Back Biters Riddim – Peckings

Back Biters finds Peckings in a more stripped-back, rootsy lane than some of the label’s better-known vintage-minded work, and that suits the songs here. Gappy Ranks’ “Thy Should Love Thyself” is the one that jumps out quickest, with its self-affirming lift, while Empress Ayeola’s “Rise And Shine” keeps the tone uplifted and direct. Elsewhere, Ras Sherby’s title cut leans into the warning implied by the name, and Lioness Fonts brings a sharper, almost devotional edge on “Fathers Glory. ” It’s a compact six-track set with no wasted space, and that’s part of the charm. Coming out in 2013, it sits right in that Peckings era when the crew was still digging hard into modern roots with a classic feel, but keeping the roster lean enough for each voice to land properly.