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Black Uhuru: Sinsemilla

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s

Artist: Black Uhuru
Title: Sinsemilla
Released: 1980
Label: Island Records
Time: 43:36
Producer(s): Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare
Appears with:
Category: Reggae
Rating: ******.... (6/10)
Media type: CD
Purchase date:  2002.10.25
Price in €: 6,63
Web address: Michael Rose Homepage

 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Happiness (M.Rose) - 4:21
[2] World Is Africa (M.Rose) - 5:17
[3] Push Push (M.Rose) - 4:12
[4] There Is Fire (M.Rose) - 5:02
[5] No Loafing [Sit and Wonder] (M.Rose) - 3:59
[6] Sinsemilla (M.Rose) - 5:11
[7] Endurance (M.Rose) - 4:01
[8] Vampire (M.Rose) - 4:34

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Black Uhuru:
MICHAEL ROSE - Vocals
PUMA JONES - Vocals
DERRICK SIMPSON - Vocals

Additional personnel:
SLY DUNBAR - Drums, Syndrum, Percussion, Executive Producer
ROBBIE SHAKESPEARE - Bass, Executive Producer
RADCLIFF "Duggie" BRYAN - Lead Guitar
ERROL "Ranchie" MACLEAN - Rhythm Guitar
ANSEL COLLINS - Acoustic Piano, Organ
UZIAH "Sticky" THOMPSON - Percussion
JIMMY BECKER - Harmonica

ERNEST HOOKIM - Engineer
BUNNY TOM TOM - Remixing
JOHNNY BLACK - Photography
TONY WRIGHT - Cover Design, Cover Ar

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


1980 LP Mango 9593
1990 LP Mango 162-539593-1
1990 CD Mango 162-539593-2
1990 CS Mango 162-539593-4

Recorded at Channel One Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica, on January 26, 1980.



..reggae albums of all time. Black Uhuru sound darker, more ghostly on this album. Bass is a little more up-front in the mix. The songs are almost as good as "Red". Not quite as quick or hyped up as that album though. Extra tracks are 2 dub versions.



Released on the Island Records subsidiary Mango in July 1980, Sinsemilla, named after a type of marijuana, was Black Uhuru's first album to be issued internationally, its third overall. Although the group was nominally a trio at this point - consisting of Derrick "Duckie" Simpson, Michael Rose, and Sandra "Puma" Jones - in effect, Sinsemilla was a solo album by Rose, who wrote all the songs and sang lead vocals. In David Katz's liner notes for this reissue, Rose is even quoted as saying that Jones doesn't sing on the disc. In addition to his writing and singing duties, Rose can be credited for bringing in the production team and rhythm section of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, whose Taxi Gang provides the distinctive musical tracks. Rose's lyrical vision is revolutionary and radical, extolling the primacy of Africa, opposing Apartheid, and praising the virtues of marijuana. But his sweet tenor and Simpson's harmonies soothe the message, and the music has a spare, rhythmic appeal that is distinctive and forward-looking, suggesting a hard, stripped-down direction for reggae. Sinsemilla is the sound of performers just finding their voices, and it excited hopes for the development of Jamaican music as Bob Marley's leadership was about to falter due to illness. The 2003 reissue contains both sides of Black Uhuru's August 1980 12" single, "Sinsemilla (Discomix)," which extends the title track to six and a half minutes, and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (Discomix)," an extended version of an earlier Jamaican hit.

William Ruhlmann, All-Music Guide



An outstanding set that helped break them in the States.

Ron Wynn - All-Music Guide, © 1992 - 2002 AEC One Stop Group, Inc.



World Is Africa

Appears On Sinsemilla [1980] & Universal Masters Collection [2001]

With a clutch of classic hit singles behind them, in 1980 Black Uhuru went back into the studio to record their third album, Sinsemilla. Like its predecessor, Showcase, it too, would be overseen by Sly & Robbie and feature the heavy sounds of the Revolutionaries. On an album stuffed with magnificent roots, "Whole World Is Africa" is still a standout. Set to a particularly driving beat, then fleshed out by Radcliff "Dougie" Bryan's bluesy guitar licks and Ansell Collins' striking keyboard work, the song has all the power of a steaming engine. And perhaps because of this and "Whole World Is Africa"'s equally strong lyrics, Michael Rose takes on the song solo. Within, the singer eloquently explains his vision of a world divided geographically, but one that should be unified under Jah. It's a potent message, and one that is deftly delivered.

Jo-Ann Greene - All-Music Guide, © 1992 - 2002 AEC One Stop Group, Inc.



Until internal conflicts tore Uhuru apart, group founder Duckie Simpson, lead vocalist Michael Rose, and the late Puma Jones--backed by Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare--were closing in on Bob Marley in the international pop crossover sweepstakes right up to the early 1980s. Rose's snarling "me vex bad" lyrical attack, as framed by Simpson and Jones's African-like harmonies and backed by the band's fierce riddim contagion, produced some of Rasta-reggae's greatest anthems--like this set's "Happiness," "World Is Africa," "Push Push," and the title track. Sinsemilla showcases Uhuru at their most intoxicating, working rock & roll's crazed catharsis edged by roots reggae's rebel threat.

Elena Oumano - Amazon.com



Mit ihrem dritten Album, erstmals bei dem renommierten Island Label veröffentlicht, gelang der jamaikanischen Formation 1980, nach einem drastischen Stilbruch und einigen Umbesetzungen, der langersehnte internationale Erfolg. Aufgenommen von Jamaikas größtem Rhythmusgespann, Sly Dunbar und Robbie Shakespeare, entstand ein, im Gegensatz zu den streng Roots-orientierten Vorgängern, poppiges Album, dessen militanter Inhalt in einen Soundsumpf geschmissen wurde, der sich knapp an der Grenze zum guten Geschmack befindet. Die Texte verdankte das Trio seiner amerikanischen Sängerin und Black Panther Aktivistin Sandra 'Puma' Jones, den angloamerikanischen Mainstream-Pop dem neu errungenen Plattenvertrag mit einem Major. Sicher, irgendwie klingt das ganze auch noch nach Reggae, die Stücke "Every Dreadlock" und "World Is Africa" schaffen es auch immer wieder auf manche Reggae Party, aber das kann UB40 auch. Der Begriff Sinsemilla bezeichnet die samenlosen, also unbefruchteten, weiblichen Blüten einer gewissen jamaikanischen Heilpflanze. Unter diesem Gesichtspunkt betrachtet, ein passender Albumtitel für diesen Ausverkauf einer Kultur. Der kommerzielle Erfolg blieb Black Uhuru natürlich nicht versagt, Sinsemilla zählt heute sozusagen zu den Schwellenscheiben des Reggae der zweiten Generation.

Felix von Vietsch - Amazon.de



Ende 1980 erschien dieses Album über ISLAND Records auf der hiesigen Musikszene und schaffte es dem Reggae neue Fans zuzuführen . Das lag an den Vocals (harmony Gesang Duckie Simpson und PUMA Jones) . Michael Rose's durchdringender Lead-Gesang mit vielen "Stanni-os Stanni oi's etc. und an der Riddim Section von Sly & Robbie . Tiefe, langsam donnernde Roots-Sounds , die ein Gegengewicht bildeten zu den gängigen Upbeats und melodiösen GItarren / Bläser Lines , die für den Happy Reggae Sound standen . Ein neuer Sound war geboren Militant Roots ! Die Stücke geben vor allem gegen Ende viel Raum für Instrumental Passagen und Dub-Effekte . BLACK UHURU klangen einfach ANDERS .
Auf Sinsemillia finden sich so tolle Songs wie HAPPINESS , PUSH PUSH , THERE IS FIRE , SINSEMILA ( I've got a Stalk of Sinsemillia growing in my Backyard..) ."No Loafing" , "Endurance" und vor allem "Vampire" zeigen die Stärken der Backing Band um die Riddim Twins . Jahrelang konnte man obige Songs in einschlägigen Bars , Clubs auf Parties oder in Coffeeshops hören. Somit sind diese Songs wirklich zu unsterblichen Ikonen des Reggae geworden und man kann sich nur freuen , dass dieses album wieder neu aufgelegt wurde (mit 2 hörenswerten Disco 12"es aufgepeppt) . Vorher und nachher gab es noch weitere Platten von Black Uhuru in dieser Besetzung , doch für mich persönlich bleibt Sinsemilia für immer DAS Album , mit dem diese Band in mein Leben trat .
 

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