Tings an' Times

Tings an' Times is an album by the Jamaican dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson, released in 1991.[2][3] It was Johnson's first album in six years.[4] Tings an' Times also served as the title of a book of Johnson's poetry.[5]

Tings an' Times
Studio album by
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Released1991
StudioSparkside Studio, Dulwich Road, London
GenreReggae, dub, spoken word
LabelShanachie[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)

Production

The album was produced by Johnson and Dennis Bovell.[6] Johnson was again backed by the Dub Band, with the sound fleshed out by the addition of accordion and violin.[7][8]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Robert ChristgauA[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[11]
Los Angeles Times[7]
Orlando Sentinel[12]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[8]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[13]

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."[10] The Los Angeles Times lamented that "Johnson’s delivery is both tentative and buried a bit in the mix, lessening the impact."[7] 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."[12]

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."[9] The Spin Alternative Record Guide praised the "increased doses of joy and irony in LKJ's meditations."[13] Trouser Press deemed Tings an' Times "an upbeat but stringently critical album that is at once traditional and modern."[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Linton Kwesi Johnson

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
  • Linton Kwesi Johnson - vocals, percussion, production
The Dub Band
  • John Kpiaye - guitar
  • Dennis Bovell - bass, percussion, production, engineer, mixing
  • Nick Straker - keyboards
  • Paget King - organ, piano, synthesizer
  • Henry Holder - piano
  • Paul Blake - drums
  • Everald Forrest, Jeff Scantlebury - percussion
  • Steve Gregory - tenor saxophone, flute
  • Paul Spong - trumpet
  • Fayyaz Virji, Henry Tenyue - trombone
  • Ian Hill - accordion
  • Johnny "T" Taylor - violin
Technical
  • Antonio Vignocchi - cover painting

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