SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: HORACE ANDY AND JAH WOBBLE – TIMELESS ROOTS

HORACE ANDY AND JAH WOBBLE
TIMELESS ROOTS
CLEOPATRA RECORDS

Jamaican-born Horace Andy is an icon and legend. Although he is known for his songwriting, he is equally known for his remarkable voice and interpretation of songs. One of his biggest hits was his cover of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine”, which really rivals the original. For Timeless Roots he has teamed up with the very talented Jah Wobble (Public Image Limited) who is also known for his dub music, and producer Jon Klein (Specimen, Siouxsie & The Banshees), who co-produced the album with Wobble. You have a trio of artists who have put together a reggae/dub album that is quite brilliant.

Timeless Roots is an album of covers and some of Andy’s own music. The choice of covers is really interesting. They dig deep into classic rock. If you have ever wondered what a reggae version of The Beatles’ “Come Together” sounds like, well, wonder no more. On Timeless Roots, it is one of the songs the duo interprets, and it works. Elsewhere, America’s “Horse With No Name”, which always owed a little to reggae, sounds right at home with Andy’s vocals and Wobble’s playing. It is a joy to hear.

There are some obvious covers, such as Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds”, which is very close to the original but still sounds great, Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, which does not work as well as one would hope, The Temptations’ “Ain’t too Proud To Beg”, and their incredible version of The Five Stairsteps’ “Ooh Child”. This interpretation is pure magic and takes the song to a lot of different places. It is one of the strongest tracks on the album.

But where the album really soars is when they revisit some of Andy’s classic songs. “Natty Dread A Weh She Want”, which opens the album, is really interesting and is the perfect way to open the proceedings. It has a fantastic groove and Andy sounds like he is having fun with the classic. “Skylarking” is also here, and although it is similar to the original, this new version has a great deal of energy and an interesting depth that is different. They also cover Andy’s “Spying Glass” which has not aged and sounds as fresh today as it did before. They even take their turn at Massive Attack’s “One Love”, a song that Andy worked on with them.

Timeless Roots is a great album that serves as a brilliant reminder of how great Horace Andy is and of his contributions to reggae and music over the years. It is a fun album that allows Wobble to work with an artist he obviously admires and that has influenced him over the years. Timeless Roots is not exactly breaking new ground, but it really doesn’t matter. It is a fun album and a chance for music fans to discover or rediscover some fantastic music.

Horace Andy Links

Jah Wobble Links