Review Summary: One of the most relaxed reggae records, yet mystical and full of details.
Started in 1970, The Congos are recognized as icons of reggae music. Consisting of three singers, the vocal band debuted their career with the praised album Heart Of Congos which was produced by Lee “Scratch” Perry. Considered to be Lee Perry’s finest production under the Black Ark label, Heart Of The Congos featured a fresh sound in the reggae spectrum and featured many guests including Gregory Isaacs. The particularity of this band is that it uses different styles of vocals to create a mystical and deep atmosphere. Falsetto (Cedric Mython), tenor ("Ashanti" Roy Johnson) and baritone (Watty Burnet) are what constitutes this band. Following their successful release, The Congos released Congo Ashanti in 1979 before splitting up. Although Heart of the Congos is considered to be their iconic release, Congo Ashanti felt more consistent and better produced.
What makes this album different from the basic roots reggae of that era is the mystical atmosphere created by the combination of different guitar rhythms, the three voices that fit perfectly together and the catchy and sometimes repetitive bass lines. This is perfectly heard in the second track "Jackpot". It’s laid back, the bass is heavy and Cedric Mython’s voice is out of this World. Another prime example of this is Music Maker, where Cedric Mython's voice is produced in a way that it relaxes you. Singing about inequality, Rastafarism and hope, this album is rather joyful and makes for a pleasant listen. Although Cedric Mython is credited as the lead singer, Roy and Watty both get good spots in the sunshine. In fact, on "Nana", Mython's voice is used in the background rather than leading the song. This allows the band to create a classic Roots Reagge sound, but still keeping their originality close in the sound.
Lee Perry’s work is near perfect on this record, keyboards, guitar solos and percussions are what makes this record interesting. The build up of "Hail the word of Jah" is a great example of a unusual guitar rhythm in reggae coupled with percussions and the drum work of Sly Dunbar (Sly and Robby). Leaning towards the jazz side of reggae with riffs such as the intro of the opener "Days Chasing Days", this record manages to play a roots reggae full of complexity and details. One minor default would be the middle section that gets a little boring with the lack of variety in the tempo and the fact that some songs are too long and repetitive. This is mainly saved by the many details each song has, thanks to the many different guests invited by Lee Perry.
Re-released in 2003 by Indigo, this album is one of the best from the Congos. Shortly after this release, Roy Johnson left the band. Cedric Mython and Watty Burnett released two more albums before splitting up in 1981. The band came back together in 1997 with the release of Natty Dread Rise Again but never succeeded in attaining the heights of Congo Ashanti or Heart of the Congos. This album is a must have for any reggae fan and anyone who wants to relax or get high on music.
