Long thought to be
Linval Thompson under an assumed name,
Bunny Lion turned out to be
Killamanjaro Sound System vocalist
Puddy Roots (aka
Puddy Lion), a reggae myth laid to rest with some help from the
Fantasy Memory label. The label's 2015 reissue of
Bunny Lion's only album features an interview with
Puddy, who barely remembers
Red himself, but the artist should give it another listen as this is DJ music on a
Linval Thompson level, for sure.
Linval supplied the rhythms as executive producer and gets a shout-out during the opening high-stepper "Natty Rise and Shine," but those who want their highlights with a bit more punch should jump right to the stern "Black Man Kingdom." Oddball of the bunch is the great "Rat Trap," which comes with an intro somewhere between prog rock and spy music before
Puddy rattles off his lyrics, which are somewhere between
Lee "Scratch" Perry frivolity and a freedom fighter chant. The artist obviously preferred the latter as he became
Puddy Roots soon after these recordings, moving on to more Rasta-oriented material and leaving
Linval and the world of DJ music behind for good. ~ David Jeffries
