There can be little doubt what his Mikeyness is talking about here. Backed by fab cartoon sound effects, a tight roots dancehall groove, and lush, blissful female harmony vocals, the gr8 Mikey Dread kicks some herbal wisdom for four minutes and twenty seconds. Well, actually it’s 3:22 but one does lose track of time, doesn’t one? An impeccably produced track with a lot of joy and humor. Smoke this mp3.

Mikey Dread
“Pound a Weed” (mp3)
from “Life is a Stage”
(Dread at the Controls)

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Methinks the eve of xmas eve calls for a de-stressing, most chillaxing reggae dancehall track. Thankfully, the gr8 Barrington Levy is offering up his hit “Collie Weed” for our enjoyment. A simple and direct song, with a simple and direct message. Pick up “Original Ragga Muffin Part One” for more from this top Jamaican star. Happy holidays =)

Barrington Levy
“Collie Weed” (mp3)
from “Original Ragga Muffin Part One”
(Azra Music Publishing)

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One of the gr8est and longest running live reggae acts, Steel Pulse has a sound to match their name. This very unexpected treat comes from “Dub Like An Antelope – Legends of Reggae Celebrate Phish,” and yes, you read that correctly. Toots and the Maytals, Yellowman and other reggae superstars lend their talents to this collection of covers – of songs originally performed by that most revered of jam bands. Huh? No, really Dorothy, and what’s more, it’s good. Pay a visit to the Phish “Farmhouse” with Handsworth’s finest.

Steel Pulse
“Farmhouse” (mp3)
from “Dub Like An Antelope – Legends of Reggae Celebrate Phish”
(Red Hillz Music)

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This instrumental track from The Uptones “Live!! 924 Gilman” CD is a hi-energy ska punk jazz opus. The album influenced a lot of great bands that followed, and it’s a joy to listen to. This was my Sunday morning dance in the kitchen wake up record for a year! Superfan sez pick it up.

The Uptones
“East of a Western Bay” (mp3)
from “The Uptones Live!!”
(Fun Fun Fun Recordings)
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Marijuana has been legal for medicinal purposes here in the state of California since the passing in 1996 of Prop 215, and pot dispensaries and clubs have popped up everywhere in its wake as growers further perfect myriad finely cultivated strains of pungent buds. This is therefor, a good place to live if you have such needs, and as it happens, downtown Oakland near my place of residence is the capital of the pot club world! Along with a number of these specialty pharmacies, there’s even a new college offering “Quality Training for the Cannabis Industry” which takes its name from the neighborhood’s unofficial moniker – Oaksterdam University. “Medicine Man,” a classic reggae rocker by UK’s I-Plant, could be the school’s anthem. So put this mp3 in your pipe and smoke it, all you 420 scholars. Quality product from I-GROW RECORDS.

I-Plant
“Medicine Man” (mp3)
from “Medicine Man / Hard Road to Travel”
(I-GROW RECORDS)

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It seems Lee “Scratch” Perry‘s musical evolution will never stop. Jamaican music innovator number one, Perry has from the early 60′s to the present been a core author of the operating systems for ska, reggae, and dub, spawning myriad sub-genres and altering the perceptions and priorities of generations of fans and musicians world wide. Quite a resume. Now on, like, his ten thousandth LP or something, “madman scratchy” has a new release on the lovely Narnack Records label. This track, a wild riff on Perry’s already wild “Having A Party” which I posted earlier, is closer to a dubby downtempo or house vibe than the Reggae based work he’s most famous for. But the unique voice and mind bending take on life are instantly recognizable as no one else’s. Here’s holiday music of a kind I promise you, you have never heard before. Santa Claus is coming, so catch Scratchy on his short US tour they just announced, and be good!

Lee “Scratch” Perry
“Repentance”
Narnack Records

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Dj Subverse brought this to my attention last week, and it has worked its colors into my gray matter. A hyper contemporary soundscape featuring a beguiling mix of eastern and western sounds and melodies all tossed about in dub stylee. This mp3 packs a lot of music into two minutes and fifty seconds! Seductive and creepy, soothing and disturbing all at once. Is this what it is like to be haunted? Lovely work.

Rainbow Arabia
“Haunted Hall” (mp3)
from “Kabukimono”
(Manimal Vinyl Records)

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Why, it seems everyone and their cousin has a reggae band these days. Coming from the jazzy swingy new skool funky side is a band from Wellington City, New zealand called The Black Seeds. Boasting monster horn players, sophisticated arrangements and a scary solid rhythm section, they are not a simple reggae knock off, as they have been proving to a growing international following. “Slingshot” is their latest and gr8est, a powerful single with lyrics that work a karmic angle somewhat reminiscent of Peter Tosh’s “Downpressor Man” or The Heptones’ “Hypocrite.” Nice one.

The Black Seeds
“Slingshot” (mp3)
from “Solid Ground”
(Easy Star Records)

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From an eclectic comp on the Fractal Entertainment label, comes this brilliant cut by Cutty Ranks.  “Hardcore Riddim” lives up to its name with this massive promo track. Top artists from Jamaica including Luciano, Bushman, Gyptian, Courtney Melody, Jah Mason, and Ras Shiloh are also featured on this collection so check it out for a good slice of some of cutting edge modern Reggae. Right on lyrics on this one.

Cutty Ranks
“No Heart” (mp3)
from “Hardcore Riddim”
(Fractal Entertainment)

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While Sleepy Wonder is a diversely talented singer, songwriter, DJ and popular live performer, this track “Bounce” is strictly dancehall. Playing from his core strength as a seamless, entertaining rapid fire MC, this could easily be the Sleepy Wonder theme song. Positive and fun, it also cuts with a genuine street edge and st8 of the art dancehall production. A perfect blend, add it up it’s gr8. Bounce wit me.

Sleepy Wonder
“Bounce” (mp3)
from “Injustice”
(No Choice Music Group)

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