Wailing Souls: Things and Time

Started in 1977 the Greensleeves label was a sort of bridge between two cultures. The imprint and its honchos were deeply steeped in old tropes, roots and the JA styles that bolstered them both. But at the same time, there was a recognition of a new thing being on the horizon. The sometimes subtle differences in genre styles from the island might escape casual listeners but, the movement from roots, to a more mechanical and digitally influenced style that eventually would lead into dancehall is keenly displayed over Greensleeves early catalog. Releasing Dr. Alimantado’s compilation Best Dressed Chicken in Town marked a new time for reggae music. And since the genre’s inception, the Wailing Souls were at the vanguard.

Comprised of Winston "Pipe" Matthews and his various associates, the singer began during the heady days of ska and rock-steady working with a variety of groups. In whatever setting the singer found himself, it seemed that Matthews was the only constant. And as the ‘70s got underway, the Wailing Souls line up was solidified. Kinda. Working with some of the most visible producers on the island set the band up for instant success. And by the time that Inchpinchers was released during the early ‘80s, the Wailing Souls already boasted fans as far a field as Irish punkers Stiff Little Fingers.

It would seem, though, that in listening to the Wailing Souls’ work from the period after the ‘classic’ reggae sound was disseminated, it attempted to maintain as much of the traditional sounds as possible. Calling in Henry ‘Junjo’ Laws and Erroll Thompson to helm sessions at the Joe Gibbs’ studio, the band was worked to coral each era of JA music – it worked out pretty well. There might be too much of an ‘80s sound every once in a while – for my tastes at least – but even on tracks like “Tom Sprang” those brief analog snatches of keyboard don’t overwhelm the track – they can’t.

So demanding is the lead voice in this ensemble that any musical setting would be appropriate. Of course, there are some unexpurgated classics here. Inchpinchers boasts a version of “Things and Time,” which I believe was originally released as a single and compiled elsewhere. Regardless, this ‘Junjo’ Laws version retains the tracks melody and basic structure, but slows down the proceedings and adds a healthy dose of echo that, while not absent from the original, wasn’t as prominent a feature previously.

That easy highlight, though, isn’t where the album ends. The cavernous space left on “Don’t Get Lost” for vocals is amply utilized. The track isn’t a dub, per se, but could function as such pretty easily. As Matthews goes in over the beat, he’s only accompanied by a few “shoobie-doops” from back up singers as well as a scarcely present drum sequence and bass line. It’s not a drastic departure from what was going on elsewhere in JA music during the ‘80s, but it’s artfully crafted and remains a striking addition to the Wailing Soul’s catalog.