Pick a Dub (Blood & Fire, 1994 [orig. released 1974])

Overshadowed by fellow '70s dubsters/producers King Tubby, Lee Perry, Augustus Pablo, and the like, Keith Hudson nevertheless had the skills to equal these stars' quality of output.  Certainly, at his best, he put out some bona fide classics, a couple of which are included on Pick a Dub.  In particular, "Black Heart," with its wavy, funky, brutal bass line, and the airy "Michael Talbot Affair," with its jazzy guitar and horn, exemplify Hudson at his most creative, most versatile peak.   The rest of this album -- featuring dubs of tunes from the likes of Big Youth and Horace Andy -- is solid but nothing as spectacular as these two.  The dominant sound is drum and bass-heavy roots with dreamy echo effects -- you know, typical '70s dub (with musicians like Augustus Pablo, Earl "Chinna" Smith, Carlton and Aston Barrett, and Soul Syndicate).  Sometimes the sound is a bit too typical, however, as some tracks seem rather bland and tiresome.  The dubs "Black Right" and "Satia," meanwhile -- versions of The Abyssinians' "Declaration of Rights" and "Satta Massagana," respectively -- are OK, but that territory has been covered ad nauseam.  Old-fashioned dub fans will find a good amount to enjoy on Pick a Dub, though, while those not quite as into the sub-genre can still find the gems "Black Heart" and "Michael Talbot Affair" on the Blood & Fire collections Heavyweight Sound and Dubwise & Otherwise.

Too Expensive (Virgin, 2002 [orig. released 1976])

You have to be fairly forgiving when it comes to reggae vocals.  Reggae singers aren't known for having traditionally classic, "pretty" singing voices (as my singer wife is apt to point out).  When a reggae voice stands out as painfully as Keith Hudson's does on Too Expensive, then, you know it's pretty bad.  In fact, these are some of the most distracting vocals I've ever heard on an album.  It may not be that Hudson's singing is so much worse than the body of reggae artists out there, but here he chooses to showcase his mediocrity on an album of largely R&B, funk, and rock songs that are more vocally demanding than the typical reggae tune.  Ballads like the Jimmy Cliff-like "We Can Work It Out" and the lavish David Ruffin-styled R&B of "Introduce Me" are particularly cringe-worthy, although the songs themselves are probably the best on the album. (Imagine Lee Perry singing a Luther Vandross song.)  The only other worthwhile track is the lovers tune "Thank You Baby", one of the only straightforward reggae song here (along with "Where Is Your Love").  The rest is a fusion of '70s music, principally R&B ballads and more up-tempo funk.  The mix of '70s soul music and reggae has worked many times with acts like Third World, Prince Lincoln, and Virgin's own Delroy Washington, but Too Expensive is generic at best and downright excruciating (as on the title track) at worst. 

Playing It Cool (Basic Replay, 2003 [orig. released 1981])

*GUEST REVIEW*
I saw this album advertised on eBay as a roots classic and was a bit cynical.  I decided to have a gamble and try it for myself.  Playing It Cool has recently been reissued by Basic Replay, who are part of the same imprint that have been reissuing the Wackies catalogue.  It’s basically a vocal roots album with dub overtones.  High quality, if strange, vocals and wonky production make this a first-rate album.  It almost feels like a funk or jazz affair, given the strange haunted grooves.  Keith Hudson has produced a soulful dub album that’s worthy of the term classic.

- ragudave