****MAX ROMEO - OPEN THE IRON GATE****

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****MAX ROMEO - OPEN THE IRON GATE****

TRACKLIST


1 Every Man Ought to Know* 6 3:15
2 Revelation Time/Hammer and Sickle: Revelation Time
3 No PeaceSee
4 Tacko
5 Blood of the Prophet, Pts. 1 & 2
6 Warning Warning/Version: Version
7 Quarter Pound of I'Cense
8 Three Blind MiceSee
9 Open the Iron Gate, Pts. 1 & 2
10 Valley of Jehosaphat: Valley Of Jehosaphat / Version
11 Fire Fe the Vatican* 4 3:34
12 Melt Away


Label Blood And Fire
Orig Year 1999


Personnel: Max Romeo (vocals); Michael Murray (guitar, percussion); Phil "Filberto" Callender, Tony Chin, Earl "Chinna" Smith, Ernest Ranglin (guitar); Tyrone Downie (harmonica, keyboards); Glen DaCosta (tenor saxophone); David Madden (trumpet); ... Full DescriptionBobby Ellis (flugelhorn); Vin Gordon (trombone); Richard Hall, Tommy McCook (horns); Keith Sterling (piano, keyboards); Earl "Wire" Lindo (organ, Clavinet); Geoffrey Chung (keyboards, bass); Tyrone Downie, Bernard "Touter" Harvey, Clive Hunt, Robert Lyn, Winston Wright (keyboards); Clive Hunt (bass, percussion); Aston "Family Man" Barrett, George Fullwood, Boris Gardner (bass); Carlton Barrett, Carlton Davis, Michael Richards, Derrick Stewart (drums); Lee "Scratch" Perry, Uziah "Sticky" Thompson (percussion).


Producer: Max Romeo.


Compilation producer: Steve Barrow.


Engineers include: Lee "Scratch" Perry, Sylvan Morris, George Philpott.


Booklet includes interview with Max Romeo conducted by Steve Barrow.


Digitally remastered by Andy Walter (Abbey Road Studios, London, England).


Personnel: Max Romeo (vocals); Mike Murray (guitar, percussion); Earl "Chinna" Smith , Ernest Ranglin, Tony Chin (guitar); Tyrone Downie (harmonica, keyboards); Glen DaCosta (tenor saxophone); David Madden (trumpet); Bobby Ellis (flugelhorn); Vin Gordon (trombone); Dirty Harry Hall (horns); Keith Sterling (piano, keyboards); Earl Lindo (Clavinet, organ); Clive "Azul" Hunt (keyboards, percussion); Geoffrey Chung, Robert Lyn, Winston Wright, Bernard Touter Harvey (keyboards); Derrick Stewart, Santa Davis, Carlton "Carlie" Barrett (drums); Lee "Scratch" Perry, Uziah "Sticky" Thompson (percussion).

For reggae neophytes who first encountered Jamaican music in the punk '70s, Max Romeo seemed like kind of a one-trick pony who rode the big-time rep he deservedly got for the 1976 classic War ina Babylon to legendary status in reggae circles. Open the Iron Gate 1973-1977 shows there's more depth to that reputation, because these tracks largely drawn from his 1975 Revelation Time are prime examples of simple but creative roots reggae marked by Romeo's expressive, unadorned singing and further enhanced by exceptional sound restoration that even surpasses Blood & Fire's usual superb norm. "Every Man Ought to Know" is a Jah-praise song with a nyabinghi tinge and sweet singing with great backing vocals, an unusual bubble-up bassline, plus hints of "By the Rivers of Babylon" and a direct quote from "What a Friend I Have in Jesus" in the melody. The "la-la-la" tag Romeo throws in after singing the title to the sweet soul-styled "Revelation Time" is pretty great, and he clearly delivers a very understated, very pointed critique of Jamaican society: "They should not trim dreadlocks in prison/Liars and thieves should not be cops," anyone? "No Peace" and the clipped chords opening "Tacko" are a reminder that roots reggae, so often dismissed as one-dimensional, was still elastic and being forged in 1975, because every song worked off different melodic or rhythmic ideas. "Blood of the Prophet" isn't the best thing here, but it gets a lot more mileage than you first expect -- big respect to Blood & Fire's sound techs because that rhythm guitar just skanks on through crystal-clear as the drums lock down the groove. The title track deals on repatriation with sharp guitar, lurching drums, and prominent organ, while "Three Blind Mice" (yes, the melody is scurrying around here) and "Warning Warning" are thoughtful lyrical plays on the Babylon time coming theme. The latter's dub section adds and subtracts elements in increments so you hear the process at work, and the dub of "Valley of Jehosaphat" is strong too with prominent horns and vocal harmonies. "Melt Away" offers a nice rising guitar line -- Romeo has a definite knack for crafting melodic hooks -- and the horns again are strong and the rhythm guitar chop nagging. "Fire Fe the Vatican" merely reprises "War ina Babylon" with different lyrics, but it's hard to argue with, since itEntertainment Weekly (7/9/99, p.79) - "...will thrill anyone whose appreciation of reggae goes deeper than Bob Marley." - Rating: A-
Q (9/99, pp.134-5) - 4 stars (out of 5) - "...has a direct openness to the vocal typical of Romeo's airy, deft delivery. He has a knack for picking out unlikely melodies, nailing them to the heart of each tune..."
Dirty Linen (2-3/00, p.84) - "...released during a decade of change in Jamaican music, when lighthearted dance tunes and sweet bucolic ballads in praise of herb were giving way to the rumbling bass of dub and the voicing of political discontent..."