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CD Review
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Sing Out!, CD Review >>
Who says roots reggae is dead? Definitely not Victor Axlerod - a.k.a. Ticklah - the multi-instrumentalist (and long-time Antibalas keyboard man) behind one of last year's biggest sleepers. The Brooklyn-based musician is no stranger to New York's alternative reggae scene - having cut his teeth in the NYC ska outfit The Boilers and played with/produced the Easy Star All Stars' excellent Pink Floyd and Radiohead tribute records (not to mention playing with The Dap Kings, Amy Winehouse, Lilly Allen and other analog soul acts). But on Ticklah vs. Axelrod, he takes things one step beyond, with a scorcher of a record full of heavy, dread-filled, minor key dub ("Want Not," "Scratch to Win," "Deception"), upful roots rockers ("Rescue Me," "Pork Eater," "Queen Dub") and some truly unclassifiable, next-level sounds. While the dub is first-rate - moody and atmospheric with spooky washes of deconstructed noise - and the roots tracks are playful and plaintive, blessed with the sweet voices of Mikey General and Rob Symeonn - the real treats here are the two very different covers of Eddie Palmieri salsa classics, both voiced by the incomparable Mayra Vega. The first, "Mi Sonsito," is bouncy, straight-up Latin ska, which perfectly translates Palmierei's legendary twin-trombone attack. The second, "Si Hecho Palante," is the album's tour de force - a withering, dread-infused dub workout stretched tight over the bones of a vintage salsa arrangement. Simply put, it's the best Latin-reggae hybrid that this reviewer has ever heard. The piano solo alone sounds like a looped-out, son motuno from outer space, and makes most reggaeton sound weak, watered-down and uninspired by comparison. If you love roots reggae from the pre-digital days, but were wondering where all the innovation and creativity went, pick up this record today and restore your faith in dub.
-TP 06/01/08 >> go there
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