Tings an' Times
Studio album by
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Released1991
StudioSparkside Studio, Dulwich Road, London
GenreReggae, dub, spoken word
LabelShanachie[1]
ProducerLinton Kwesi Johnson, Dennis Bovell
Linton Kwesi Johnson chronology
In Concert with the Dub Band
(1985)		 Tings an' Times
(1991)		 LKJ in Dub: Volume 2
(1992)

Tings an' Times is an album by the Jamaican dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson, released in 1991.[2][3] It was Johnson's first album in six years.[4] Tings an' Times also served as the title of a book of Johnson's poetry.[5]

Production

The album was produced by Johnson and Dennis Bovell.[6] Johnson was again backed by the Dub Band, with the sound fleshed out by the addition of accordion and violin.[7][8] Steve Gregory contributed on flute and saxophone.[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
Robert ChristgauA[11]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[12]
Los Angeles Times[7]
Orlando Sentinel[13]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[8]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[14]

Robert Christgau wrote that "the riddims skip by on Dennis Bovell's ska-speedy tempos, graced with tricky guitar hooks and colored with fiddle and accordion that sing Hungary and Algeria and Colombia and the Rio Grande."[11] The Los Angeles Times lamented that "Johnson’s delivery is both tentative and buried a bit in the mix, lessening the impact."[7] The Orlando Sentinel opined that "Johnson's thoughtful lyrics float over gorgeous elongated reggae tracks flavored with jazz-influenced horns, accordion, piano, violin and flute."[13] The Commercial Appeal noted that Johnson's "spry quips and brusque cadences [ride] over tough rhythms."[15]

AllMusic thought that Johnson's "outlook is intensely African, and his socio-political lyrics (some in English, some in an African language) are a passionate call for democracy in Africa."[10] The Spin Alternative Record Guide praised the "increased doses of joy and irony in LKJ's meditations."[14] Trouser Press deemed Tings an' Times "an upbeat but stringently critical album that is at once traditional and modern."[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Linton Kwesi Johnson

No.TitleLength
1."Story"5:20
2."Sense Outta Nansense"4:59
3."Tings an' Times"6:32
4."Mi Revalueshanary Fren"5:19
5."Di Good Life"5:30
6."Di Anfinished Revalueshan"5:33
7."Dubbing for Life"4:03

Personnel

  • Linton Kwesi Johnson - vocals, percussion, production
The Dub Band
  • John Kpiaye - guitar
  • Dennis Bovell - bass, percussion, production, engineer, mixing
  • Nick Straker - keyboards
  • Paget King - organ, piano, synthesizer
  • Henry Holder - piano
  • Paul Blake - drums
  • Everald Forrest, Jeff Scantlebury - percussion
  • Steve Gregory - tenor saxophone, flute
  • Paul Spong - trumpet
  • Fayyaz Virji, Henry Tenyue - trombone
  • Ian Hill - accordion
  • Johnny "T" Taylor - violin
Technical
  • Antonio Vignocchi - cover painting

References

  1. 1 2 "Linton Kwesi Johnson". Trouser Press. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  2. ↑ "Linton Kwesi Johnson | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  3. ↑ "Poet on the front line". The Guardian. 3 May 2002.
  4. ↑ Point, Michael (18 April 1991). "Reggae rappers return in full force". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 13.
  5. ↑ Matterson, Stephen; Jones, Darryl (2011). Studying Poetry. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC. p. 150.
  6. ↑ "Album Reviews". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 27. 6 July 1991. p. 62.
  7. 1 2 3 "When Dub Flies--From Jamaica to U.K." Los Angeles Times. 6 October 1991.
  8. 1 2 The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 374–375.
  9. ↑ Pick, Steve (10 May 1991). "'Tings an' Times'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 4F.
  10. 1 2 "Tings An' Times - Linton Kwesi Johnson | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  11. 1 2 "Robert Christgau: CG: Linton Kwesi Johnson". www.robertchristgau.com.
  12. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 657.
  13. 1 2 Gettelman, Parry (2 August 1991). "Linton Kwesi Johnson". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 30.
  14. 1 2 Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 202–203.
  15. ↑ Wynn, Ron (28 April 1991). "Jamaica's 'dub' poets laid rap foundation". The Commercial Appeal. p. G3.
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