Review of Now Dub by Black Uhuru
Artist: Black Uhuru
Album title: Now Dub
Release year: 1990
Label: Rhino / Mesa / Bluemoon
Genre: Reggae
Rating: 6 out of 10

Track listing:
Reggae Rock
Hey Joe
Peace & Love
Take Heed
The Heathen
Thinking About You
Freedom Fighter
Army Band
Imposter
Word Sound

Review: POSITIVE DUB, the dub companion to Black Uhuru's previous album, was a sedate affair in the manner of Burning Spear's GARVEY'S GHOST: simple instrumental versions of the songs with a minimum of effects or studio trickery. 1990's NOW DUB could not be more different. A head-spinning collection of up-to-the-minute sound collages, NOW DUB is as exciting a dub album as Black Uhuru has ever made, and in some ways is preferable to its vocal counterpart. The highlight is the opener, Reggae Rock, a startling early work by UK dub mixer A Guy Called Gerald that's like a blueprint for trip-hop and jungle, the defining British dance music styles of the '90s. The pie-eyed deconstruction of Hey Joe--yes, a reggae version of the old garage-rock standard--is even more extreme, sounding like Lee Scratch Perry at his wildest. The other eight tracks are nearly as exciting.