Tings an' Times

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Tings an' Times
Studio album by
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Released1991
GenreReggae, dub, spoken word
LabelShanachie Records[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)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic3/5 stars[2]
Robert ChristgauA[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music4/5 stars[4]
Los Angeles Times2.5/4 stars[5]
Orlando Sentinel5/5 stars[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide4/5 stars[7]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[8]

Tings an' Times is an album by the Jamaican dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson, released in 1991.[9][10] It was Johnson's first album in six years.[11] Tings an' Times also served as the title of a book of Johnson's poetry.[12]

Production[]

The album was produced by Johnson and Dennis Bovell.[13] Johnson was again backed by the Dub Band, with the sound fleshed out by the addition of accordion and violin.[5][7]

Critical reception[]

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."[3] The Los Angeles Times lamented that "Johnson’s delivery is both tentative and buried a bit in the mix, lessening the impact."[5] 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."[6]

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."[2] The Spin Alternative Record Guide praised the "increased doses of joy and irony in LKJ's meditations."[8] Trouser Press deemed Tings an' Times "an upbeat but stringently critical album that is at once traditional and modern."[1]

Track listing[]

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[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Linton Kwesi Johnson". Trouser Press. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Tings An' Times - Linton Kwesi Johnson | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Robert Christgau: CG: Linton Kwesi Johnson". www.robertchristgau.com.
  4. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 4: MUZE. p. 657.CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c "When Dub Flies--From Jamaica to U.K." Los Angeles Times. October 6, 1991.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Gettelman, Parry (2 Aug 1991). "LINTON KWESI JOHNSON". Orlando Sentinel. Calendar. p. 30.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 374–375.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 202–203.
  9. ^ "Linton Kwesi Johnson | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  10. ^ "Poet on the front line". the Guardian. May 3, 2002.
  11. ^ Point, Michael (18 Apr 1991). "Reggae rappers return in full force". Austin American-Statesman. Onward. p. 13.
  12. ^ Matterson, Stephen; Jones, Darryl (2011). Studying Poetry. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC. p. 150.
  13. ^ "Album Reviews". Billboard. 103 (27): 62. July 6, 1991.
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