Advantages: Excellent tracks, faultless playing Disadvantages: None
After the excellence of their debut album Signing Off UB40 faced the test of the tricky second album with the confidence to do it all again. Recorded in early 1981 the album featured only UB40 compositions and only utilising the production skills of Ray Falconer whose brother Earl played bass in the band. The overall quality of the songs improved over Signing Off but PresentArms saw UB40 move away from the simplicity of pure ska or bluebeat reggae to something which was altogether slicker. As a reggae purist I prefer my reggae warts and all in the style of the Jamaican bands which recorded their brilliance in one-take 3-minute masterpieces. They would find it difficult to recognise true roots reggae in this album.
That this is an excellent reggae album cannot be denied. UB40 exude a true love affair with the music style. The problem ...
Advantages: Great songs, strong message Disadvantages: Less focused
If you're a regular reader of my reviews you might have guessed that I've been going through my old record collection lately!
After a previous review of UB40's debut album 'Signing Off' I thought I'd take a look at their second offering 'PresentArms'.
After the huge critical and chart success of 'Signing Off' multiracial Brummie Reggae outfit UB40 had a difficult task in producing a worthy second album. Coming from a an area of the country that had been decimated by unemployment and racial unrest caused or at least made worse by Tory government policy UB40 taking their name from the then unemployment form clearly nailed their political colours to the mast. Signing Off was a fierce attack on Thatcher and her policies and 'PresentArms' broadly speaking carries on where the debut album left off. The main themes are once again ...
Advantages: The very best of Dire Straits Music. Disadvantages: None!
) Why Worry - 8:31.
(6) Ride Across The River - 6:58.
(7) The Man?s Too Strong - 4:40.
(8) One World - 3:40.
(9) Brothers InArms - 6:55.
THE ALL IMPORTANT TRACKS ON THIS ALBUM
Below is a little bit of information about each one of the nine tracks that?s included on the Brothers InArms Album, when the songs where released, who they where written by of course, what they really sound like and what each track means to me personally. They really are all great tracks with great background music and lyrics to them all. Well enjoy the information on them all or skip this part by. It?s totally up to you. Well enjoy the read if you continue.
So Far Away.
This first track on this Brothers InArms Album is really excellent. It was written by Mark Knopfler (the lead singer and guitarist of Dire Straits) This ...
Product Information for "Present Arms In Dub - UB40" »
Product details
Title
Present Arms In Dub
Performer
UB40
Genre
Reggae
Release Date
27/09/1993
Recomended Retail Price
5.99 GBP
Original Release Year
1981
Label / Distributor
DEP International / EMI Operations/CEVA Logistics
Producer
UB40; Ray Falconer
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
77778627128
Catalogue Number
DEPCD 2
Additional notes
Album Notes
UB40: Robin Campbell, Ali Campbell (guitar); Brian Travers (saxophone); Astro (trumpet); Norman Hassan (trumpet, percussion, electronic percussion); Michael Virtue (keyboards); Earl Falloner (bass); Jim Brown (drums).
Album Reviews
Q (12/93, p.145) - 3 Stars - Good - "...satisfies both fans and purists..."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Present Arms In Dub
2.
Smoke It
3.
B Line
4.
King's Row
5.
Return Of Dr X
6.
Walk Out
7.
One In Ten
8.
Neon Haze
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
06/04/2005
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