Selecta Rebel: December 2017

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Mr. Williamz X Green Lion Crew "The General Comes To Town"

Press Release:
GREEN LION CREW AND MR. WILLIAMZ RETURN
TO COLLABORATE ON NEW ALBUM
‘THE GENERAL COMES TO TOWN’

Maine-based DJ and producer Zeke Stern collaborated with London-based vocalist Mr. Williamz on the duo's latest release THE GENERAL COMES TO TOWN. The album features ten original tracks which echo the unifying energy and infectious grooves of sound system culture.

Stern, who has produced tracks with Collie Buddz, Chronixx, Beenie Man, Kabaka Pyramid, Lee Scratch Perry, and many others, has said that he and Mr. Williamz were inspired to pay tribute to the “rub a dub" style, a sub genre of dancehall music that once set the reggae music scene on fire.

“ I am an avid vinyl collector and I was always inspired by a great cover,” said Stern. “In the early 1980s, a lot of rub a dub LPs had a trend of Spaghetti Western style cover art. The music was bass heavy, stripped down, and laced with effects. This project was heavily influenced by that era of reggae.”

With Stern composing the instrumentals with special guest musicians, Mr. Williamz employs his distinct vocal style to help craft the album’s catchy choruses. Williamz, who relocated from Jamaica to London in his youth, has been a staple of the international reggae scene for close to a decade. After being honored by the BBC as the UK artist of the year in 2008, he released a slew of successful singles which helped Williamz become a household name throughout Europe and in other countries around the world.

On THE GENERAL COMES TO TOWN, Williamz and Stern trade tracks back and forth. Mr. Williamz performs on the odd-numbered tracks on the album. His vocal delivery, memorable melodies, and intimate groove echo the likes of reggae veterans like Super Cat and Nicodemus. Meanwhile, Stern owns the even tracks, answering each Mr. Williamz track with a ‘b-side’. Green Lion Crew presents experimental dub remixes, recycling the beat and taking it to the next level into the realm of psychedelia.

THE GENERAL COMES TO TOWN was released on September 22, 2017. The album features some of the most noticeable players in contemporary reggae music including Addis Pablo (son of Augustus Pablo), Billy Kottage (Reel Big Fish, the Feel Goods), Jay Harris (Soul Rebel Project), Dean Fraser, Lone Ranger, Gappy Ranks, Tony Greene, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace (from the movie Rockers), Pinchers and Joe Lickshot.