In the absence of a genuine return ("redux", in Latin) of Keith & Tex, who released their last album in 1997, here comes a compilation of the legendary duo that came out last year in the USA. Put out by Soulbeats Records, this collection of Keith Rowe and Texas Dixon's classics takes in most of the tracks from their first album, "Stop That Train", recorded with the maestro Lyn Taitt and his Jets, and produced by Derrick Harriot on his Crystal label in 1972.
From 1967 to 1970, Keith & Tex were hit suppliers for Derrick Harriott, their exclusive producer. A loyalty he earned by being the first to record them, after being turned down in turn by Prince Buster, Duke Reid and Coxsone Dodd. At the time, vocal trios were all the rage, and nobody really took this young duo of teenagers seriously, raised on the melodies of Sam & Dave and the Righteous Brothers. Success was not long in coming: their first recording session gave birth to Tonight, the second to Stop that Train... Keith and Tex parted ways in 1970, the former going into exile in the United States, the latter in Canada, before reforming in the 90s.
Listening to "Redux" is therefore to go back up the long series of hits by these rocksteady figures. The most emblematic is certainly Stop that Train: their cover of the Spanishtonians' Ska Beats would give rise to the versions by Big Youth (Cool Breeze) and Scotty (Draw Your Brakes). But their career cannot be limited to this one track: what to say of the splendid Tonight, their first single, of the irresistible Run to the rocks (aka Tighten Up Your Gird, after the title of the UK release), of the melancholy Leaving on that train and Lonely Man, or of the laconic Hypnotic eyes? Love songs or break-up songs, joyful or tearful, the emotions are palpable in the harmony of these two intertwined voices, treasures of the rocksteady era. The inevitable soul cover here is the Temptations' classic, Don't look back (later covered by Peter Tosh & Mick Jagger).
The selection offered by "Redux" is, however, purged of several tracks from the original album (notably the songs with Noel "Bunny" Brown) as well as the recent (and forgettable) Slow Dance, present on the US reissue. More surprisingly, we find the fabulous Groovy Situation, recorded by Keith Rowe solo for Lee Perry in 1977, whose stripped-down one drop contrasts violently with the preceding songs. What remains is a remastered release on CD and above all on LP for the happy non-owners of these classics (for we can gauge the pleasure they will have in discovering them).
Pull Up:
Tighten Up Your Gird (Run to the rocks)
Leaving On That Train
Let me be the one
Stop That Train
Competition: Five "Redux" albums to be won until 30 March 2014
