Fat Freddy's Drop: Based on a True Story (2LP) [THE DROP]

Why you'll love it

This 2LP set comes on the band's own label, The Drop. Based on a True Story debuted at No. 1 in New Zealand, went gold on its first day, spent 10 weeks at No. 1 and won Album of the Year at the 2005 New Zealand Music Awards.

This edition

• 2LP set

About the album

Fat Freddy's Drop spent years earning a reputation the old-fashioned way, touring New Zealand year after year and building a following on a live album, singles and compilation spots before they ever sat down to make a studio record. When they finally did, in Wellington, they kept the loose, jam-born energy that made the shows famous and wrapped it in deep dub, reggae, soul and funk.

Singer Joe Dukie leads a band of horns, keys and guitar, with DJ Fitchie on the mix. "Hope" and "This Room" were earlier singles, re-recorded here in entirely new versions, while "Wandering Eye" became a hit in its own right and took Best Music Video at the 2006 New Zealand Music Awards. Ladi 6, Hollie Smith and Aaron Tokona are among the New Zealand guests, and the album runs from opener "Ernie" to the closing "Roady" without breaking its easy stride.

Listeners of Gilles Peterson's BBC Worldwide show voted it their Album of the Year for 2005. It stayed in the New Zealand charts for 108 weeks, which is roughly how long some of these grooves feel like they could go on, in the best way.

Also at Kops: more Fat Freddy's Drop on vinyl · browse Reggae & Caribbean

Tracklist

Listen

On The Drop (cat# DRP 007), the 2005 album.