Product Reviews
Founded in 1994 by Steve Barrow, Bob Harding, Mick Hucknall, Elliot Rashman and Andy Dodd, Blood & Fire has become one of the most respected reggae reissue labels around, releasing solidly put together and well-researched sets that show the kind of care and eye for detail that is so often lacking in the murky world of Jamaican music licensing. Often thought of as a dub label, Blood & Fire has put out a fair number of vocal projects as well, for which this disc serves as a sampler. Included are striking and little-heard tracks like Max Romeo's "Fire Fe the Vatican," Linval Thompson's "Jah Jah the Conqueror," Yabby You's dark and marvelous "Deliver Me from My Enemies" and the classic "At the Feast" from the Congos (drawn from the brilliant Lee "Scratch" Perry-produced album called Heart of the Congos). It's a strong and fascinating sequence, but as listeners will discover if they follow up and check out the albums that Blood & Fire has released by the individual artists here, this is just the tip of a wonderfully deep treasure trove from a very fine label. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi