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Surforeggae
Reggae · May 26, 2009

BEATLES and REGGAE! Another happy meeting of the Liverpool lads with the Jamaican rhythm!

It seems that encounters between the Beatles and the reggae rhythm will have a long life; after all, beyond the boundaries of each style, we

BEATLES and REGGAE! Another happy meeting of the Liverpool lads with the Jamaican rhythm!
It seems that encounters between the Beatles and the reggae rhythm will have a long life; after all, beyond the boundaries of each style, we are talking above all about good music. This mixture has been successful for some time, as shown by the number of tributes to the vast work of the Liverpool quartet. There is the Argentine "El Album Verde", which featured Planta e Raiz, and the more famous "A Tribute To The Beatles Reggae Style", which featured several of the greatest reggae artists in history, such as John Holt, The Heptones, Desmond Dekker, The Maytals, Marcia Griffiths and many more.

EASY STAR ALL-STARS

Now it is the turn of "Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band", an allusion to the most influential album in history, the Beatles’ "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band". This beautiful rereading was made by a New York band already famous precisely for cover albums, Easy Star All-Stars. Their successful career began after the bold project created by the co-founders of the Easy Star label, Michael Goldwasser, Eric Smith and Lem Oppenheimer, "Dub Side Of the Moon". This album is a tribute to another pearl of the recording industry, Pink Floyd’s "Dark Side of The Moon", and was completely remade with the unmistakable feel of reggae music, filled with DUB effects. Since 2003, Easy Stars have invaded the market and gained ground, which led them to another major project, "RadioDread" (from 2006) - a tribute album to "OK, Computer!" by RadioHead - and now to the fabulous Beatles.

EASY STAR’S LONELY HEARTS DUB BAND

The songs on this album were remade very carefully. The concern with maintaining the magic of the Beatles’ songs even after mixing them with Jamaican musical culture is clear. The guest appearances in this project are a show apart. Names such as Steel Pulse, Matisyahu, Michael Rose (Black Uhuru), Luciano, U Roy, Bunny Rugs (Third World), Ranking Roger (English Beat), Sugar Minott, Frankie Paul, Max Romeo and Mighty Diamonds move through the established melodies of "Sgt. Pepper’s" while still leaving the main characteristics of each one’s career. "A Fixing a Hole" with Max Romeo and "Getting Better" with Mighty Diamonds are unmissable. Anyone who knows nothing about the Beatles will not even suspect that this is a "cover", such is the identity preserved from these legendary reggae giants. For those curious to hear the result of this fusion, the tracks are available on Youtube. Here is Surforeggae’s tip for those still seeking to be surprised by the releases of our beloved "rhythm of Jah".
(Cover of "Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band")

TRACK LIST

 1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band  Junior Jazz
2. With A Little Help From My Friends Luciano
3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds Frankie Paul
4. Getting Better The Mighty Diamonds
5. Fixing A Hole (Extended Dub Mix) Max Romeo
6. She’s Leaving Home Kirsty Rock
7. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! Ranking Roger
8. Within You Without You Matisyahu
9. When I’m 64 (Extended Dub Mix) Sugar Minott
10. Lovely Rita Bunny Rugs & U Roy
11. Good Morning Good Morning Steel Pulse
12. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Rep)
13. A Day In The Life Michael Rose & Menny More
("A Fixing a Hole" with Max Romeo)

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