Wow...what can you say. With the release of the 3rd Eating Betty album "Every Spoil A Dub" the bar
has been raised again. Once again the sound is heavy-bottom dub with some rootical flavors,
but in tradition of Tubby, Perry, Scientist and others, its the "chemist's" unique studio
touch which makes this release standout. All the requisite elements of real good dub are here: the
heavy (sometimes sub-sonic) basslines; an authentic reggae guitar sound; a variety of modern and old-school keyboards; real drums and other percussion; and some rasta-connections (like the soundbytes from Marcus Garvey on the opening track "Disunity Dub" and other vocal bits); and plenty of echo, reverb, and other staple dub effects. Make no doubt about it: this is some diaphragm rocking, heavy, dread dub. And yet there are a number of subtleties revealed in the many layers of sound. Like the often used, but still fitting analogy, it's like peeling the layers of an onion. There is not a single disappointing dub here... So it's hard to pick favorites. The guitar on "Cyaan Get No Dub" has a real nice classic Spanish sound. The title track swirls through an echo chamber with faint disconnected voices emanating from distant corners. It's a dub that really demonstrates this combination of dungeon-like heaviness and subtle, meditative elements as I mentioned previously.
"Love and Justice Dub" has a real catchy stuttering beat that just makes you want to tap your feet, with some dread chanting "Love" and "Justice". Of course if you're like me and one of your favorite things is snatches of feminine words and whispers over a choice dub, then "Live This Dub" is for you. Likewise, "Be Strong" features bits of female vocals and a heavy echo-laden beat. (My only recommended change
for the album would be that it also included the incredible original vocal version of this song, entitled "Innocence Matters" and chronicling the story of Troy Davis.) But my favorite track of them all is "New New Dub". This is one of those dubs that chugs along nicely, taking your mind tranquilly to another realm, and then a sudden w-a-a-a-h comes through one ear and out the other and you are dropped back into to reality. Only to be induced into another hypnotic state... This is definitely modern dub at its creative best.
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