BEATLES et REGGAE ! Encore une heureuse rencontre des garçons de Liverpool avec le rythme jamaïcain !

Il semble que les rencontres entre les Beatles et le rythme reggae auront une longue vie ; après tout, au-delà des frontières de chaque style, il s’agit avant tout de bonne musique. Ce mélange réussit depuis quelque temps déjà, comme le montre le nombre d’hommages à l’immense œuvre du quatuor de Liverpool. 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".

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