Dub Pistols – Rum & Coke

Remember ‘Big Beat’? That hot, new genre from the mid ‘90s? Fatboy Slim, The Propellerheads and even the weighty Chemical Brothers were thrown into this scalding cauldron to be served up on DJ platters everywhere. It was barely possible to hear an essential mix without there being a souped-up, overly compressed breakbeat being slotted in somewhere. Jon Carter’s classic 1996 mix features Dub Pistols anthem ‘There’s gonna be a riot’. Fast-forward thirteen years, the outfit release their fourth album and there isn’t a single in sight.Instead, Rum and Coke features a clutch of guests that ensures Barry Ashworth’s troupe will be confined to the past. Not that there’s anything especially wrong with that, but on this occasion, it doesn’t make for particularly inspiring listening. Ashley Slater (Freak Power / Norman Cook), Lindy Layton (Beats International), the legendary Rodney P and Gregory Isaacs are all on hand to lend their individual vocal goodness to the solid instrumental backing. Unfortunately, the Pistols also employ a rapper called TK whose raps feature on three of the 10 tracks presented here. TK has to be one of the most banal, unadventurous and accidentally comedic MCs ever committed to tape since The Rap Pack decided to do record ‘Back to the Rhythm’. Ouch! Imagine the stunted, all-too-white, American delivery, and read the hook from the uplifting, ska of ‘Revitalise’ with that voice in mind: “Chill, wait / Don’t break / It’s never to late to revitalise your body.” Not enough? Perhaps his impression of a genuine Mexican over the introduction to the Latino inspired ‘She moves’ might be more more appropriate: “Arriba! Whatchoo talkin’ ‘bout ese? Those banditos, man ”“ watch out. Wooooh!”It’s unfortunate because TK’s tracks eat up a third of the album, leaving a great deal for everyone else to compensate for. Obviously, the Dub Pistols’ penchant for dub-reggae permeates the record, but the skank rules strongest on ‘I’m in love’ with the juxtaposition of Lindy Layton’s dreamy vocal delivery alongside Rodney P’s vocal thuggery working especially well. Elsewhere it’s ‘Peace of Mind’ (featuring Red Star Lion and Rodney P) that provides solid reggae vibes whereas ‘Ganja’ allows Rodney to flex freely to produce lively results. With some delightful instrumentation throughout (the brass and steelpan arrangements deserve special mention), the music is not at all bad, it’s just that the guest appearances leave a lot to be desired. 55%Dub Pistols on Myspace