.::GUIDELIGHT MOVEMENT::.

REVIEW: LOVE GROCER feat. EARL 16 - Surviving (Universal Egg Records)

Love Grocer consists of four multitalented musicians with wind instruments as their first choice. The four of them have been involved in the UK roots/dub scene since the late eighties/early ninties playing on numerous recordings with the likes of Zion Train, Mad Professor, Steel Pulse and a whole bunch of Conscious Sounds productions. Members of Love Grocer also go by name of the Crispy Horns section when working as studio musicians for various reggae producers. Up to date they have released two full length albums on the Dubhead label featuring melodic horn lines and deep bass rhythms. Currently Love Grocer's working on their third album "Across The Valley" which is scheduled for release in 2006 on the Universal Egg imprint. So as a prelude to the coming album comes this ten inch vinyl featuring two remixes of the track "Surviving" with guest appearance from legandary Studio One singer Earl 16 on vocals.

Soundclip - Love Grocer feat. Earl 16 - Surviving (Vibronics Remix)

On the A side features a remix by UK dub outfit Vibronics who's many years of producing bass heavy reggae music shows of on this piece. The bass rolls steady on this mid tempo one drop as Love Grocer's beautiful horn lines is a perfect ornament to Earl 16's voice. Earl 16 sings of the youths surviving in the system of with juvenile pregnancies, drug pushers and bad forces setting them astray. Yet although the troubles of the modern day system Earl insists on hope of a better tommorrow. Earl 16 is a seriously professional singer and very rarely delivers a bad vocal if any since I haven't heard one yet. So therefor there's no suprise hearing Earl 16 delivering another set of solid vocals. Following the vocal is a dub concentrating on the drum and the bass with echoing skanks dropping in and out of the rhythm as the occasional vocal and horn line gets a similar treatment as the keyboard skanks.

Soundclip - Love Grocer feat. Earl 16 - Surviving (Abassi All Stars Remix)

The flipside gives us a fierce steppers mix with rhythmic live drumming, similar to Sly Dunbars excessive drumming style in the late seventies, all in courtesy of the Abassi All Stars. The Abassi All Stars version comes in a discomix style with vocal followed by dub in one piece and ranges over ten minutes. The live element of the drums suits perfectly with the horns and brings the tune to another level. Although a B-side it's clearly this version that shines brighter of the two featured on the vinyl. Abassi All Stars who's delivered a string of good vinyl releases lately are in full effect on this one. If these tracks catches you interest I recommend you the check out further releases by Vibronics and Abassi All Stars since they've worked closely with members of Love Grocer on several productions.

/Rootsy Collins 17/2-05