EYE ON THE CITY
My Classic Album
Kon-Tempt, 24, Recording Artist / Producer / Remixer / DJ
The very best of UB40 1980-2000 by UB40
IT’S A CLASSIC BECAUSE…
It’s a single disc retrospective collection
of the hits of UB40. The featured song
selection is immaculate but it’s the
revamped mastering work on this album
that gives the whole sound staging
audibly more depth and, for me, makes
it very close to being sonically perfect.
One notable example is on Kingston
Town where the synthesizers are
infinitely clearer and the slight reverb
in the singing channel more natural,
giving the song its special aura.
THE FIRST TIME I HEARD IT...
This collection came out at the end of 2000 and it became the only album that could
knock The Marshall Mathers LP out of my sound system. I remember my girlfriend
at the time wasn’t best pleased. Eight middle-aged guys from Birmingham singing
reggae renditions of Elvis and Neil Diamond wasn’t exactly a suitable replacement for
the lyrical ferocity of Slim Shady. I dumped her not long after.
A GOOD TIME TO LISTEN TO IT IS...
All day, every day, until Ali Campbell visits and tells you to give it a rest. Growing up,
my mum, older brother and uncle would play the songs on this CD at any occasion.
Barbecue? You could guarantee a singalong to Cherry Oh Baby. Weddings and
anniversaries would no doubt feature I Got You Babe.....I mean we could be burying
our old nan and someone would claim they heard her say UB40 was to lower her into
the ground. Addicted wasn’t the word.
MY FAVOURITE TRACK IS…
I seriously love all 18 tracks on this album because no one else does covers like UB40,
and some of their own material is as strong as anything you would here from reggae
visionaries like Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh or Bob Marley. From the early ska-based songs
like Food For Thought to the stunning renditions of Red Red Wine, Cherry Oh Baby,
Can’t Help Falling In Love and I Got You Babe with Chrissie Hynde. I also love the
humorous Rat in Mi Kitchen and the interpretation of The Doors’ Light My Fire. But if I
have to pick one then it has to be Kingston Town.
ANYTHING ELSE NOTEWORTHY ABOUT THIS ALBUM?
It is a shame that UB40 don’t have the appeal they had years ago. Nevertheless, they
have been the soundtrack to my life and I can’t imagine my childhood memories being
the same if i hadn’t had them like an invisible house band in the background.
i-on_Edinburgh_34_Oct08.indd 20 26/9/08 13:12:03
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