Bill Laswell - Deconstruction: The Celluloid Recordsings - Double (2) Compact Discs

Track Listing
Disc: 1
1. World Destruction [12" Single Version] - Time Zone
2. Killing Time - Massacre
3. Mean Machine [12" Single Version] - Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin,
4. Electric Africa - Manu Dibango
5. Worksong - Bill Laswell
6. Memories - Whitney Houston, Material
7. Death Rattle - Peter Brötzmann, Bill Laswell
8. Reduction - Material
9. Uprising - Bill Laswell
10. Boat Peoples - Deadline
11. For a Few Dollars More - Material
12. Get Movin' - The Last Poets
13. Busting Out - Material
Disc: 2
1. Oh My People - The Last Poets
2. Cross Examination - Fela Kuti & Africa 70,
3. Interlock - Ginger Baker
4. Harima - Mandingo
5. Locomotive - Peter Brötzmann, Bill Laswell
6. Change the Beat [12" Single Version] - Fab 5 Freddy
7. Shango Message - Shango
8. Legs - Massacre
9. My Balls/Your Chin - Last Exit
10. Square Dance - Material
11. Natalia - Touré Kunda, Kunda Touré
12. O.A.O. - Material


A more than adequate overview of Bill Laswell's work at Celluloid, where he successfully blurred the division lines between hip-hop, rap, reggae, African music, jazz, and avant-garde, this two-CD anthology includes his work as a producer as well as solo and band recordings. Laswell displays both his strengths and weaknesses (brilliant bass playing, over-reliance on some techno-toys, an ear for combinations, a tendency to lock down in one place). One of his strongest pieces, "World Destruction" (Time Zone, featuring Afrika Bambaataa and John Lydon), kicks the album off, and after that it's a true roller coaster ride that sails through various lineups of Material via Manu Dibango, Massacre, Fela Anukulapo Kuti, the Last Poets, and Ginger Baker, among others. Some listeners will explore further, which they will most likely find beneficial.