Crucial Dub is an 'overview' album featuring a collection of some of King Tubby's best work, with many artists including his own studio band, The Aggravators. It was released on Delta Music in 2000.
Dub Reggae is different from standardized reggae in that the music goes for the overall feel of the song, dropping in samples, sound effects and snatches of vocal through the track and utilizing reverb and delay to create a thick echo-y atmosphere. Due to this, it is difficult to view this brand of instrumental reggae in a standard song - album context. Dub is about the overall feel of the record, and Crucial Dub does exactly that.
Although the tracks here are virtually all cuts from previously released records brought together on CD, the way they are sequenced and have been remastered gives little or no indication as to this. The tracks flow freely into one another, giving a lasting chilled-out reggae vibe from your speakers - in fact, this is the most 'cheerful' of the King Tubby records I own. King Tubby's masterful mixing gives this set of songs a lot of space to breathe, which allow them to flow along smoothly, accompanied by the tight and steady rhythm section of Sly Dunbar on drums and Robbie Shakespeare on bass. Sly & Robbie fill much of this record up, grooving along at a mid tempo rate for much of it, all heavy bass and echoing drums. Off-kilter moments include snatches of scratchy up-stroking guitar, heavily delayed vocals, toasting, and trumpet melodies.
It is difficult to pick out the best tracks here, though 'The Border', African Roots' and 'Zion Dub' have the most memorable melodies. I only really have two complaints with the record: I personally find the mixing of the bass is (for the most part) a bit thin and low compared to Declaration of Dub, and secondly the remastering of a few of the older tracks sound a little rough. These are small niggles though and don't detract from the overall cd in any way.
Crucial Dub is a really good cd to pick up if you into reggae already, or are interested in a first foray into King Tubby, or any dub at all. It has all the elements that combine to make Dub Reggae the eclectic and individual listening experience it is by probably the greatest dub producer of them all.
