Capital Letters - Headline News (1979) [2007]
EAC Rip | FLAC (Tracks) +CUE, LOG | 490 MB | Covers Included
Genre: Reggae | Label: Greensleeves Records | Catalog Number: GREWCD 7
EAC Rip | FLAC (Tracks) +CUE, LOG | 490 MB | Covers Included
Genre: Reggae | Label: Greensleeves Records | Catalog Number: GREWCD 7
Capital Letters mashed up the U.K. sound systems in 1978 with "Smoking My Ganja," a punchy rockers styled single with a distinctly British flavor. The irrepressible song wafted straight up the reggae chart, prompting the Greensleeves label to send the group into the studio with Chris Cracknell to record a full-length. Headline News arrived in the new year, immediately garnering critical acclaim and sending reggae fans running to the shops. Hailing from Wolverhampton, the Letters were a big band, eight-strong (adding another guitarist/vocalist for their 1979 John Peel radio session), and boasting four vocalists, two drummers (one the conga player) and two percussionists, among their ranks. In Jamaica, brass and/or organ filled out the arrangements, the Letters, however, used percussion, giving the band a surprisingly fleshy, rhythm driven sound. And then there's keyboardist Earl Lynch, a decided jazz fan, who unlike his Jamaican counterparts didn't provide atmospheres to the songs, but a snazzy flare instead, a predilection best heard on "Rumours" and "Run Run Run." However, it's the album's opening track, "Fire," that best epitomizes the band at their bubbly roots reggae best, a song driven by a plethora of propulsive beats and percussion, a compulsive bassline, sharp reggae guitar, bouncy keyboards, and infectious vocals. Elsewhere, bass player Junior Brown shines on "Daddy Was No Murderer," while the entire band swaggers across the more free-form styled roots reggae instrumental "Buzz Rock." Moving deftly from militant steppers style to the punchy almost ska-ified "Ganja" hit, every one of the ten tracks on the set was worthy of sound system play.
A pure roots and culture band, Headline's themes range from the religion to self-affirmation, as the band batter down Babylon, rally for unity, push for marijuana legalization (of course), and discuss injustice and unemployment. Unusually, the group also strongly condemn Ugandan President Idi Amin, not that he wasn't thoroughly deserving, but at a time when it was de rigueur to praise Black African leaders (and overlook those with flaws), the British band refused to pull their punches.
This CD reissue further sweetens a classic set with the inclusion of the extended mix of "Smoking," as well as the equally excellent "discomixes" of two of the band's other singles. Capitol Letters only lasted a few years, and this was their sole full-length, a masterpiece that leaves one yearning for so much more.
EAC extraction logfile from 4. May 2007, 16:49 for CD
Capital Letters / Headline News
Used drive : JLMS DVD-ROM LTD-165H Adapter: 1 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache
Read offset correction : 12
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo
Other options :
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Installed external ASPI interface
Track 1
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Test CRC 9764B480
Copy CRC 9764B480
Copy OK
Track 2
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Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
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Copy CRC D2B47E6B
Copy OK
Track 3
Filename C:\Ripped Music\03 - President Amin.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC C630A68E
Copy CRC C630A68E
Copy OK
Track 4
Filename C:\Ripped Music\04 - Rumours.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC F0DEEC4E
Copy CRC F0DEEC4E
Copy OK
Track 5
Filename C:\Ripped Music\05 - Smoking My Ganja.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC 49B5D0AE
Copy CRC 49B5D0AE
Copy OK
Track 6
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Peak level 98.4 %
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Test CRC D15AD05C
Copy CRC D15AD05C
Copy OK
Track 7
Filename C:\Ripped Music\07 - Rejoice.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 09D5CBA1
Copy CRC 09D5CBA1
Copy OK
Track 8
Filename C:\Ripped Music\08 - Buzz Rock.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC D636A07F
Copy CRC D636A07F
Copy OK
Track 9
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Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 99.9 %
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Copy OK
Track 10
Filename C:\Ripped Music\10 - Out Of Afrika.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC D7935293
Copy CRC D7935293
Copy OK
Track 11
Filename C:\Ripped Music\11 - UK Skanking [12' Mix].wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
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Copy OK
Track 12
Filename C:\Ripped Music\12 - Natty Walk [12' Mix].wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
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Copy OK
Track 13
Filename C:\Ripped Music\13 - Smoking My Ganja [12' Mix].wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC CB8AE244
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Copy OK
No errors occured
End of status report
Capital Letters / Headline News
Used drive : JLMS DVD-ROM LTD-165H Adapter: 1 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache
Read offset correction : 12
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo
Other options :
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Installed external ASPI interface
Track 1
Filename C:\Ripped Music\01 - Fire.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 9764B480
Copy CRC 9764B480
Copy OK
Track 2
Filename C:\Ripped Music\02 - Daddy Was No Murderer.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC D2B47E6B
Copy CRC D2B47E6B
Copy OK
Track 3
Filename C:\Ripped Music\03 - President Amin.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC C630A68E
Copy CRC C630A68E
Copy OK
Track 4
Filename C:\Ripped Music\04 - Rumours.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC F0DEEC4E
Copy CRC F0DEEC4E
Copy OK
Track 5
Filename C:\Ripped Music\05 - Smoking My Ganja.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC 49B5D0AE
Copy CRC 49B5D0AE
Copy OK
Track 6
Filename C:\Ripped Music\06 - Unemployed.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC D15AD05C
Copy CRC D15AD05C
Copy OK
Track 7
Filename C:\Ripped Music\07 - Rejoice.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 09D5CBA1
Copy CRC 09D5CBA1
Copy OK
Track 8
Filename C:\Ripped Music\08 - Buzz Rock.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC D636A07F
Copy CRC D636A07F
Copy OK
Track 9
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Peak level 98.4 %
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Test CRC 5EB16A2F
Copy CRC 5EB16A2F
Copy OK
Track 10
Filename C:\Ripped Music\10 - Out Of Afrika.wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC D7935293
Copy CRC D7935293
Copy OK
Track 11
Filename C:\Ripped Music\11 - UK Skanking [12' Mix].wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 620940B4
Copy CRC 620940B4
Copy OK
Track 12
Filename C:\Ripped Music\12 - Natty Walk [12' Mix].wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 856854D4
Copy CRC 856854D4
Copy OK
Track 13
Filename C:\Ripped Music\13 - Smoking My Ganja [12' Mix].wav
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC CB8AE244
Copy CRC CB8AE244
Copy OK
No errors occured
End of status report
EAC extraction logfile from 4. May 2007, 18:06 for CD
Capital Letters / Bread And Water EP
Used drive : JLMS DVD-ROM LTD-165H Adapter: 1 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache
Read offset correction : 12
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo
Other options :
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Installed external ASPI interface
Track 1
Filename C:\Ripped Music\01 - Bread And Water.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC C89EC728
Copy CRC C89EC728
Copy OK
Track 2
Filename C:\Ripped Music\02 - Do We Really Need A Government.wav
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Peak level 98.4 %
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Test CRC 71FF566A
Copy CRC 71FF566A
Copy OK
Track 3
Filename C:\Ripped Music\03 - Cheap School Meals.wav
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Peak level 98.4 %
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Test CRC BC52092D
Copy CRC BC52092D
Copy OK
Track 4
Filename C:\Ripped Music\04 - Run Man Run.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:05.30
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 4882D0FA
Copy CRC 4882D0FA
Copy OK
No errors occured
End of status report
Capital Letters / Bread And Water EP
Used drive : JLMS DVD-ROM LTD-165H Adapter: 1 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache
Read offset correction : 12
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo
Other options :
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Installed external ASPI interface
Track 1
Filename C:\Ripped Music\01 - Bread And Water.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC C89EC728
Copy CRC C89EC728
Copy OK
Track 2
Filename C:\Ripped Music\02 - Do We Really Need A Government.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:04.85
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC 71FF566A
Copy CRC 71FF566A
Copy OK
Track 3
Filename C:\Ripped Music\03 - Cheap School Meals.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:04.98
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC BC52092D
Copy CRC BC52092D
Copy OK
Track 4
Filename C:\Ripped Music\04 - Run Man Run.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:05.30
Peak level 98.4 %
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 4882D0FA
Copy CRC 4882D0FA
Copy OK
No errors occured
End of status report
Tracklist:
1.01. Capital Letters - Fire (3:43)
1.02. Capital Letters - Daddy Was No Murderer (4:20)
1.03. Capital Letters - President Amin (4:28)
1.04. Capital Letters - Rumours (4:04)
1.05. Capital Letters - Smoking My Ganja (4:23)
1.06. Capital Letters - Unemployed (4:02)
1.07. Capital Letters - Rejoice (5:07)
1.08. Capital Letters - Buzz Rock (3:25)
1.09. Capital Letters - Run Run Run (3:58)
1.10. Capital Letters - Out Of Afrika (3:05)
1.11. Capital Letters - UK Skanking [12' Mix] (8:15)
1.12. Capital Letters - Natty Walk [12' Mix] (4:31)
1.13. Capital Letters - Smoking My Ganja [12' Mix] (8:45)
2.01. Capital Letters - Bread and Water (2:52)
2.02. Capital Letters - Do We Really Need a Goverment (2:28)
2.03. Capital Letters - Cheap School Meals (2:48)
2.04. Capital Letters - Run Man Run (2:39)