Los Angeles has a long history of world-recognized micro-scenes. From the introspective Laurel Canyon sound of the 70s to the hair metal takeover of the Sunset Strip in the 80s to Silverlake's status as an indie-rock mecca of the 90s to the dynamic blends of electronica & hip-hop (exemplified by clubs like the Low End Theory) coming out of LA's East Side and beyond, our city contains multitudes. One such micro-scene that might have been overlooked, but is gaining in momentum is our reggae scene, spearheaded by local 14-man ensemble The Lions and producer Tom Chasteen's beloved Dub Club. And now these two forces has combined for a stunning tribute to the soulful sounds of the golden age of 70s sound systems.
The Lions' 2013 album This Generation was an instant classic of West Coast reggae, so it seemed obvious to invite Chasteen to dub it out for a reinterpretation of the album. It is a textbook example of the kinds of live "remixing" the legendary dub masters of Jamaica have been doing for decades. To quote Chasteen himself: "Beautiful harmony vocals, tough bass lines, sweet horn arrangements, and musical vibes that you can't get out of a laptop." Sounds like LA wins again!
-Eric J. Lawrence
Track List:
1. Revelations "Alphabet City Dub"
2. Easy Dub
3. More More Dub
4. New Dub
5. This Generation "Skronk Dub"
6. Roll It Around "Crushed Dub"
7. Dub It Tonight
8. Picture On The Wall "Pink Dub"
Photo courtesy of the artist