Cymande - Second Time Around

1973 classic album reissued on translucent emerald green vinyl

In 1973, with the release of Second Time Round, Cymande solidified their place in music history. As children of the Windrush Generation, they were part of the first wave of innovators and originators of the fledgling Black British music scene.

Taking influences from their Guyanese and Jamaican roots, the band fused reggae bass lines, Afro-tinged Nyabinghi percussion, psychedelic rock touches, and American style funk instrumentation into a unique sound they dubbed as "Nyah-rock."

Recorded while the band was fresh off a US tour with Al Green, Second Time Round was the follow up to their self-titled debut and firmly planted the band in the ears of an adoring US audience. Their debut was the first U.K. soul album to land on the Billboard charts, and Second Time Round placed them back on the U.S. charts again. They were also the first British band to ever play the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem.

Reflecting on Second Time Round, Cymande bassist Steve Scipio says: "We recorded the first album from a body of work that the band had been performing live on the music circuit for some time. That body of work was also the source for some of the material for the second album. The second album was more studied. Our approach tended to be more focused on the message we wished to convey. We had cemented our sound and style during the process of recording the first album and touring the USA performing the songs, so we had a clearer vision of our musical direction."

 

Side A

Anthracite

Willies' Headache

Genevieve

Trevorgus

To You

Side B

For Baby Ooh

Fug

Crawshay

Bird

Them And Us

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