Eric Donaldson: Second Time and Look What You’ve Done
From: Kent Village [Dynamic Records, 1978]
Hi gang, sorry I’ve been away for a minute. Miss me at all? No? Oh well.
Refusing to take the lack of love to heart I’m bestowing an almighty album on you today, Eric Donaldson’s 1978 release Kent Village. Even if you’re not a massive fan of the reggae sound the name Eric Donaldson may ring a distant bell in the belfry of your mind as he was the mastermind behind the original Cherry Oh Baby back in 1971 covered by both The Stones and, um, UB40.
I’m always first to get in there and admit that my knowledge of reggae is vague at best but I still think I can spot a damn fine album when I hear one and Kent Village fits the bill. A mixture of roots and soul the album is consistently brilliant throughout its running time.
Second Time is one of those mini epics I’m so fond off. What first caught my ear with this track was the absolutely gorgeous production, the various elements skipping in and out of the sound all judged to perfection. Check out the organ that pops up in the chorus, the changes in drumming pattern and scattered horns. Fantastic song.
Look What You’ve Done is more roots reggae and is equally brilliant. Starting as a incredibly catchy track with a great little bass warp in the chorus it manages to incorporate it’s own dub version within the playing time all in less than five minutes.
Sadly there doesn’t seem to be a cheap reissue of this out there but the good news is that if you keep your eye on ebay it can turn up on there for a reasonably cheap as chips price pretty regularly….
Follow Us On Twitter
Second Time! WOW!
It's a soul song man with a reggae vibe – this is AMAZING! Thanks Junior!
fONk
nice tune, very soulful.
Have you been to the Island records exhibition in Soho?
Yeah it's a bit of a special track isn't it. Funnily enough been sitting on it for a few months though can't recall why. Need more of this in my life.
Jonathan, no not yet but I think it's on for another week or two isn't it? You been along to it?
yep, it's not bad considering it's free admission… my favourite part however was in the memrobilia section. A really cool interactive music player and they've got the original MPC that DJ Shadow used for creating Entroducing.