Heart of a Punk Soul of a Rasta

OK so maybe it's impossible to talk about CULTURE without mentioning their debut album "Two Sevens Clash" a truly revered reggae record. But now the mentioning has been done let's flick forward a couple of pages to what is my favourite CULTURE album "Harder than the Rest". And if you stick around long enough I'll explain why it is.

The harmony trio of Joseph Hill, Kenneth Paley and Albert Walker followed up "Two Sevens" with "Baldhead Bridge"; again produced by Joe Gibbs @ the Joe Gibbs Studio. The album is fair enough in parts but overall it feels a bit like CULTURE are only treading water.

After this the trio embarked on what became the ill fated recording sessions at Harry J's Studios, Kingston, Jamaica. These sessions were produced by Jamie Hatcher and Seymour Cummings; later entitled "Africa Stand Alone" and released in '78 without the permission of the band. I guess CULTURE didn't make a brass razoo from its release but no doubt someone else did. The linkage between the two albums is interesting; the tracks "Behold The Land", "Love Shines Brighter", "Iron Sharpening Iron" etc all appear in re-recorded form on "Harder than the Rest". But with a completely different bag of musicians. Listening to both records side by side now, is a bit like listening to a 2 CD set anthology. The fully formed and polished studio recordings, packaged up with the demo sessions. It would be nice to see "Harder than the Rest" & "Africa Stand Alone" re-mastered, repackaged, and together at last. But don't look for it cos it'll never happen.

"Africa Stand Alone" is a decent enough album in its own right, and certainly something more than just work in progress. Not least for Hill's sublime vocalising on a version of Bunny Wailers majestic spiritual "This Train". "This Train" got re-recorded by Culture later, but we're not talking about that here, or about the "Africa Stand Alone" album, so I'll shut up and get on.
For the recording of "Harder" CULTURE went to the legendary Treasure Isle Studios, which was set up by the Trojan Truck driving and gun toting Arthur 'Duke' Reid in 1962. Here Culture teamed up once more with the main protagonists from "Two Sevens" and "Baldhead Bridge"; Lowell Dunbar/Drums, Robert Shakespeare/Bass, Uziah Thompson/Percussion and Vin Gordon/Trombone. Or Sly, Robbie, Sticky and Trommie if you prefer. But more importantly Sonia Pottinger was put in sole charge of production.

So why do I rate "Harder than the Rest" higher than the rest? Well the trio's interplay and the bands musicianship is top drawer, but that goes without saying. No, what shines brightest on "Harder" and so raises it higher than the rest, is the language. From start to finish the MESSAGE is GOOD, spiritually HUMBLE, and unbreakably POSITIVE. There's no OLD TESTAMENT STYLE harshness here. No threats and no fear. The lack of harshness in the language and vocals is matched by Pottinger's production. Everything is done with an almost unbearable lightness of touch; bells chime as if caressed by a breeze and the music slides seamlessly along allowing the plaintive vocals of Joseph Hill to be paramount.

Would the album have been as fine if it had been produced by a man? I think not. "Harder" is a lesson in restraint and subtlety. There are no intrusive moments of production trickery, and the album greater for it.

"Harder than the Rest" is a spiritual in ten parts, it transcends religious dogma; it's simple humility is its strength.

"The countenance of one man brighten up another".

"Harder than the Rest" is an album which exudes GOOD from every groove. It praises both MAN and GOD in a way that eclipses even JS Bach, Avro Part and John Tavener. Listen and you will hear the WORD.