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Behold

by Black Symbol

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    8 track album running order compiled by Martin Langford

    Includes unlimited streaming of Behold via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days
    edition of 500 

      £16 GBP or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes with full booklet - designed by Nicholas Darby

    Includes unlimited streaming of Behold via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days

      £9 GBP or more 

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

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  • Full Digital Discography

    28
    releases

    Get all 28 Sugar Shack Records releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Second Rodeo EP, 20th Anniversary Live @ The Fleece, Bristol, Rapture, Monkey, From The Vaults, About Time (Deluxe Edition), Rituals, The Best of Joshua to Jashwha 1978-2019, and 20 more. , and , .

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1.
Mother of Creation 03:56
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2.
Collie Bud 04:57
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3.
Mama Say 04:50
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4.
Mama Say (Drub a Dub) 04:32
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5.
Behold 03:39
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6.
Vampire 04:13
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7.
Vampire (Drub a Dub) 03:35
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8.
Solidarity 03:41
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9.
Solidarity (Drub a Dub) 03:44
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10.
Throw Down Your Arms 04:38
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11.
Really Have To Pray 04:27
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12.
My Empress 03:46
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13.
Brutal 03:57
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14.
Brutal (Drub a Dub) 04:03
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15.
Behold (The Album Compendulum Mega Mix) 06:56
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about

“Behold”
BLACK SYMBOL
Released on Limited Edition 8 Track Vinyl, CD and Digital Download 9th November 2018 via Sugar Shack Records

Four years after releasing Black Symbol's “Journey” album, Sugar Shack Records are pleased to present another set of new recordings with “Behold”. For this new collection, Black Symbol has returned with a mix of roots, social commentary, spiritual music and even a love song as well as visiting some classics of the reggae genre.

As has been the case throughout his career Black Symbol has self-produced his music and collaborated with other Birmingham musicians and singers including Steel Pulse's Selwyn Brown on keyboards; the recordings engineered by Angus Jones and Birmingham reggae legend Wooligan. The final mix was handed over to the experienced and regular Sugar Shack collaborator Compendulum who himself has a reggae career stretching back nearly as far as Black Symbol's.

This isn't a youthful album full of anger and rage at injustice, songs of youthful bravado and boasting or songs about girls and partying. It's a mature work from a man looking back at his life, a retrospective filled with maturity recalling a distant Jamaican childhood, reflecting on spirituality and celebrating a love that has lasted, covering some favourite songs whilst also finding time to deal with the more serious themes that are just as relevant now as when Black Symbol started four decades ago.

The album kicks off with “Mother of Creation” an obviously modern track that still manages a classic seventies feel with its repetitive message to teach the current generation a true message of love, a message that is unfortunately lost on so many of this nation's youths. “Collie Bud” with its Aston Barrett inspired bassline, reflects on Black Symbol's childhood in rural Jamaica, a childhood of bountiful small farms where there was always enough food for one’s family as well as feeding the hungry. It also celebrates growing ones’ own collie “for the healing of the nation”.

“Mama Say” is Black Symbol's take on the Heptones mid-seventies classic whilst “Behold”, is his unique acapella take on the Culture original with its choral backing for the chorus taking on the mantle of a gospel spiritual; perhaps another recollection of a Jamaican childhood though now coupled with a Rastafarian message. We think that the more you listen to Black Symbol's take on the song the more it rivals the original. There is a vulnerability and honesty in the performance that really adds another layer to the meaning of the lyrics and outdoing the great Joseph Hill is quite an achievement.

“Vampire” returns to more standard roots fare with its message to be aware of “vampires” who try and keep you down whilst finding inspiration in Jah will lead to redemption. “Solidarity” calls for unity in a world full of division. “Throw Down Your Arms” draws upon and adapts the Burning Spear song of the same name, it's light upbeat backing contrasting with its deadly serious message.

“Really Have to Pray” does exactly what it says on the label, encouraging listeners to pray to Jah and once again warning about “vampires” and “vultures” that will be kept at bay by a pure heart. “My Empress” provides a change of pace with a heartfelt love song whilst the final track “Brutal”, again returns to images of rural Jamaica and farming and the constant regimen of work needed just to survive as a small farmer. As a bonus we've included four dub versions mixed by Compendulum who was given a free hand to imprint the music with his own distinctive style.

Black Symbol's “Behold”, (FOD119), is released on Limited Edition 8 track Vinyl, CD and digital download by Sugar Shack Records on 9th November 2018, distributed by Shellshock Distribution via Discovery and available in all good record shops and on all digital platforms.

ARTIST: Black Symbol
TITLE: “Behold”
RELEASE DATE: 9th November 2018
LABEL: Sugar Shack Records
DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock / Discovery
CAT NO: FOD119V and FOD119CD
BARCODE: 5052571079713 / 5052571074824


CD Track Listing:

1. Mother of Creation
2. Collie Bud
3. Mama Say
4. Mama Say (Drub a dub)
5. Behold
6. Vampire
7. Vampire (Drub a dub)
8. Solidarity
9. Solidarity (Drub a dub)
10. Throw Down Your Arms
11. Really Have to Pray
12. My Empress
13. Brutal
14. Brutal (Drub a dub)

Vinyl:

Side A
1. Mother of Creation
2. Collie Bud
3. Mama Say
4. Behold

Side B:
1. Vampire
2. Solidarity
3. Throw Down Your Arms
4. Really Have to Pray

credits

released November 9, 2018

Mama Say written by L Sibbles
Published by Cari Blue Music

Behold written by: Lloyd aka Daley Dayes, Joseph Hill, Albert Walker
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management US, LLC

Throw Down Your Arms is an adaptation of the Burning Spear track written by Winston Rodney and published by Burning Spear Publishing

All other songs written by Black Symbol and published by Archive Publishing Ltd 2018

All tracks originally recorded at Eye to Eye Studio, Nursery Road, Birmingham 2017

Originally engineered by Angus Jones and Wooligan

Produced by Black Symbol

Mixed by Compendulum

Lead vocals – Black Symbol
Backing vocals – Empress Bev, Porsha, Bernadette and Jahmush
Keyboards - Selwyn Brown (Steel Pulse), Fingers and Compendulum
Bass - Paul Bedford
Guitar – Trevor
Drum programming by Compendulum
Special FX by Compendulum

(p)&© Sugar Shack Records 2018

All recordings owned by Black Symbol and licenced to Sugar Shack Records

FOD119

license

all rights reserved

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about

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Sugar Shack Records Bristol, UK

Sugar Shack Records is a sister imprint of Bristol Archive Records and Reggae Archive Records. Established in 1985, we have released critically acclaimed Rock and Reggae albums.

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