A cover of the Gene Chandler.
Excellent, sombre version of The Temptations’ civil rights smash.
Same tune both sides.
Upsetters magic from the Black Ark, circa 1976. The story goes that only thirty copies were pressed, back in the day.
Limber bubblers, with some nice, moody vibes-playing, and chewy reasoning from Carlton Lafters, in a Tenor Saw style and fashion.
The long-awaited reissue of Deadly’s 1982 solo LP.
This great saxophonist played with everyone from The Abyssinians through Prince Far-I to Bob Marley. Designed as a showcase record for his unique talents, producer Adrian Sherwood assembled a crack team of his singers and players at the time for this set, including Style Scott, Bim Sherman, George Oban, Lizard Logan, Crucial Tony and Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah. Also dropping by is Headley’s fellow Alpha-alumnus Rico Rodriguez.
The CD includes two previously unreleased recordings.
Studio One activist Sugar Minott’s favourite LP of all time.
A stone-classic mixture of foundational rhythms, peerless rocksteady lovers, and songs with the political concerns of the roots reggae to come.
Killer after killer. An absolute must.
Herman Sang (from the Jiving Juniors) was at Brentford Road from the start, in the late-1950s.
This is wistful organ-combo r&b — pre-ska — with some sweet calypso jazz on the flip.
Tough UK digi. Shaka-business from the Waan You veteran, who came through with Light Of Saba in the seventies, and sparred in Ijahman Levi’s breakthrough. Aka Kick The Hobbit because of a typo on the original label.
Stalag excursion.
His first run-out on the rhythm he later cut for Chopper — another Digikiller reissue.
Characteristically melancholic, wise, masterful singing.
With a bumptious, flirtatious Valentines.
Bringing together two Cry Tuff sevens from 1976. (Gimme Gimmie is the same heavyweight rhythm as Prince Far I’s Zion Call, aka Concrete Column.)
Sombre Shaka weapon, with Junjo and the Roots Radics, from the same early-eighties sessions as Police In Helicopter.
Irresistible 1950s mento — singalong tunes, ebulliently performed, over-spilling with scandal, smut and impudence, sex, dancing and booze, word-play, jokes and up-to-the minute social commentary, and general love for life.