Easy Star All-Stars

It’s been done and will be done many times again but when artists decide to honor a classic rock album, it can end up being a stale, cheesy rehash or resulting in something truly strong. Thankfully, when it comes to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon the Easy Star All Stars can dub this album primarily fabulous.
 
Basically taking a dub remix to all of the songs from the Floyd classic but not really changing the framework of the material (something they did with Dub Side Of The Moon in 2003), the album definitely soars from the moment “Speak To Me/Breathe (In The Air)” is audible. Although initially a bit tribal, the top-notch treatment has reggae-tinged horns accenting the nugget. And after a spacey, M83-ish “On The Run,” the album hits its stride on “Time,” a song which Gilmour and Waters already put a terrific groove on.

Perhaps the real measuring stick is “The Great Gig In The Sky.” Here the mournful, soulful wails are merged with an aquatic dub feel, resembling something Massive Attack might have once toyed with. But if there’s one disappointment, it’s how ordinary “Money” comes off, a rather subdued, simple rendition falling short.

Fortunately it’s the only drawback because “Us And Them” is given a nice drum and bass polish with fine results. Somehow “Brain Damage” is an excellent laid-back stroll which also works, as does the album as a whole.

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