Aswad: Hulet - 1978

This was a strangely unappreciated album from Aswad, having slipped under the radar considerably. This is a shame, because it is an excellent surfing of melodious roots reggae, which highlights the group’s talented musicians. It is not just thumping bass and Rastafarian conscious lyrics, although they are here, it also includes some really attractive, lilting lead guitar parts, fresh, punchy brass and that distinctive “boing boing” synth drum sound that was so popular in the late seventies/early eighties. Aswad were more than just a “beat and righteousness” band, they were prepared to jazz it up a little, a bit like Third World and Steel Pulse did. 

Aswad were able to merge reggae with both rock and jazz rhythms and they do this to great effect on the opener, Behold, which features some infectious slow jazzy rhythms, together with some excellent lead guitar. and percussion. Their songs were often lengthy workouts, and this one tops six minutes without ever getting tiresome. 

Tracks like the the tunefully dubby Rasta-conscious number Not Guilty and Sons Of Criminals are excellent examples of this. I really like the warm and accessible way that Aswad delivered their roots material, there was something subtle and clever about their musicianship and also in Brinsley Forde’s mellow, relaxing vocals that should have earned them far more critical acclaim. Judgement Day is a smooth, slow groove, featuring another fine guitar solo.

The Third World-esque Corruption delivers its important message about corruption in high places in that winning, laid-back format once again. Playing Games is very much in the same style, with a nice lead vocal, which is a different band member on lead, I think, not Brinsley Forde. Incidentally, he now called himself Brinsley Dan. 

The excellent Can't Walk The Street, featuring a Spanish guitar solo, and the smooth, summery instrumental Hulet provide two more fine examples of just what an attractive sound Aswad were producing at this time. This was one of roots reggae's most accessible offerings.

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