‘Fashion In Fine Style Significant Hits Volume Two’
FASHION RECORDS
VARIOUS ARTISTS – ‘Fashion In Fine Style Significant Hits Volume Two’
Released 17th June 2013 as a Digitally Remastered CD
through Reggae Archive Records /Fashion.
Following the success of “Significant Hits Volume One”, Reggae Archive Records once again team up with Fashion for the CD release of “Significant Hits Volume Two”. If anything, this latest compilation betters its predecessor and in common with Volume One, it trawls through every corner of the label’s deep catalogue to bring fans a great selection of 20 tracks from the Fashion vaults. As with Volume One, this latest compilation reflects the diversity of artists and styles that found a home with Fashion.
When it comes to veteran Jamaican singers, this compilation includes three of the best. Johnnie Clarke is present with “Rocking To the A-Class Champion” and as befits one of the label’s earliest releases it kicks things off setting the bar high. More than rising to the challenge is Horace Andy with his sizeable 1985 hit “Hypocrites”, an essential update of the perennially popular Wailers tune. It’s aptly placed back to back, just as they were as vinyl 12”s, with the late Junior Delgado’s superb and understated “Two To Tango”.
Another legendary figure in seventies reggae is producer and sometime melodica player Glen Brown, represented here with the wild, album only track “Detrimental Music” a tune that feels like it’s about to escape the confines of the studio at any moment.
One of Fashion’s cornerstones was lovers rock and as with Volume One, the genre is well represented with tracks from Michael Gordon, Barry Boom, Winsome and Nerious Joseph, Neville Morrison and Janet Lee Davis with an alternate cut of “Do You Remember”. As well as straight lovers rock, there are lovers rock dancehall crossovers from Philip Leo and C. J. Lewis, Michie One and Louie Lou and General Levy. Nerious Joseph has the distinction of making a second appearance with his huge 1985 hit “Sensi Crisis” whilst the UK MC style for which the label was justly famed can be heard with Pato’s “The Boss”.
The straight dancehall sound can be heard in Papa San’s “DJ Business” and Top Cat’s “Gallist”, while dancehall pioneer Frankie Paul makes the bold claim to be “The Greatest”. Fashion was never a label that could be pigeon-holed, always willing to spread their wings beyond the core reggae market. The disc is rounded off with dancehall influenced jungle from Tenor Fly and Poison Chang whilst Cutty Ranks is represented by a hip hop mix.
With Volume Two the series goes from strength to strength bettering its predecessor and being exactly as described, all hits and all significant in the story of reggae in the UK. “Significant Hits Volume Two” is released by Reggae Archive Records and Fashion on CD on 17th June 2013 it is also available on digital download from leading sites.
www.reggaearchiverecords.com
Tracklisting:
1 Johnnie Clarke – Rocking To The A-Class Champion
2 Michael Gordon – Magic Feeling
3 Barry Boom – Making Love
4 Winsome & Nereus – Rock With Me Baby
5 Janet Lee Davis – Do You Remember (alternate TV cut)
6 Neville Morrison – True Friends
7 Frankie Paul – The Greatest
8 Papa San – D J Business
9 Pato – The Boss
10 Nereus Joseph – Sensi Crisis
11 Horace Andy – Hypocrites
12 Junior Delgado – Two To Tango
13 Glen Brown – Detrimental Music
14 Top Cat – Gallist
15 General Levy – Breeze
16 Phillip Leo & CJ Lewis – Why Do Fools…
17 Michie One & Louchie Lou – Shout
18 Tenor Fly – Don’t Dis The Jungle
19 Poison Chang – Love The Woman (Jungle Mix)
20 Cutty Ranks – Limb By Limb (Hip Hop Mix)