A deadly, zonked Soul Syndicate excursion on Westbound Train, with Keith Hudson as the Fat Controller. Introducing a young LT — his first recording, he says — stylistically indebted to Dennis Brown.

Celebrated dubplate version of DEB’s Promised Land; and Earl 16 on Trial And Crosses.

A fresh, deadly combination of rocksteady with funk and British Invasion.
With a Beatles on the flip.

The Stepping Razor’s inspired melodica cut of Armagideon has the dreadest atmosphere of the lot.

Killer Osibisa do-over.
‘Trammy’ was the nickname of trombonist Ron Wilson; but this is Vin Gordon.

Soulful steppers by TL, fresh from Tubby’s Firehouse.

Soundboy vibes over a hard-driving, clattering rhythm.

Can’t bubble, can’t cook, can’t even dress properly.

Ah, yes… takes you back to 1968… and sultry Kingston nights loungin’ downtown with Madame Wasp (that’s her on the cover), to a chilled cocktail of rocksteady, calypso, pop, jazz, mood and bossa.

What a record. The studio debut of the mighty Daddy U-Roy in 1969, sparring with Val Bennett over Old Fashioned Way, both of them wigging out like a couple of beboppers, with the ghost of John Holt on the backing tape. “The studio is kinda cloudy,” reports U-Roy — and everyone sounds lit but utterly inspired. Pure vibes.
“My first tune I ever do was Dynamic Fashion Way with Keith Hudson, and then I do Earth’s Rightful Ruler for Scratch. Those tunes didn’t get very far, them sell a couple hundred.”
Cornerstone stuff. Show some respect and chuck your bootleg.

Unmissable rocksteady: a magnificent version of the Curtis; and a hard-rocking Never Let Me Go.

Copper-bottomed rocksteady do-over of Take Five, by Buster’s go-to saxophonist. The title is nicked from a comedy film directed by Norman Jewison, out a couple of years beforehand in 1966.
Plus Glen Adams having a not so shabby go at an Eddie Holman, on the flip.

Agony aunts Clifford Morrison and Dada Smith from The Bassies, with George Blake replacing Leroy Fischer, in 1969. Cornerstone moonstompers, both sides.