Rating:
Genre:
Reggae
Release Date: 10/07/2008
It's hard to believe that this compilation launched what was later revered as a legendary series. In fact, with hindsight, this debut volume was the weakest of the group, heavily weighed down by
reggaefied covers of
pop fluff. The best of this batch belongs to
George A. Penny's
"Win Your Love," but that's because even an overly percolating
reggae rhythm couldn't dent the
Sam Cooke classic.
Joy Landis delivers up a delightful
soul version of
"Kansas City," but then blots her copy book with a truly excruciating cover of
"Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da." Equally unnecessary are takes on
"Angel of the Morning" and
"A Place in the Sun." A special award goes to
the Uniques'
"Watch This Squad," a cover of the
Buffalo Springfield's anti-war classic
"Watch This Sound." Not only is it an exceedingly poor choice of a song to be
reggaefied, it also sports one of the most unsympathetic arrangements ever recorded.
The Uniques seem at a total loss and take nearly half the track to get their vocals into line. In contrast, the two instrumentals, both covers of course, are quite entertaining.
Byron Lee's
"Soul Limbo" has a real panache and flair missing from its vocal counterparts, while
Val Bennett's
"Spanish Harlem" boasts a laid-back island feel across a fine performance. But the real treasures lie elsewhere.
Derrick Morgan's
"Fat Man" is a classic, while
Lee Perry's title track is one of his best
pop offerings ever, a
singalong melody wed to a sizzling beat.
The Kingstonians'
"Mix It Up" is equally infectious, while
Brother Dan All Stars (a trio that included
Dandy Livingstone) offer up
"Donkey Returns," a slow
John Crow skank featuring a harmonica and delicious vocals. Over time, people forgot the clunkers and recalled only the classics. On this volume, however, those gems are as rare as diamonds.
~Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
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