El Rocker's

by Rob FerrierThis record does Pablo fans a great service. The tracks collected here have been scattered across any number of subpar comps of the man's work. Here, they are lovingly gathered and put in an order that finally makes sense. Most of these tracks were recorded during Pablo's stay at King Tubby's studio, words that to reggae ears have the same ring as the words Elvis at Sun Studio to rock fans. And the music doesn't disappoint. The rhythms are familiar to fans of the man, but the instrumentation is not. There's a heavy does of xylophone here, and the precise diction of that instrument puts a whole 'nother spin on things. For fans of the man, this is invaluable. For those looking for a place to start, better to find Meets Rockers Uptown and In a Firehouse first so the genius of these sides can be appreciated in context.