Creation Rebel
Hostile Environment
[U-Sound]
I thank the Clash for many things, and one of those things is getting me into Reggae. I grew up in a tropical island where reggae was a soundtrack to your day, not something you actively sought out. Why would you? Is there anything besides Bob Marley?
Yeah, that’s the mentality I had,
Then I heard the Clash, and I didn’t get it. Then I dug deeper and I had a revelation. Listening to the Clash is deeply personal to me now, and I think about the band and where they were when I listen to their music. I also thank them for opening the world of reggae to me a little more: I learned about dub and Lee Scratch Perry through them, which made me dig deeper and the spiral continues to this day. It’s been a fun ride, but all this came at a cost. It made me a more annoying person, sure, but it also locked me into that style of recording of the albums of the 1970s. What I’m trying to say is that I don’t think reggae should be recorded with modern equipment.
That’s a weird statement and I fully acknowledge it.
I had no idea who Creation Rebel was when I found a CD of Hostile Environment in my mailbox but I wasn’t about to ignore a pedigree like this. Meaning, my much-more-reggae-savvy friend said they’re a revered old reggae band.
Hostile Environment is a cool album. It sounds crisp, and polished, and has the “right” guests like Prince Far I. It sounds moody and spooky and takes itself seriously, and maybe it’s a little boring at times. What else can I say about it? I like it. I really do. It’s a cool album, but maybe would have sounded cooler if it was recorded 50 years ago.
