Screaming Target is the debut album by Jamaican deejay Big Youth. It was recorded and originally released in 1972 on the Gussie and Jaguar labels in Jamaica.[1] It was issued in the United Kingdom in 1973 by Trojan Records.[1]
| Screaming Target | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1972 | |||
| Recorded | 1972 | |||
| Studio | Randy's Studio; Dynamic Sound Studios; Harry J's Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica | |||
| Genre | Reggae | |||
| Length | 37:59 | |||
| Label | Gussie/Jaguar/Trojan | |||
| Producer | Augustus "Gussie" Clarke | |||
| Big Youth chronology | ||||
| ||||
Recording and production
editThe album was produced by Big Youth's childhood friend Augustus "Gussie" Clarke. Some of the tracks on the album had previously been hits as singles, including "Screaming Target", which used K.C. White's "No, No, No" rhythm, "Tippertone Rock" (though the single version was different), and "The Killer".[2] Several other tracks employed rhythms from Clarke's other productions, including Leroy Smart's "Pride & Ambition" (on "Pride & Joy Rock"), Lloyd Parks' "Slaving" ("Honesty"), Dennis Brown's "In Their Own Way" ("Be Careful"), and Gregory Isaacs' "One One Cocoa Fill Basket" (on "One of These Fine Days").[2] The 2006 CD reissue adds the aforementioned tracks and more as a bonus.
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Okayplayer |   [3] |
| Allmusic | [4] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [5] |
The album was a favourite dub LP for music critic Robert Christgau in the 1970s,[6] although he omitted it from Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), lacking the comprehensiveness for import-only albums at the time.[7]
Track listing
editAll tracks written, arranged, and produced by Gussie Clarke.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Screaming Target" | |
| 2. | "Pride & Joy Rock" | |
| 3. | "Be Careful" | |
| 4. | "Tippertone Rock" | |
| 5. | "One of These Fine Days" | |
| 6. | "The Killer" | |
| 7. | "Solomon a Gunday" | |
| 8. | "Honesty" | |
| 9. | "I am Alright" | |
| 10. | "Lee a Low" |
The track "Tippertone Rock" is listed as "Tippertong Rock" on the cover of the 1973 Trojan Records release (TRLS 61-A), while it's listed as "Tippertone Rock" on the vinyl LP itself. Later releases added "Screaming Target (Version 2)" (as track 6) and "Concrete Jungle" (as track 12). The 1976 Gussie LP releases only added "Concrete Jungle" (as track 11).
| No. | Title | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "KG's Halfway Tree" | Augustus Pablo & The Simplicity People | |
| 12. | "Origin Style" | Augustus Pablo | |
| 13. | "Screaming Target [version 2]" | ||
| 14. | "Pride and Ambition" | Leroy Smart | |
| 15. | "In Their Own Way" | Dennis Brown | |
| 16. | "Try Me" | Roman Stewart | |
| 17. | "Tipper Tone Rocking [version 2]" | ||
| 18. | "Rhythm Style" | The Simplicity People | |
| 19. | "One One Cocoa Full Basket" | Gregory Isaacs | |
| 20. | "Skylarking [version]" | The Society Squad | |
| 21. | "Anywhere But Nowhere [version]" | The Simplicity People | |
| 22. | "Slaving (Every Day)" | Lloyd Parks | |
| 23. | "No More Slavery" | Glen Brown | |
| 24. | "I am Alright (aka Loving Pauper)" | Gregory Isaacs |
Credits
edit- Vocals : Big Youth
- Backing vocals : Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, K.C. White
Recording Information
edit- Recording : Dynamic Sounds (Kingston, JA) & Randy's (Kingston, JA) & Harry J (Kingston, JA)
- Engineers : Karl Pitterson & Sid Bucknor & Errol Thompson
References
edit- ^ a b "Big Youth - Screaming Target", Roots Archives
- ^ a b Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (1999) "Reggae: 100 Essential CDs", Rough Guides, ISBN 1-85828-567-4
- ^ Okayplayer review
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0857125958.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: Z". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 23, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "The Guide". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 0899190251. Retrieved March 30, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.