Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
BY MARIANA GARRICK
Following their 2019 release For the Many, UB40 just dropped their 21st album Bigga Baggariddim, a collection consisting of 15 collaborative songs celebrating the classic sounds of reggae with island sensations Gilly G, Tippa Irie, Pablo Rider, Slinger, Inner Circle, House of Shem, and General Zooz of the Reggae Rajahs. The pop-reggae band reunited with some of the same artists featured on 1985’s Baggariddim and added a modern twist by featuring newer artists such as Leno Banton, KIOKO and BLVK H3RO who DJ or sing over the music. UB40’s 56-minute album has a few promising songs that just might make it to the top of the reggae charts.
There have been two versions of UB40 in the past 40 years. To clarify, this UB40 is the one that retained the legal rights to use the name. However, in 2008, lead singer Ali Campbell and keyboardist Micky Virtue left the band, later followed by vocalist Astro in 2013. The three came together as UB40, but soon changed their name to UB40 Reunited. And in an unexpected twist just last week, Duncan Campbell, who replaced his brother Ali as lead vocalist, announced his retirement from the band, citing failing health after suffering a stroke last year.
It’s been over 35 years since the original Baggariddim, and the newer, bigger and better version includes sounds and artists from New Zealand, India, Jamaica, and UB40’s hometown of Birmingham, England. Birmingham is a multiracial city that brings people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds together, which is why it was not surprising when UB40 formed as a group. The original groups ethnic makeup was highly diverse with Jamaican, English, Welsh, Irish, Yemeni, and Scottish members. Coming from a variety of places, it was only suitable for the reggae group to collaborate with artists from various backgrounds and ages. Though all the artists are very different, they all unite together to bond over and create one thing: reggae jams.
“We really enjoy collaborations, and this is a natural progression from the original Baggariddim, only more international, and a perfect companion to our last album For the Many because it uses the same rhythms/backing tracks, but features some of the reggae friends we’ve met and worked with around the world,” said guitarist and back-up vocalist Robin Campbell.
UB40’s diverse background allowed them to create one of the most eclectic albums we’ve heard, especially with sounds from New Zealand’s reggae band House of Shem. The group is featured on three tracks: the breezy opener “Good Vibes Tonight,” “Love You Now” and “Message of Love,” along with Reggae Rajahs’ General Zooz from India featured on “Roots Rock Reggae.” Both older and new artists from reggae’s homeland of Jamaica are also featured on the rest of the tracks on the album.
UB40 and reggae music scene OG Winston Francis come full circle and unite on “My Best Friend’s Girlfriend,” a relaxed song about the foolishness of falling in love with the wrong person. In 1998, the group covered Francis 1969 hit “Mr. Fix It” on their 12th album Labour of Love III, which featured two of their top hits “Red Red Wine” and “Many Rivers to Cross.”
Banton and BLVCK H3RO are two of the newer artists that are featured on the album. Banton shines on “Show and Prove” as he spits rhymes on one of the more modern-sounding tracks. The song is more adventurous than the others by offering a fast-paced flow and beat. On the other hand, BLVCK H3RO stands out on “I’m Alright,” a slow-paced chill song. The relaxing tempo fits perfectly on an album that’s filled with island-style jams.
The group stayed true to its roots by featuring London-based DJ and reggae singer Tippa Irie on “On the Road.” Birmingham-based artists Slinger, Gilly G and Pablo Rider are also featured on the tracks “Mi Life Action,” “Me Nah leave Yet” and “Did You See That?” Slinger and Rider were both featured on the original Baggariddim, the group’s sixth album. Rider’s most recent song with the group is a bit skankier for those dancing due to the arrangement of his raspy voice and smooth rhythm of the track.
One of the more promising tracks that can get anyone moving is “You Don’t Call Anymore” featuring fellow Birmingham pop-reggae group KIOKO. The two groups met after KIOKO’s tribute performance to UB40 at the Birmingham Music Awards, and they prove to be quite similar as they both write and produce their own music. The song includes a flowing, lively beat that is already proving to be an album favorite to critics. Bass and horns prove to be the basis of most reggae songs, and this song is no different.
The transitions between each track in Bigga Baggariddim are so smooth that the album sounds like one continuous song at some points. It’s truly a roots-oriented album that doesn’t stray away from reggae, and there are barely any sounds of pop. The opening track “Good Vibes Tonight” sets the tone for what’s to come on the rest of the album.
All of the songs to follow have a skanking but relaxed feel until Banton switches it up towards the album’s end. UB40 pays homage to the genre that put them on the map while also introducing today’s rising stars.Fans of the group will thoroughly enjoy each track, while also appreciating the modern twist the Birmingham-based group has added to this newer version of one of their classics.
