Artist: Augustus Pablo Album: Heartical Chart

Year: 1994
Duration: 49:13

title: Reviewing Augustus Pablo's Heartical Chart: A Classic Reggae Journey

Reggae music, despite its popularity across the globe, has been underrepresented in mainstream media. However, for the real fans that enjoy digging deep into the genre's history, Augustus Pablo is a name that surfaces time and again. The Jamaican multi-instrumentalist, producer, and innovator is known for pioneering the use of the melodica, a hitherto minor instrument, in reggae music. In this post, we'll take a of Pablo's Heartical Chart album, which is widely considered to be one of his best works.
Augustus Pablo's music style is a unique blend of reggae, dub, and jazz music elements. With each song, there is an inclusion of different musical instruments alongside a diversified lyrical sense. His willingness to experiment with different instruments and sounds has brought him to the fore of the genre, with his works enduring to this day.
Heartical Chart, with undoubted artistry, showcases Pablo's diverse influences. The album opens with Rockers Rock, a classic reggae sound that communicates with its groovy bassline and the familiar drums that are intricate in nature. The track sets the tone for the rest of the album, which is much more relaxed, unlike most reggae music that can quickly become confrontational and rebellious.
In King Tubby Meets The Rockers, Pablo and producer King Tubby stole the show with the use of a bubbly bassline that rhymed perfectly with the rest of the instruments. The track's overall melody is a treat, and Pablo's piano and melodica playing adds to its inventiveness. One of the album's highlights has to be Jah Dread, which draws inspiration from Jamaican Rasta culture. The track features a haunting intro and steady melodica rhythms, and Pablo's addition of the bongo drums creates an immersive listening experience.
Pablo's background in jazz is most audible in Sativa Dub, where he goes for a more stripped-down sound with a muted trumpet that only plays a few notes. The presence of a bass guitar that plucks out a simple melody gives the song a perfect base. Similarly, in Chant To King Selassie I, he mainly uses the melodica and the guitar. The guitar solo at the song's halfway point provides an excellent change of pace and signals the song's transformation.
In terms of the critical aspect of the album, a couple of tracks have a lack of diversity in their sound, with a repetitive rhythm that doesn't complement most of the instruments. However, this is not a significant drawback as the whole album still maintains its usual uplifting, laid-back vibe with remarkable production quality.
In conclusion, Heartical Chart is a beautiful album that is worth your time. It marks a turning point in Augustus Pablo's musical career, with the classic reggae sound that is fused with jazz and dub elements. The album's melodies are catchy and make a listener forget their troubles. With Heartical Chart, Pablo brought reggae closer to jazz, and this laid the groundwork for other pioneers to explore the genre's possibilities. Listeners today should give Heartical Chart its due respect and appreciate the timeless genius behind it.
In conclusion, Heartical Chart is a beautiful album that is worth your time. It marks a turning point in Augustus Pablo's musical career, with the classic reggae sound that is fused with jazz and dub elements. The album's melodies are catchy and make a listener forget their troubles. With Heartical Chart, Pablo brought reggae closer to jazz, and this laid the groundwork for other pioneers to explore the genre's possibilities. Listeners today should give Heartical Chart its due respect and appreciate the timeless genius behind it.