The Heart of Lee Perry and the Congos Posted by djmaru

The Congos: "Children Crying" and "Sodom and Gomorrow" From Heart of the Congos (Black Ark, 1977) "Solid Foundation (Disco Cork Mix)" From Heart of the Congos: Original Recording Remastered (Blood & Fire, 1996) I always have trouble compiling best of lists, but this album may very well be in my top twenty or so favorites. Despite my general unfamiliarity with reggae, and more specifically roots, this is the most complete such album that I have come across which has now become one of the defining statements in Jamaican music. Credit should certainly go to The Congos, comprised of Cedric Myton and Roydel "Ashanti" Johnson, but most will agree that the true greatness of the album is the result of the production genius of Lee "Scratch" Perry. Released in 1977, Heart of the Congos utilized a lot of the limited studio technology that was available at the time. Using equipment like the Echoplex reverb, Mutron phaser, and filtered through a Soundcraft board, Perry created a near dream state of sounds that complimented the vocal harmonies of Myton and Johnson perfectly. Everything is so seamless, beautiful, and undeniably sublime that they practically melt in your ears. "Children Crying" is a perfect example of Myton's falsetto blends layered with Johnson's tenor, and despite the track's title, it's about as beautiful as songs can get. What's crazy is that Perry used distorted cow noises throughout the track, something I never realized until someone pointed it out, but it just demonstrates the sheer brilliance of his production and creative control. The album also includes backing vocals from Gregory Isaacs, the Heptones, the Meditations, and Perry himself. I can see how it would be hard for some people to get into this album at first since it's really quite unorthodox when it comes to reggae music, but it's definitely one of those things that just gets stronger after each listen. Currently there is a remastered edition that contains an extra disc of rarities and alternate mixes that is definitely worth picking up. This was the version I bought when I first heard about the album, then I found the OG for $20, and finally the vinyl special edition for cheap. To me it's not crazy having three copies of this wonderfully realized piece. As influential as much of Perry's music is, Heart of the Congos is perhaps the defining moment in his career, and seminal in every sense of the word. If anyone can recommend albums like this one please do.