Girls Fiesta

78年発表デビューアルバム『Girls Fiesta』が初CD化！U Roy、I RoyといったDeejayのパイオニアに大きな影響を受けた第2世代のDeejayであるRanking Dread。Linval Thompsonプロデュースによって制作された今作は、Channel One録音のSly & Robbieのヘビーなリズムを使った孤高のルーツ。試行錯誤しながら吠えるその姿は、後のダンスホール時代に多大な影響を与えているのは間違いない。

Girls Fiesta isn't the lovers rock or even light-hearted dancehall album that the name would indicate. Ranking Dread has Rastaman ideology on his mind and women come second. His DJ style is clever and full of rolling r's and rhymes. It verges on singjay but doesn't make the transition. Ranking Dread's toasting is matched up with Linval Thompson's production work and results in a DJ album that belongs beside I-Roy, Big Youth, and Tapper Zukie. Ranking Dread gets some of the best rhythms to work with and takes advantage of it. He rhymes smoothly about Rasta values and consciousness. A similar style with less conscious lyrics would be used by Michigan & Smiley for their smash "Nice Up the Dance." Thompson's production takes Ranking Dread's style and gives it a dubbed-up treatment echoing his vocals and tweaking the rhythm tracks to get the most out of the session. Ranking Dread versions Thompson's "I Love Marijuana" and many of the late '70s' biggest rhythms. Girls Fiesta is a DJ album with melodic toasting over Thompson's masterful production. ~ Matt Whalley|