly good - warm, clear and ballsy without being too brash. With regard to Disc 1 - the charm of the Sixties Ska just shines through regardless of production values - check out The Uniques' "My Conversation" - you'll be hooked.

The song choices are clever too - the rare 12" IPR series that has been reissued by other labels because you just can't get the originals other than in battered condition - the superb LP-only songs like The Techniques track on "Duke Reid's Rock Steady" - an album I've seen once in my life. Purists will however cringe at the inclusion of Aswad's horridly commercial "Don't Turn Around" (I bet their bank-accounts loved it though), but will appreciate the inclusion of their superb brass and harmonica-driven instrumental "Warrior Charge" which is very hard to find now. It all goes a bit pear-shaped towards the end of Disc 3 of course, but "Whine and Grine" and "Boom Shack A Lack" are still great fun - and the whole output of the label had to be represented.

Top notch stuff - an easy 5 stars - and big time recommended.

PS: see 'comments' on the Island Records exhibition in London you should see

50 years of Island's reggae output from ska to jam-rock..so who is the one person who is bound to be on there? "Bob Marley" they cry as one- except he isn't there! Sure we get Damian Marley (not a patch on the old man) but we do get two tracks by Millie (!) so that makes it ok I suppose? CD 1 is very ska heavy as you would expect but I doubt very much you will ever play those first 12 tracks again unless you are a real completist. CD's 2 and 3 are excellent however: CD2 is my personal favourite era for Island reggae but there is hardly a bad track on CD3 either...if only Bob Marley had featured on there those CD's alone would merit 4 or 5 stars - After all, they have duplicated Millie and Aswad with the Island life box set so why not include one Marley classic. Pity. This should have been a classic but falls short .