Singers & Players - Vacuum Pumping (1988)

"Singers and Players" is a reggae collective formed by Adrian Sherwood and featuring various members of the New Age Steppers, Creation Rebel, the Roots Radics, and other musicians affiliated with the On-U Sound label. After a brief period of creativity in the early '80s, the collective was stagnant until 1998's "Revenge of the Underdog", which featured vocals from Bim Sherman and Prince Far I. "Staggering Heights" followed in the spring of 2000.              

By 1988, the Singers & Players saga was coming to an end, many original members were now gone, new faces were still appearing, but the creative frissom that had driven this collective was quickly dissipating. This was perhaps due to Adrian Sherwood's disinterest, as the producer remained shaken and removed from operations by Prince Far I's senseless murder years earlier.
In any event, the ensemble stirred one final time, to release the "Vacuum Pumping" album, a fine, if not quite inspired set, that proved to be their swan song. Bim Sherman's "Run Them Away" featured on that set, a militant number that gives the governments and warmongers a taste of their own violent medicine.

The riddim is a fine one, and although sparser than earlier efforts, well this was what the contemporary dancehalls demanded, and the backing still bristles with militancy. But for all his vengeful lyrics, Bim Sherman is never going to convince anyone of that he's a real menace; in fact, the backing female vocalists are more threatening than he is. Still, it's the quiet ones that often found to be the most murderous, so the wicked best beware just in case.

Not their best work, but still a reminder of Singers & Players's strength and conviction.          

Tracklist:

Run Them Away	5:18
Lighthouse / Dreamworld	4:25
Holy Scripture	5:38
To Be Free	3:21
I Don't Want Aids	3:28
Boom Um Baff Um	5:22
Pneumatic	4:13
These Eyes	4:15

Singers & Players - Vacuum Pumping (1988)
(320 kbps, cover art included)