:: GussetBLOG ::

:: Saturday, March 11, 2006 ::

Album Review: DJ Derek Presents Sweet Memory Sounds (Trojan)

Aww man (or should that be mon?), just listening to this makes the sun shine. Staring out of a drab office window over a rain splattered city, the sound of reggae makes the clouds part and the scene lights up with the warm glow of a summer morning. This CD has such an amazing feel good factor I think I shall carry it with me wherever I go, in case I ever feel in need of uplifting.

This album should also serve as a reminder, should anyone ever be in doubt, of how much immigrants contribute UK culture. OK, so DJ Derek is a white 60 something former accountant, but he knows his stuff and he knows more about ska and reggae than I'm ever going to. I just hope that when I get to that age I can be referred to as a white 60 something former consultant with the same degree of respect.

Derek is a legend, known across Bristol, most notably for his St Paul's Carnival appearances (but also as the barman at the Star and Garter), as well as outside. I hope this release just broadens his appeal. Note: He also used to play the washboard, and I have the utmost respect for anyone who did that.

Among the many gems here, as well as plenty of tracks that are new to me, there two of my reggae favourites; The Abyssinians' Satta Massa Gana, and Max Remeo's Chase The Devil (best know to my generation as the source of the Prodigy's Out Of Space sample). And now, I can add Shark Wilson's Make it Reggae to that list too.

The album is perfectly balanced, starting strong, flying through familiar favourites, and ending on a more introspective mood. It's like a party on a CD. I can't wait for summer so I can blast this out when cookin' up a Jamaican barbeque. And summer feels so much closer for it.

......

Having said all of that, I've just discovered that it makes my wife turn evil. For some reason she can't stand reggae (a crying shame). I asked her to elaborate, for the sake of a balanced review, but the only way she could express her agitation, and believe me, she was agitated, was to do an impression of the annoying singing Curly Wurly at Cadbury World, singing "That were a bit of a laff, war'nt it, that were a bit of a laff," and imitating its bizarre groin thrusting gestures, whilst clawing at her eyes. Hardly comparable in my mind.

Please don't let that put you off. Buy this record and see for your self. Just don't let my wife hear it.

:: Dan 11.3.06 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post]    ::
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