Earl Zero

Title: Righteous Works/Heart's Desire
Label: Wax Poetics
Genre: Reggae
Format: 12" Vinyl

A construction job can lead to anything. In Kingston 13, Jamaica, "anything" might include a studio session, if you happen to have the right boss. "I knew my boss had an ear for music," explained Earl Zero, then just twenty-two years old. "One day, I started to sing the first lyrics to 'Righteous Works.' That night he asked me to sing it for him again, and I did. I convinced him to get some studio time, so we went to Channel One and recorded it." Thus spawned the recording career of one of reggae's most prolific vocalists. Now, nearly thirty years later, Wax Poetics Records is proud to reissue two of Zero's most popular recordings, "Righteous Works" and "Hearts Desire," both presented in discomix fashion, achieved by blending a psychedelic dub version seamlessly with the vocal. The single, "Righteous Works," is drenched in Rasta consciousness and rife with social commentary. "Heart's Desire," recorded with producer Alan "Jah Wally" Campbell, is a softer, more melodic compliment to the roots-heavy fare on the A-side. This vinyl-only release is the third release by Wax Poetics Records, who, like their sister publication, is fast becoming the authority on music's unsung heroes. This limited edition 12-inch comes with newly designed cover art, inspired by the simple yet iconic graphic design of reggae's past. In order to complement this historical pair of tunes, we include liner notes by Wax Poetics contributor Seb Carayol, who interviewed Earl Zero for the occasion.

Side A
1. Righteous Works

Side B
1. Heart's Desire