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viewing 1 To 25 of 58 items
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LP
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GREL 039LP
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Reissue, originally released in 1982. "R&B has long been a major influence on reggae (just as it influenced ska and, before that, mento). In the early 1980s, different reggae artists were being influenced by different types of R&B -- some were getting into slick, keyboard-driven urban contemporary sounds, while others maintained their devotion to 1960s and 1970s soul. On 1982's Big Ship, Freddie McGregor's love of African-American soul music comes through loud and clear -- even though many of the more Rastafarian-oriented lyrics are very much a product of the Jamaican experience. True to form, the singer provides a variety of political and apolitical songs. While gems like 'Holy Mount Zion' and 'Get United' underscore his political/spiritual beliefs as a Rastafarian, McGregor favors more of a lovers rock approach on 'Let Me Be the One,' 'Stop Loving You,' and 'Sweet Lady.' In reggae circles, the term lovers rock refers to reggae that chooses romantic themes over social or political topics -- essentially, it is the reggae equivalent of romantic R&B. And any soul lover who has spent a lot of time savoring the romantic sweet soul of the Delfonics or Brenton Wood should have no problem getting into the lovers rock on this album. For that matter, McGregor's more sociopolitical songs have just as much classic soul appeal..." --AllMusic
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12"
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GRED 854EP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 2014. 45rpm.
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GREL 016LP
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2022 repress. 2013 reissue. Originally released in 1980. "Ranking Joe a.k.a. Little Joe (born Joseph Jackson, 1 July 1959, Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae deejay who rose to prominence in the 1970s and had continuing success in the 1980s. His big break in international terms came in 1980, when the Ray Symbolic Hi Fi sound system, with which he was then the resident deejay, toured the United Kingdom, raising his profile and helping his Weakheart Fadeaway become a major seller for Greensleeves Records."
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GREL 045LP
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2022 repress. 2012 reissue. Originally released in 1982. "Featuring the excellent backing of the Roots Radics band, Don Carlos' Day to Day Living includes ten self-penned, sophisticated roots-reggae cuts. With his slightly hoarse yet sweet vocals, Carlos takes on his usual topical mix of spiritual/Rastafarian themes, ghetto life, and dancehall culture, showing the kind of lovers rock and roots lyric blend also favored by contemporaries like Gregory Isaacs and Dennis Brown. Musically, Carlos alternates between the dimly lit, minimalist drum'n'bass backdrops on 'Street Life' and 'Hog and Goat,' and sunnier, bubbly organ and horn-driven cuts like 'Hey Mr. Babylon' and 'English Woman,' with the updated rock-steady cut 'I'm Not Crazy' standing out in particular. While producer Henry 'Junjo' Lawes (Barrington Levy, Eek-A-Mouse) supplies the album's rugged but slick backdrop, Scientist delivers a spacious, dub-tinged mix. Special mention should also be made of Winston Wright's tasty organ work throughout the set, and 'Flabba' Holt and 'Style' Scott's rock-solid rhythmic support. As is the case with his Harvest Time record, Day to Day Living includes some of the best music Carlos released in the '80s." --AllMusic
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12"
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GRED 852EP
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2022 repress. 2012 reissue. Originally released in 1978. Includes dub. 45rpm.
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GREL 066LP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 1984. "Carlton Livingston (born 1962) is a Jamaican reggae vocalist, known for his 1984 hit '100 Weight of Collie Weed'. He has recorded with producers including Coxone Dodd, Winston Riley, Sly& Robbie, Clive Jarrett, and King Jammy."
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12"
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GRED 026EP
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2022 repress. 2020 reissue. Originally released in 1979. 45rpm.
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GREL 051LP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 1983. "The follow-up to Linval Thompson's classic 1982 album, Look How Me Sexy, Baby Father arrived the following year, and was equally masterful. Both sets were self-produced at Channel One studio, with Anthony Hamilton at the mixing board, and the Roots Radics at their finest. However, the latter album also boasted saxophonist Dean Fraser and trombonist Ronald 'Nambo' Robinson, and their inclusion in the line-up seems to have pushed Thompson to even greater emotional heights. In general, the singer had a gentle vocal style, although he imbued it with absolute conviction, leaving no doubt that when he cried 'really and truly' -- his dancehall catch phrase at the time, he absolutely meant every word he was singing. This was as true on Thompson's romantic numbers as on his cultural ones. Baby Father was stuffed with gorgeous love and lovelorn numbers, and each one was a stunner. The disappointment that fills 'She Gone,' the emotional power of 'Yes I'm Coming,' the beauty of 'Love Me Forever,' all are fabulous and enhanced by the Radics' own melody-strewn performances across a stream of resurrected musical gems, which keyboardist Wycliffe 'Steely' Johnson infuses with a pure Studio One sound. The cultural numbers are just as strong, and songs like 'Run Down Vanity' and 'Poor Man' are classics, but even more potent were 'Shouldn't Lift Your Hand,' and the title track, which tackles domestic violence and addresses irresponsible young men respectively. To this day, Thompson's reputation as a producer far outweighs the respect he garnered as a singer. This masterpiece again proves those comparison are unfair, and his dramatic dancehall productions here, of especial note 'Tell Me the Right Time,' are equaled by his excellent, intelligent lyrics and forthright performances throughout this set." --AllMusic
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GREL 091LP
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2022 repress. 2013 reissue. Originally released in 1986. "One-hit wonders are no more unusual in reggae than in any other genre of popular music, but rarely has a reggae artist made such a huge splash with a single and then failed so utterly to follow it up with anything notable as Wayne Smith did with his classic 'Under Me Sleng Teng.' Built on a pre-set drum track and bassline that he and a friend had discovered on a cheap Casio keyboard in 1985, the 'Sleng Teng' rhythm ushered in the 'digital' age of dancehall reggae, made producer Prince Jammy's fortune, and changed the face of reggae music forever; the rhythm was popular enough to spawn literally hundreds of versions and imitations, and it continues to be used as a standard backing track for reggae deejays more than twenty years after its original release. Unfortunately, and perhaps inevitably, the rest of the album fails to maintain the momentum of the single; 'Icky All Over' continues the horticultural theme to the accompaniment of a much less compelling digital rhythm, and 'E20' develops a mild sufferer's theme over a bland approximation of the 'Sleng Teng' rhythm. 'Walk Like Granny' and 'Hard to Believe' bring the energy level up significantly, thanks largely to a fine Cleveland 'Clevie' Browne and Wycliffe 'Steely' Johnson rhythm in the latter case, but overall the rest of the album is pleasant but unremarkable. Recommended overall as an essential document in reggae history." --AllMusic
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GREL 2026LP
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2022 repress. Minimalistic/classic early dub LP by Joe Gibbs, first released on Joe Gibbs Record Globe label in Jamaica, 1973. Originally recorded at Randy's (Kingston, JA). Gets compared to "Black Board Jungle" and "Aquarius Dub", etc.
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GREL 021LP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 1981. "Talk about a triple threat: first you have the (by this point well-established and effortlessly professional) Wailing Souls, one of the greatest of the cultural harmony groups; then you have the Roots Radics, the studio band that almost single-handedly defined the new dancehall reggae sound in the early '80s; and to make everything perfect, you have the unassailable team of producer Henry 'Junjo' Lawes (who can claim equal status with the Roots Radics as a dancehall pioneer) and engineer Hopeton 'Scientist' Brown. The result is 1991's Firehouse Rock, one of the finest reggae albums of all time; one which combines the Wailing Souls top-notch songwriting and harmony singing with the absolute best in studio accompaniment -- there may never be another reggae band with a sound as rock-ribbed as that of the Roots Radics. Each track is a highlight in its own way, but pay particular attention to the title track, the gently rolling 'Who Lives It,' and the smoky, apocalyptic 'Kingdom Rise Kingdom Fall.'" --AllMusic
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GREL 028LP
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2022 repress. 2012 reissue. Originally released in 1982. "Wayne Jarrett seems to have drifted in and out of the reggae spotlight like a late-night ghost, tracking the timeless 'Satta Dread' with Bunny Lee in 1976, then vanishing until he turned up to record the album Chip In with producer Henry 'Junjo' Lawes in Kingston in 1982; later in the year he showed up in New York to put down six classic sides for Lloyd 'Bullwackie' Barnes' Wackies label which, along with the dubs, made up the Showcase, Vol. 1 LP. Then Jarrett, like a wisp of ganja smoke, was gone again, and rumors persist that he is now living in Connecticut, in New York, in Miami, or perhaps he's back in Kingston. Mysterious as these comings and goings are, Jarrett has managed to produce two marvelous roots albums, both of which feature his disarming, Horace Andy-like tenor vocals. His quavering delivery, which first appears to be a stylistic affectation, quickly becomes endearing, and on this set . . . listeners have what has to be called a lost reggae classic. Recorded at Channel One over some gorgeous Roots Radics rhythms and mixed by Scientist at King Tubby's in Kingston, Chip In was cut just as the roots influence of the 1970s was waning and the onset of dancehall was beginning to engulf Jamaica, and it is the perfect transitional set because of it, full of a dreamy, druggy flow, but still somehow fresh and sparse and perfectly nuanced and balanced as Jarrett's intimate phrasing floats in and out of the mix. It isn't a flashy album, and it isn't insistent or strident, but has all the feel of an unforced conversation with a close friend, unwinding with the sharp yet gauzy clarity of a perfectly recalled memory." --AllMusic
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GREL 034LP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 1982, reissue in 2007. "DJ Captain Sinbad is better known -- and even then, not that well known -- as producer Carl Dwyer, the man who helped dancehall vocalists like Little John and Peter Metro launch their careers. As singing pirate Sinbad, his output is scant, adding up to two-and-a-half known albums and one of those is basically a compilation of tracks he recorded for Dillinger's Oak label. Dillinger is an obvious, heavy influence on Sinbad as he drops slang in that effervescent manner his former label boss was known for. The way he tells the tale of his favorite boxer on 'Sugar Ray' instantly puts a smile on your face and even if 'All Over Me' uses the same riddim as Yellowman's 'Mad Over Me' and does essentially the same thing with it, Sinbad's take is still a rollicking good time. The conscious numbers are less satisfying yet serviceable, and even if the album doesn't live up to its artwork, well really, how could it? In the grand scheme of things, Captain Sinbad will only appeal to the hardcore reggae fan who will no doubt appreciate the hard work Greensleeves has put into their reissue of this fringe release. Henry 'Junjo' Lawes handles the production instead of Dwyer while Scientist does the mixing, while Roots Radics play the tunes." --AllMusic
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2LP
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GREL 2103LP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 1980, 2016 reissue. Dub classic. Remastered with bonus disc of original vocal cuts. Includes giant cover poster.
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GREL 170LP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 1983, 2017 reissue. "Originally released in 1983 on his own Rockers imprint, Augustus Pablo's King David's Melody collects singles from the years 1975-1982. The liner notes do a good job of pointing out that most of the tracks are considered instrumentals instead of dubs, which only means Pablo's more responsible for the melodies and structures of the songs than usual. The serene, relaxed, and otherworldly feelings of Pablo's dub material is well represented, and to a lesser extent, the trippy twists and turns, but they are more modest and mostly on the bonus tracks. The inspiration for the overall positive and supremely spiritual feel to the collection is right in the title. Rastafarian Pablo is referencing spiritual leader Haile Selassie's claim to be descended from King David, a king of ancient Israel who could sooth the soul with his flute and harp. Pablo does the same here with his melodica and occasional keyboards. The easy-rolling title track, the coolly cheerful 'Mr. Bassie,' and the airy 'Cornerstone Dub' all support the original compilation's King David-by-way-of-Selassie inspiration, but Shanachie's bonus tracks -- as interesting as they are -- only relate to Pablo's original intentions for the collection in that they were singles. 'Hot Milk' is a thin number that finds Pablo messing with a tinny synth and a primitive drum machine, while 'Freedom Step,' 'Israel Dub,' and the 'Mr. Bassie' rework titled 'Jah Strength Ital Step' feel a bit thicker and darker than the rest of the album. None of this ruins the collection by any means, but listeners should do themselves a favor and try the 1983 sequence of the album for a tighter, more focused listen. CD players make it easy, and with the majority of these instrumentals being hard or near impossible to obtain otherwise, Shanachie's reissue of King David's Melody is welcome, tinkering and all."
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GREL 157LP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 1988, 2020 reissue. A dub companion to Junior Delgado's successful One Step More album. Recorded at Channel One.
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GREL 094LP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 1978, reissued in 1986. "The teenaged Hugh Mundell cut Africa Must Be Free by 1983 under the tutelage of the legendary producer Augustus Pablo in the mid-'70s, and had a Jamaican hit with the title track. Mundell's artlessly fervent singing is attractive far out of proportion to his technical skill. It's the sincerity and devotion in his voice that make successes of songs like 'Let's All Unite' and 'My Mind' -- that and the rock-solid instrumental backing of Pablo's studio band, which at this time included bassist and trombonist Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace and guitarists Earl 'Chinna' Smith and Jeffrey Chung. The CD issue of this album includes dub versions of six of the original album's eight tracks, as well as several other miscellaneous dub tracks. Like too many of Jamaica's best reggae musicians, Mundell died young -- in an almost creepy irony (given the title of his hit song), he was shot and killed in 1983 at the age of 21."
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GREL 166LP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 1992. "There are those who argue that all reggae sounds the same, and that roots reggae, in particular, consists entirely of minor variations on a very small set of musical (and, Jah knows, lyrical) themes. Reggae aficionados will agree, to a point (though they may point out that the same can be said of Baroque music, big-band jazz, and bluegrass). But push the point too far and you run the risk of having an album like this one brought out and played for you from beginning to end. Who Say Jah No Dread consists of songs Jacob Miller recorded with legendary producer Augustus Pablo, and the dub versions of those tunes, all of which were mixed by King Tubby; talk about a triple threat. This album is one of a few hard, compact gems of roots reggae, a classic so inarguable that even the most intransigent reggae skeptic might be won over by its dark, mystical charms. All of the rhythm tracks on this album have become classics, none more deservedly than the one on which 'Baby I Love You So' is based, which also forms the basis of 'King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown,' a dub version generally considered to be the finest example of dub ever created. Amazingly, every track lives up to that high standard. If your reggae collection consists of only five titles, this should be one of them."
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2LP
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GREL 2108LP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 1982. Greensleeves dub classic. Remastered with bonus disc of original vocal cuts. Features The Roots Radics, Dennis Brown, Eek-A-Mouse, The Viceroys, and The Meditations. Mixed by Scientist, Soldgie. Recorded At: Channel One Recording Studio. Mixed At: Channel One and King Tubby's Studio. Includes 24" by 24" color poster of the front cover.
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GREL 062LP
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2022 repress. Reissue, originally released in 1984. Roots reggae.
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GREL 027LP
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2022 repress. Reissue, originally released in 1981. "Originally issued on LP in 1981, this is a long-overlooked classic of late roots reggae featuring a very good singer backed by one of the best studio bands of all time -- the mighty Roots Radics -- and mixed by the young dubmaster Scientist at King Tubby's studio. Like many of his colleagues, Michael Prophet had vocal skill that far outstripped his lyrical originality; even in a genre with a high tolerance for cliché, songs like 'Hold on to What You Got' and 'Love and Unity' come across on this album as unusually hackneyed. But the heavyweight rhythm section of drummer Style Scott and bassist Flabba Holt give the songs all the ballast they need, and in a couple of cases (notably 'Hold on to What You Got'), Scientist makes the wise choice of dropping Prophet's vocal out early on in the song and filling the remaining space with expert dubwise effects. But on most tracks the balance between vocal quality, lyrical invention, and elephantine beats is perfect. Highlights include the brilliant (and chart-topping, at the time) 'Gunman,' the incisive 'Guide and Protect You' (which features one of the album's wickedest basslines) and the equally fine 'Upside Down.' The four 12' remixes that fill out the end of the program are a very nice bonus, though it's too bad the songs' dubwise extensions don't include any scraps of vocal." --Allmusic
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LP
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GREL 002LP
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2022 repress. Reissue, originally released in 1978. "What Studio One was to Jamaica's up-and-coming singers, Stur-Gav Hi-Fi Sound System was to its toasters, a finishing school for DJs. Founded by U-Roy, its first graduates were Jah Screw and the newly promoted to Ranking Little Joe. Weakheart Fadeaway, released in Jamaica in 1978, bundled up ten of Ranking Joe's recent recordings from Channel One, with Jo Jo Hookim taking the production credit. The Revolutionaries provided the riddims, and a stellar bunch they were, for why would the DJ deign to ride anything less? Back then, his live performances were the stuff of legend, and 'Rock Pon the Rock' captures the excitement Joe engendered, as he pays tribute to the 'Rockfort Rock' riddim he's riding with such aplomb. 'Dub Sister Dub It' is a rub-a-dub big-up to the dance, cut on a version of the Wailing Souls' 'Joy Within Your Heart.' But Ranking Joe was equally capable of delivering powerful cultural numbers, like the powerful 'A Dread Earthquake,' a version of 'He Prayed,' and the potent title track, a major hit cut on the 'Fade Away' riddim. On 'Milkman Coming,' the DJ expounds on Rastafarian practices, while 'Natty Dread a Trademan' is a strong riposte to the 'Rastas are all loafers' slander. 'Honest Living' further elaborates on the latter's point, while exploring the difficulties involved. 'Living' is a slice-of-life look at the working class, and 'Natty the Collie Smoker' hangs out with the chalice puffers. And then there's 'Queen Tell,' which transforms Cornel Campbell's romantic classic 'Queen of the Minstrels' into a telling tale of a Jezebel. The riddims and production are superb and Ranking Joe is at his headiest heights. Of course, the DJ unleashed many more hits in the aftermath of this set, yet few of his full-lengths would reach this level of overall quality." --AllMusic
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GS 5200LP
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2022 repress. Originally released in 2011. "In an uncharacteristically focused mix, Diplo digs into the early-1980s period when roots reggae was transforming into dancehall." --Pitchfork
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LP
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GREL 020LP
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2022 repress. Reissue, originally released in 1981 "Ranking Toyan was already an established hitmaker by the time he linked up with producer Henry 'Junjo' Lawes in 1981. Leaping from the sound systems to the studio, the DJ cut a string of popular singles initially for Don Mais and the Hoo Kim brothers, and by the end of '70s and early '80s many more producers as well. Meanwhile, Lawes was swiftly toppling the competition and setting himself up as the premier producer on the island, powered by the phenomenal riddims laid down by his studio band the Roots Radics. However, Lawes handled Toyan's album a bit differently than usual, though, allowing the tracks to bleed straight into each other, thus evoking the feel of a live sound system set. But that was after the fact, and thus doesn't explain the DJ's ferocious performances within, overall his best work from the period. It may be simply due to his excitement at working with Lawes or the sizzling riddims he was handed. These include Johnny Osbourne's 'Ice Cream Loves' ('Children Children'), the Wailing Souls' 'Bandits Taking Over' ('Capital Offence') and Michael Prophet's 'Gunman' (the title track). The latter, an homage to the western, was initially released on 45, its popularity inevitably led to this full-length, with most everything included of similar high standards. And whether commentating on the boxing match between Dread and Baldhead on 'Big Showdown,' paying his respects to the late General Echo on 'Tribute Entertainer,' urging revolution on 'Capital Offence,' pushing the 'Pope in a Di Corner,' or even spouting nursery rhymes 'Children Children,' Toyan delivered the goods every time. Detractors found the DJ's style too derivative, but on this set its allure, especially live, was obvious, and Toyan played his part in insuring that 'Reggae Gone International.' The CD reissue appends a clutch more period cuts to the set, adding further value for money. Toyan never quite reached top-ranking status, regardless of his moniker, but How the West Was Won finds him at the top of his game regardless." --AllMusic
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GREL 044LP
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2022 repress. Reissue, originally released in 1982. "Although Yellowman's first records exploded on the international reggae scene with all the unexpected force of an IED, of course the DJ's reputation and huge following were already in place in the Jamaican sound systems. There, he often performed with fellow toaster Fathead, and inevitably the producers wanted to capture their magic together on vinyl. While Fathead would never approach the same heights as Yellowman, he definitely had talent, and initially, at least, didn't resent his toasting partner's success, happy to be relegated to a supporting role, and to make great use of the space Yellowman left him to work with. Thus this early album, Bad Boy Skanking, cut in the first year of both men's recording careers, beautifully captures the duo's easygoing relationship, built on familiarity and mutual respect, hinting at just how much time they must have spent together in the sound systems. Of course it helps that the pair were handed some of Henry 'Junjo' Lawes hottest riddims, all flawlessly laid down by the High Times Players. Each provided the dueling duo with a superb backdrop to showcase their skills. Thematically, the tracks cover a wide range of concerns, from poverty ('I Can't Stand It'), to spiralling inflation ('Crying for Love'), religion ('Give Jah Thanks,') love ('Love Fat Thing'), and the excitement of dancing girls ('Pon-Wee-Line'). 'Come When I Call You' gives Yellowman the opportunity to throw his weight around with women, but it's Fathead's poignant recollections of rejection that really hit home. Whether urging the rudies onto the dancefloor (the title track), or boasting about their prowess on the mic and in the bedroom, as on 'Bam Bam,' the pair's sharp observations, exquisite timing, wit, and rhymes are unbeatable. There isn't a less than stellar track on this set, which is why it was such a huge hit in its day, and this classic album hasn't lost any of its edge in the intervening years."
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