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22 December 2023
You know why I loved Joe Strummer? Because he didn’t stick to doing the same stale thing with his music. Every album he released was a progressive step toward something new and different. And while his songs may not appear anywhere on this compilation, his progressive spirit does.
Version City Sessions takes American bands rooted in the Jamaican ska, rocksteady, and reggae sounds, and showcases them, illustrating a timeline of sorts for the music-- from traditional Studio One-style sounds, to more progressive drum 'n' bass layered tunes. And it’s all thanks to the legendary King Django.
Django’s played in more bands than Clear Channel could shake a daily rotation stick at. He started his own label, Stubborn Records, to release his music, and built his own studio, Version City, to record it. He’s become notorious for producing exceptional roots records, and can toast like a motherfucking champion. And, as has been the tradition with the compilations he’s released on Stubborn in the past, this is his way of exposing the world to a lot of really amazing musicians who don’t get the attention and credit they deserve.
There are way more noteworthy bands than I have space to mention. Among them: Young guns Westbound Train laying down some sweet, sexy rocksteady soul with “Say It Twice” (These guys are so goddamn good!); Lord Sledge’s Soul Shakers doo-wop (Yes, I said “doo-wop”.) your speakers with “What’d She Say”; the Klez Dispensers dispense some unbelievable klezmer with “Sam’s Bulgar”; and King Django himself boom-baps the Jamaican sound forward countless years beyond his peers with “Sugar”, which seriously might be one of the flyest, funkiest things I’ve had come out of my speakers this year.
You can get Version City Sessions two places: stubbornrecords.com and asianmanrecords.com. It’s only eight bucks. That's a small price to pay to hear 20 potential new favorite bands.
PURCHASE THIS OR SIMILAR ITEMS
Version City Sessions takes American bands rooted in the Jamaican ska, rocksteady, and reggae sounds, and showcases them, illustrating a timeline of sorts for the music-- from traditional Studio One-style sounds, to more progressive drum 'n' bass layered tunes. And it’s all thanks to the legendary King Django.
Django’s played in more bands than Clear Channel could shake a daily rotation stick at. He started his own label, Stubborn Records, to release his music, and built his own studio, Version City, to record it. He’s become notorious for producing exceptional roots records, and can toast like a motherfucking champion. And, as has been the tradition with the compilations he’s released on Stubborn in the past, this is his way of exposing the world to a lot of really amazing musicians who don’t get the attention and credit they deserve.
There are way more noteworthy bands than I have space to mention. Among them: Young guns Westbound Train laying down some sweet, sexy rocksteady soul with “Say It Twice” (These guys are so goddamn good!); Lord Sledge’s Soul Shakers doo-wop (Yes, I said “doo-wop”.) your speakers with “What’d She Say”; the Klez Dispensers dispense some unbelievable klezmer with “Sam’s Bulgar”; and King Django himself boom-baps the Jamaican sound forward countless years beyond his peers with “Sugar”, which seriously might be one of the flyest, funkiest things I’ve had come out of my speakers this year.
You can get Version City Sessions two places: stubbornrecords.com and asianmanrecords.com. It’s only eight bucks. That's a small price to pay to hear 20 potential new favorite bands.
PURCHASE THIS OR SIMILAR ITEMS
artid
1810
Old Image
6_4_versioncity.jpg
issue
vol 6 - issue 04 (dec 2003)
section
entertainmental