Dualers - The Melting Pot

  by Adrian Huggins

published: 19 / 7 / 2006

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Review

This is the debut, self-funded album from London band the Dualers. They play their own brand of London tinted reggae, ska and folk music The Dualers began as two friends, Tyber and Si, the guitarist and vocalist, busking in their local London subway. They soon built up a following and recruited the rest of the band, and moved from Underground stations to over ground pubs and clubs around London and the south of England. Based on their brilliant shows and excellent songs they quickly gathered up a loyal fan base and began their mission to make the money to put together an album. The result is 'The Melting Pot' which is 15 songs worth of uplifting working class solid reggae. It is very much in the two-tone vein of the Specials and the Beat, with its mixed race band consisting of some young black dudes and some young white dudes playing the music of the West Indies and the Caribbean. They do it well, but without trying to be something they’re not. Songs such as 'Finally Your Day Has Come' and 'Money' tell of life spent living in the “rat race” of the 9-5 world in London. There are also songs such as 'Kiss on the Lips' and lead single 'Don’t Go' which is a fantastic summer song that could get everyone skanking away on the dance floor. What this band do really well is make uplifting music fuelled by the joy people get making the most of living in a monotonous lifestyle, when things aren’t always great, but they make sure you enjoy the bits in between which make it all worth while. They are a great band that are firmly flying the flag for decent ska and reggae music and who belong right up there with likes of the Specials, the Skatalites, the Beat, and Madness.

Track Listing:-

1 Money
2 Stole The Show
3 Jack The Ripper
4 Take A Trip
5 Don't Go
6 Kiss On The Lips
7 Urban Spirit
8 Finally Your Day Has Come
9 A Wake Up
10 I Won't Let You Go
11 Ain't That A Shame
12 Truly Madly Deeply
13 What A Result
14 Last Call Freetown
15 Long Time