Creation Rebel

• Artist: Burning Spear
• Rating:
• Release Date: November 16, 2004
• Type: Compilation (best of), Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Reggae

Review

Creation Rebel collects Burning Spear's classic early recordings (1969-1974) for producer Clement Dodd at Studio One, and the remastering is terrific, making these tracks sound as clear as they're likely to get. What is perhaps most admirable here is how fully formed Spear's sound and vision are right from the start, with his Marcus Garvey-derived themes of self-determination, black nationalism and African repatriation all front and center, and even as he indignantly details the suffering of the impoverished, Spear also fully praises the resilience of the human spirit, and these concerns would continue to figure prominently at the heart of his work 40 years later. The sound here is rougher and busier than his classic later sessions with producer Jack Ruby (which led to albums like Marcus Garvey and Man in the Hills), with much more organ, for instance, and choppier rhythms, but Spear's voice and general approach to each song is essentially the same, making these tracks more than just a precursor to the later Ruby material, but a serious early statement of intent. The usual Studio One session players are on hand, including Leroy Sibbles, Ernest Ranglin and a horn section of Cedric "Im" Brooks, David Madden, and Vin Gordon, and they seemed excited to be adding to these songs, which amounted to the first expression of conscious roots reggae (keep in mind that at this point in time Bob Marley had yet to work with Lee "Scratch" Perry, and his Island recordings were well in the future). Much of Creation Rebel has been previously unavailable on CD (at least legally, and certainly not with this sound quality), and the set includes several stereo versions. Key tracks include "Door Peeper" (which started it all), "Bad to Worst," "Pick Up the Pieces," "Foggy Road," "Rocking Time," and "Weeping and Wailing," and when all is said and done, this collection shows a remarkable unity of tone. Creation Rebel works both as a testament to the early vision of a great artist, but also as a fine first volley. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Door Peeper [Original Single Mix]	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(3:11)
This Race [Rare Stereo Mix][#]	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(2:41)
This Population [#]	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(3:03)
Bad to Worst [Rare Stereo Mix][#]	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(2:39)
New Civilization [#]	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(3:23)
Pick Up the Pieces	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(2:30)
Zion Higher [Rare Stereo Mix][#]	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(3:12)
Swell Headed	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(3:19)
Foggy Road	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(3:05)
Creation Rebel	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(2:32)
Ethiopians Live It Out	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(3:05)
Rocking Time [Rare Stereo Mix][#]	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(2:43)
Get Ready	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(2:36)
What a Happy Day [Rare Stereo Mix][#]	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(2:47)
Call on You [Rare Stereo Mix][#]	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(2:43)
Free (AKA We Are Free)	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(2:05)
Down by the River (aka Down by the Riverside)	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(2:55)
Weeping and Wailing [Rare Stereo Mix][#]	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(1:59)
He Prayed	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear	(3:09)
Rocking Time [Original Single Mix]	Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Winston Rodney	Burning Spear, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd	(2:44)

Credits

Burning Spear (Main Performer), Leroy Jodie Pierson (Archival Materials), Leroy Sibbles (Bass), Boris Gardiner (Bass), Larry Marshall (Harmony Vocals), Al Campbell (Harmony Vocals), Richard Ace (Keyboards), Headley Bennett (Horn), Cedric 'Im Brooks (Horn), Clement "Coxsone" Dodd (Producer), Clement "Coxsone" Dodd (Engineer), Clement "Coxsone" Dodd (DJ), Eric Frater (Guitar), Vin Gordon (Horn), Albert Griffiths (Guitar), Denzel Laing (Percussion), Robert Lyn (Keyboards), David Madden (Horn), Patrick McDonald (Guitar), Sylvan Morris (Engineer), Dr. Toby Mountain (Mastering), Ernest Ranglin (Guitar), Winston Rodney (Harmony Vocals), Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace (Drums), Rupert Willington (Harmony Vocals), Steven Jurgensmeyer (Design), Bagga Walker (Bass), Joshua Blood (Lyric Transcription), O'Neill Nanco (Drawing), Carlton Manning (Bass), Carlton Manning (Guitar), Jojo Bennett (Horn), Chris "Poet" Wilson (Liner Notes), Chris "Poet" Wilson (Compilation), Chris "Poet" Wilson (Archival Materials), Fil Callender (Guitar), Fil Callender (Drums), Enid Cumberland (Percussion)

• Genres: Reggae
• Representative Albums: "Historic Moments, Vol. 1," "Starship Africa," "Historic Moments, Vol. 2"
• Representative Songs: "Independent Man, Pt. 1," "Dub from Creation," "African Space"

Biography

The product of the fertile and prolific British producer, mixmaster, and dub genius Adrian Sherwood, Creation Rebel was one of Sherwood's first endeavors as a producer. Originally the backing group for the late reggae great Prince Far-I, Creation Rebel worked with Sherwood from 1977-1980, recording some of the best reggae dub music this side of Lee Perry during the early English punk era. Languorous, funky, spacy, and totally intoxicating, it's exciting to hear the awesome production/mixing talents of Sherwood in their early days. Similarly, the band (drummers Style Scott and Fish Clarke, bassist Clinton Jack, keyboardist Bigga Morrison, guitarist Crucial Tony, and percussionist Slicker) play with a grace, effortlessness, and power that most studio bands would kill to achieve. With the band's talents so wonderfully used by Sherwood, this is without a doubt some of the best and most important non-rock music to be made in England in the late '70s. ~ John Dougan, All Music Guide

Historic Moments, Vol. 2 Buy this CD	Historic Moments, Vol. 1 Buy this CD	Lows & Highs Buy this CD	Psychotic Junkanoo Buy this CD	Threat to Creation Buy this CD
Starship Africa Buy this CD

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