REGGAE POP
“Who You Fighting For?”
UB40
Rhino
It’s been 25 years since the members of UB40 met in line for “the dole,” then named their band after the requisite unemployment form. Now, an act that began as a Brit neo-ska group that melded politics with an accessible dub sound returns with a CD named after its opening anti-war anthem.
The song “Who You Fighting For” reflects reggae’s own politicized beginnings with lyrics that decry “profiteering, country stealing, ethnic clearing,” supported by Ali Campbell’s signature vocals and the band’s impressive horn section. UB40 follows up here with “After Tonight,” a sweet, drowsy love song that will please old-school fans. Poignant political statements dominate the remainder of this 13-song disc, due Tuesday. They provide real perspective on these precarious times.
– Elana Ashanti Jefferson
JAM ROCK
“Live at Madison Square Garden, New Year’s Eve 1995”
Phish
Rhino
Phish’s music is subtler than detractors give it credit for. Nowhere is that more apparent than on the group’s live recordings. This three-disc offering portrays the band’s penchant for nimble, literate lyrics and playful instrumentation.
Phish’s New Year’s Eve shows were already the stuff of legend by 1995 – lengthy, impassioned jams with room for virtuoso solos. For an act that already had shown tremendous generosity toward its fans, the 27-song, 3½-hour set might have seemed obsequious – if it didn’t hang together so well.
High-energy opener “Punch You in the Eye” sounds more Frank Zappa than Jerry Garcia, dripping with technical guitar work and calypso flourishes. The band draws on straight-up blues strains (“Chalk Dust Torture”), barrelhouse piano riffs (The Who’s “Drowned”) and even barbershop harmonies (“Hello, My Baby”). It’s a surprisingly concise document.
– John Wenzel