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New Jah Wobble & Keith Levene Album
Laurie Tuffrey , August 22nd, 2012 06:32

PiL founder members set to release Yin and Yang in November

Jah Wobble have a new album, Yin and Yang, on the way, due to come out on November 19 via Cherry Red Records. It follows the Public Image Ltd founder members’ reunion as Metal Box in Dub, and the release of their self-titled EP, earlier this year.

Jah Wobble says of the album:

“I reunited with Keith a couple of years ago. He was off smack and keen to play again. We had a bash in a rehearsal room and it went well. To start with I got him to play on three tracks of the album (Psychic Life) that I was making with Julie Campbell (Lonelady). Since then we have performed Metal Box in Dub live. These shows were very well received. As far as I was concerned he was back and on top of his game again. I thought it would be a good idea to go and record some new material.

“I wasn’t sure what we would come up with. As we proceeded, in a very relaxed fashion, the realisation dawned on me, that we were making music that was linked to psychedelic music (especially the British variety), of the swinging sixties through the mid-seventies that we both would have been exposed to when we were young. Albeit our stuff has a spiteful post modern edge to it, I must admit it was a good (if rather juvenile), laugh referring to myself (and the listener) as a cunt, as well as eulogising about my beloved Jags and Staffs in the midst of a psychedelic onslaught. Bands such as Hawkwind and the Pretty Things spring to mind. Our 7/4 version of George Harrison's 'Within You Without You' reminds me of Cream in its wild approach and execution. There are elements of Americana in Yin and Yang as well. Check out Keith’s acoustic work on the dubby Appalachian-flavoured 'Strut' . Likewise listen to the Southern States R&B of 'Mississippi', especially the baptist church organ of the multi-talented Jonas Persson. But my favourite track is the moody instrumental 'Back on the Block’, just listen to the controlled anger of Keith's electric guitar.”

Here’s the tracklisting:

  1. ‘Yin & Yang’
  2. ‘Strut’
  3. ‘Jags & Staffs’
  4. ‘Mississippi’
  5. ‘Within You Without You’
  6. ‘Back on the Block’
  7. ‘Fluid’
  8. ‘Vampires’
  9. ‘Understand’
  10. ‘Understand Dub’