Dave Barker and Ansel Collins

Dave Barker & Ansel Collins

Dave Barker & Ansell Collins - Son Of A Gun - (Rhino (UK) CD).

The big two return with a modern follow-up to their successful "Double

barrel" set, originally issued in the UK by Trojan in 1972. Dave

Barker once told me that he had not been paid for the original "Double

barrel" tune and associated tracks, so this seems in some way is

recompense for that. Yes, you can expect more of the same as the

original set. But, and it's a big but, most of the rhythms are

overdubs to the originals or sparse digital affairs, and lose that

hard edge of the original instrumentation for the sake of trying to

sound modern.

The set opens with a straight cover of the "Double barrel", now

retitled "The magnificent double barrel" followed up by a different DJ

cut, and the title of the set, "Son of a gun". Other "treats" include

re-cuts on the original Perry rhythm for Neville Grant's do-over of

Fats Domino's hit "Sick & tired" (better known as "Return of Django"

to most). Dave Barker is relentless, and he quickly follows up the

last track with a DJ version of the rhythm, titled "Father of Django"

and he screams "This is the aggrovator. The father of the original

django rides again" !!

Just when you think it can't get any worse, "Tidal wave" turns out to

be a DJ version of the "What am I to do" rhythm (aka "Liquidator"),

swiftly moving on to a digital re-cuts of their original "Monkey

spanner" and "Shocks of mighty", the latter now called "Mumsy" !!!!!

The mix of vocal sides and DJ sides, the inconsistency of the backing

tracks and reviving a style that is no longer current, makes this album

feel cheap and tacky. I really do love the original "Double barrel"

set, but this is an idea that should be left in the cupboard and not

released. Sorry Dave.

By Charlie Reggae