Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare's contribution to reggae music can hardly be overestimated. As the drum and bass linchpins for producers like Bunny Lee and
Joe Gibbs, they propelled some of the finest rhythms of the roots era. By the time of this release, competition in the reggae reissue market was stronger than it had ever been with Blood and Fire, Soul Jazz Records, and Heartbeat claiming most of the territory. Given the low profile of Hudson Vandam and the lo-fi cover art of this release, Maximum Dub seems likely to be ignored. The album turns out to be a rare gem that will undoubtedly confuse reggae collectors for years to come. For one, crediting
Sly & Robbie as the leaders of the album is rather misleading, given the fact that both bassist Lloyd Parks and drummer Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace are also present. Regardless of its dubious nature, Maximum Dub collects ten vintage rhythms from the studio of Bunny Lee and others, the majority of which feature the renowned rhythm team doing exactly what they do best. Songs are stripped to their foundations, forced to carry the weight of the music themselves with minimal help from guitars, keyboards, and vocalists. Dunbar's sizzling cymbals fly from his kit, sending tape levels into the red, and Shakespeare's basslines reduce the progressions to the bare essentials. Highlights include a clipped, hard-hitting mix of
Horace Andy's excellent "You Are My Angel," the crackling, grainy rhythms of "Hardwired," and a reading of
the Temptations classic "Get Ready." Perhaps most surprising of all is that the running order makes for a satisfyingly coherent package, reading like classic dub texts of old. ~ Nathan Bush