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X-O-DUS - English Black Boys [FBN 101 UK 2021 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC]

X-O-Dus, originally named Exodus, were a Manchester roots reggae band with members from Hulme and Moss Side. They initially formed in mid 1975 by Honey, Leddy, Trevor Bell, and shortly after, Dave Reid. They were joined in 1978 by Ricky Jones, Johnny Caton and Gayle Reid. They changed the name to avoid confusion with a London reggae band. Their aim was to give a new, young British sound to reggae. They recorded just one 12" on Factory Records, this FAC 11. A planned follow up single and LP failed to materialise....

...In 2012, LTM guru James Nice reached out to former frontman Wesley Ricketts who found a tape of part of the album sessions. These were released as a compact disc that year, in 2021 the five key tracks for that album plus the band's only single for Factory were released as a vinyl album in a limited run of 500 pressings.

This is a nicely packaged album, complete with full liner notes on the inner sleeve. I fear that whoever mastered the original recordings of the single tracks for this release (I have my suspicions) may have eroded some of the intricate dynamics from Dennis Bovell's superb original production, but all the same this is a nice vinyl document recording the fine work by one of the lost Factory Records bands.

A1 English Black Boys

A2 See Them A'Come

B1 Take It From Me

B2 Society

B3 Leaders

B4 Imagine

B5 If You Want My Lovin