Asian Dub Foundation, 'Keep Bangin' On The Walls - Live' (Labels UK) Released 27/10/03

Back in 1998, it seemed that Asian Dub Foundation were going to be one of the most important bands in the world. 'Rafi's Revenge', the re-recorded version of their second album, was one of the best released that year by anyone - a veritable nuclear missile of a record that blew away both listeners and the competition alike. With the support of Bobby Gillespie and an earth-shatteringly loud protest song called 'Free Satpal Ram', they demonstrated that their politics were as full-on as their relentless musical assault. When an even-better follow-up arrived in the form of 2000's 'Community Music', it seemed that ADF could do no wrong, and the success of career-defining single 'Real Great Britain' propelled them into the public eye, as well as huge international success.

Since then, however, progress has stalled somewhat to say the least. Their razor-sharp, MC Master D, left sometime in 2002, leaving core production team Dr Das and Pandit G to pick up the pieces. Sadly, ADF mark two was not even vaguely on the same level as the original line-up. D's replacements, a team of dual rappers, simply don't have the power or the urgency as D's spitfire blitz, a voice that could demand the listener's attention and then shower it in stunning rhythmical ability and thoughtful polemic. Equally, where there were once M16 junglist beats, there are now live drums - perhaps a good idea in the studio, but it somehow blunts the aural assault they were once capable of. If Master D was their secret weapon, ADF's obvious strength was their innovative combination of Asian folk, dub basslines and in-yer-face hardcore jungle. Without the hardcore elements, however, the band now whimper where they once roared, and as such the result was this year's disappointing comeback 'Enemy Of The Enemy'.

And so here we come to 'Keep Bangin' On The Walls'. ADF have always been a hard-working, near-permanently touring collective, and 2003 seems to have been their busiest year yet, judging by the schedule on this album's liner notes. As a live album, this should've been a documentation of the band's no-holds-barred attack, but the changes the band have made render this a limp affair. Played next to their older material, the newer songs can't hold their own at all, and some of the older material, especially 'New Way New Life', fall at the feet of inferior delivery. Even 'Free Satpal Ram' - still as important an issue as a good tune by the way - sounds weak, and naturally, this is a great shame.

Even the best bands eventually fall by the wayside, but the loss of Asian Dub Foundation as an essential cross-cultural rock'n'roll group is one of the most tragic losses pop music has yet experienced. If they can regain their footing then we may yet see another great record from them, but until then, there's little point in their continuing existence. Let's just hope the Community Music program can produce more great acts until then. Fingers crossed.