SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JAH WOBBLE – DUB VOLUME 1

JAH WOBBLE
DUB VOLUME 1
DIMPLE DISCS

Since parting ways with Public Image Ltd, Jah Wobble has released approximately 38 studio albums, plus countless collaborations and live albums. Yet, he is still able to come up with new ideas, sounds, and songs that not only surprise the listener but manage to have one foot firmly in the future and one in the past. Such is the case with his latest release, Dub Volume 1. The famed bassist and songwriter plays all the instruments and uses music to revisit his past and that of East London, which is where he grew up and spent his youth. Wobble, who was born John Joseph Wardle, looks at events that have happened over the years and lets his music explore the themes of the East End of London. All in dub form.

This is a solo project in the truest sense of the word. Not only does he play every instrument and write the songs, but he produced the album. Wobble dips into jazz and rock to explore the musical cultures of the diverse area and succeeds. The short but powerful “Tragic Slavic Dub” is a great example, as is “Old Jewish East End Of London Dub”, which has an absolutely brilliant ending. The opening song “Dub In The East” sets the stage for the rest of the album and shows Wobble incorporating all sorts of styles and sounds throughout the song. The song incorporates traditional Irish, Jewish, and other sounds which is really what he does with the songs on the album.

The vocals on “Lovers Rock Dub” are fun and brilliant. Using speed pitch, Wobble is having fun, and at the same time taking this listener on a trip to the past. This could have been a 12-in single, and while it is not retro, it does take one back to the glory days of dub singles by say Culture Club, which the song taps into. But every track has a tip of the hat to Wobble and the area’s history.

Wobble is an incredible musician and producer. Dub Volume 1 allows him to do what he does best. The music is well thought out and is played beautifully. All the songs lead comfortably into the next and the end result is a stunning, non-stop musical excursion all within the world of Dub. This is not an easy thing to do, but Wobble does, and it sounds like he does it with extreme ease. Dub Volume 1 is a brilliant album.

SPILL FEATURE: WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS WHERE WE ARE LOOKING FROM – A CONVERSATION WITH JAH WOBBLE

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