*** Linton Kwesi Johnson

INDEPENDENT INTAVENSHAN: THE ISLAND ANTHOLOGY

(Island)

Linton Kwesi Johnson is credited with launching the dub poetry genre when he burst onto the scene with his 1978 release Dread, Beat an' Blood. Here was a West Indian immigrant voice -- educated and articulate -- addressing the harsh realities of Thatcher's England, with a sharp backing band. No Rasta obscurantism for this revolutionary, just clear-headed Marxism and a belief in metered verse. His militant stance helped catalyze Britain's anti-racist movement, and he found his audience within the context of the punk-reggae convergence of that era. And his close collaboration with musician/producer Dennis Bovell and the Dub Band gave his recordings much of their consistency and fire. This double-CD set features crucial album tracks like "Di Black Petty Booshwah," "Wat About di Workin' Class," "Di Great Insohreckshan," and "Inglan Is a Bitch," as well as a number of obscure dub tracks and 12-inch remixes, all of which reaffirm Johnson's key role in the development of dub poetry.

-- Alan Waters