The Gladiators – Back To Roots

This pressing sounds great to me - only comparison is the CD I have (plus side of the CD are the extra live tracks). For the price, definitely worth getting a new and sealed copy.

1982 Gladiators album, released at the time on the small Stuntsound label From 1976 to 1980, the Gladiators went through an intense period of creativity, releasing five gold albums on Virgin. Roots reggae was then at its peak. Along with Bob Marley, Pablo Moses and Culture, the Gladiators were the ambassadors of a music that was recognized worldwide and had reached a brilliant degree of maturity. Bass, drums, rhythmic guitar and percussion are solidly in place: on this rhythmic rock, the Gladiators' airy and skilfully distilled vocals rest. This beautiful musical mechanism, both precise and fluid, was the fruit of a hard apprenticeship with the masters Coxsone Dodd (from the legendary Studio 1) and Lee Scratch Perry (from the mythical Black Ark Studio). The trio's relentless riddims and sweet vocal harmonies are rooted in these founding fathers of reggae.

The 80's marked the end of the interest of the big companies for reggae. The greatest Jamaican artists find themselves without a contract. The Gladiators were fired from Virgin but their talent remained intact. To be convinced, you just have to listen to the ten tracks of Back to roots and feed on this majestic music recorded at the Channel 1 Studio by Scientist. We cannot thank enough Jacky Knafo, young French producer at the origin of these sessions, who successfully relaunched the career of the trio. The Rasta inspiration (Prayer to Jah, God bless) and the socio-political commitment (Marcus Garvey time, Rich man poor man, The Warriors, Streets of freedom) are always present.

For me, it is an high quality reissue, no doubt !