Little Roy - Battle For Seattle

Cover albums of rock bands’ work have always been prevalent in the genre of reggae; for example, the Easy All Stars, a collection of reggae and ska artists, have collaborated and released dub reggae takes on both Pink Floyd and Radiohead, with the ‘Dub Side Of The Moon’ and ‘Radiodread’ compilations, and there have been countless reggae re-workings of Beatles tracks. This year Nirvana are the latest icons to have their music covered, with Little Roy’s album ‘Battle For Seattle’.

‘Battle For Seattle’ has been produced and conceived by renowned London-based reggae producer Prince Fatty and, in collaboration with Little Roy, a veteran singer and legendary performer from reggae’s golden age of the 60’s and 70’s. Here, they have transformed and re-worked ten Nirvana tracks in a beautifully refreshing reggae style.

When covering songs from a band as respected and loved as Nirvana, there is always a danger that it will be met with hostility from the band’s fans; however, even the most fervent Nirvana fans, or indeed, rock fans will find it impossible not to be captivated by Little Roy’s take.

What is immediately striking about the record is the contrast between the angry loathing of Kurt Cobain’s lyrics coupled with the joyful, hook filled reggae arrangements and the sweet lilting sound of Little Roy’s voice. Nirvana were always an intensely melodic rock group and those melodies are brought out beautifully in the arrangements heard here; trumpets, horns, organs, choppy guitar and dubby bass all come together to wonderful affect.

‘Come As You Are’ sees that familiar guitar riff replaced by a ghostly organ and the solo is a mournful lone trumpet rather than a raging guitar. It all makes for a deeply beguiling sound, at times the songs even sound incongruously celebratory - for example, in the joyful horn filled exuberance of ’Lithium’.

‘Battle For Seattle’ is no mere compilation of Nirvana’s greatest hits - some of the albums highlights are album tracks and b-sides. ‘In Utero’’s ‘Very Ape’ features a rather strange, haunting, middle eastern sounding organ motif and is slowed right down compared to the original. A lovely lovers rock style take on ‘Son Of A Gun’ is perhaps the highlight of the whole album. It is these innovative takes on rather more obscure Nirvana tracks that give the album its unique quality; at no point does it degenerate into a lightweight novelty record.

A covers album is usually a sign of a dearth of musical ideas, but on ‘Battle For Seattle’ Prince Fatty and Little Roy have created an album that is bursting with ideas and unique takes on a cannon of classic rock songs from one of rock’s legendary bands. This is an album that can be enjoyed equally by both reggae enthusiasts and die hard rock fans.