The Mighty Diamonds – When The Right Time Come (I Need A Roof)

Anybody knows at what point the reissues of this sublime album started having unskillfully chopped off drum intros on most tracks? They are there on the original Virgin release (same as the slightly sharper 2001 Virgin CD) but missing from a US Channel One copy bought in Jamaica circa 1999 (red label print and US address as Hitbound Mfg 89N 4th St). The US version has fatter bass which does good for some tracks (I Need A Roof) but makes other tracks sound bloated (as do other Ch One re-presses).

Favorites are a tricky subject for us who are seriously into our music and i could easily write a article on how to identify and label your favorites, different kind of favorites etc. I spare you the nerdyness and start with saying that “Mighty Diamonds” is one of my favorite Reggae vocal trio’s and I have many of their albums, over 20 of them. Normally i refrain from giving away what i think of an album in the beginning of the review but i make an exception here, this is one of the best Reggae albums of all time, all sub-genres included.

They formed in Trenchtown in 1969 (they are still around) and released singles for various producers before they released this in 76′, their first album and oh what a release! “Mighty Diamonds” have always been known for their sweet harmonies and militant lyrics and they’re at their sweetest here while keeping the lyrics real and not watered down. The album starts with “Right time” a song about prophesy and “Marcus Garvey” where they sing about how “…natty dread will never run away” etc… They do not play, that’s for sure, the tune is as revolutionary as they come and all set to the very sweetest of tunes courtesy of “Channel One” in their prime.

Things does not ease up with song nr.2, “Why me black brother? Why?” dealing with black criminals and “black on black crime” and of course it’s accompanied by another set of super sweet backings. It’s really impressive how they manage to be so hardcore without ever being angry or resorting to hate. Listening to some of the American “black power” tunes from the late 60ies and 70ies dealing with the same subjects is a punch in the stomach while this sounds like they are trying to seduce you. Skip a few tracks and we come to the title track, “I need a roof” a sufferers tune about being down and out and not having any food to put on your table (or even the table itself). Once again they sing about Garvey and how he prophesied that things would get hard. It’s one of the stand out tunes on an album full of them. The next song, “Go seek your rights” is the only one on which im not crazy about. They sing in an (to me) annoying falsetto that does nothing to improve an otherwise good song.

This is soon remedied on “Natural natty” which along with the last track “Africa” is among the best on this outstanding album. The later is an repatriation tune and one of the better I have heard, it’s catchy and upbeat and an excellent way to end this amazing album. There is a re-release which ads 3 more songs to this album, they are not quite as good and does not sound as if they where ever intended for this album so im not even going to bother with comenting on them. If you like classic, 70ies rockers era vocal trios and the “Channel One” sound this is a must have album. The vocals are outstanding and the instrumentals offer a thick and organic sound with real instruments. Many of these songs have been re-recorded by “Mighty Diamonds” and although the later re-licks are good you can’t improve on perfection. In short, if you are to only have one “Mighty Diamonds” album in your collection this is the one to have. ESSENTIAL!

krikon at http://www.cosmichustlegroup.com