... LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking 70s work from Lee Scratch Perry – served up here with both work from The Upsetters, and a long list of "friends" – different singers who take the lead on some of the productions, which are then presented back to back with dub versions of the tracks that overflow with great contributions from a top-shelf lineup of musicians! Players on the cuts include Willie Lindo and Ernest Ranglin on guitars, Winston Wright on organ, Vin Gordon on trombone, and Richard Dirty Harry Hall on tenor – but the real talent here is clearly that of Perry, who's able to move between soulful vocal leads and some deeper, darker Black Ark sounds on the rhythms. Titles include "Mr Money Man" by Danny Hensworth, "Brother Noah" by The Shadows, "Traveling" by Debra Keese, "Ethiopian Land" by Peter & Paul Lewis, "Land Of Love" by Sons Of Light, "Peace & Love" by Shaumark & Robinson, "Freedom Street" by Eric Donaldson, "My Little Sandra" by Leo Graham, "Long Long Time" by Winston Heywood, "White Belly Rat" by Lee Perry, "A Wah Dat" by Junior Dread, and "Feelings" by Sharon Isaacs – and the set features dub versions of every cut by The Upsetters too! LP, Vinyl record album

The second US album by the team of Phillip & Lloyd – much more in the Miami soul mode than their first record, cut for the Konduko subsidiary of TK with a feel that's almost Caribbean disco! The style's still got some traces of the duo's reggae roots, but the production's also more traditionally TK – with tight Miami funk in the backings, and strings arranged by Mike Lewis. Lots of choppy groovers – and titles include "Do What You Want To Do To I", "Juke Box Lil", "Keep On Moving", "Soon You'll Be Gone", "I Gave You Love", and "I Don't Know". (Soul, Reggae) CD

Incredible! This is quite possibly the best of this legendary series of Jamaican soul, funk, and reggae tracks – and it's a masterpiece! The track selection is amazing, and the set has a bit more crackle than earlier volumes – with loads of great 70s production, including nice dubby bits, and some excellent instrumentation. Titles include "Mission Impossible" by Randy's Allstars, "Make It Reggae" by Shark Wilson & The Basement Heaters, "Rebel Soldiering" by Johnny Clarke, "Jungle Lion" by Lee Perry, "Take It Easy" by Hopeton Lewis, "Jackie's Theme" by Jackie Mittoo & Randy's Allstars, "Uptown Top Rankin" by Althea & Donna, "Cincinatti Kid" by Prince Buster, and "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy. 15 cuts in all – and all great! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic sounds from the rocksteady years in Jamaica – tracks that are a fair bit more rare and obscure than some of the bigger singles that circulated at the time – even though they feature a fair bit of the same artists and musicians! The work here all came from the studios of Federal Records – one of the first indies in Kingston, headed by the visionary Ken Khouri – who put things together and learned the process as he went – which often made for a very organic approach to the music! Khouri handled a lot of other Jamaican styles in the years before these sides – but he really seems to have hit his stride with rocksteady – coming up with a perfect balance between the new rhythms, the sharp instrumentation, and the soulful styles of the singers. Titles on this second volume include "Real Gone Sweet" by The Tartans, "Walk On By" by The Zodiacs, "We Gonna Make It" by The Termites, "Fountain Bliss" by The Dynamites, "This Music Got Soul" by Hopeton Lewis, "Batman (early take rehearsal)" by Lynn Taitt & The Jets, "I Don't Want Trouble" by Hopeton Lewis, "Rolling Rolling" by The Tartans, "Lester Sterling Special" by Lester Sterling, "Take Me Back" by Henry Buckley, and "Sounds Of Silence" by Roland Alphonso. LP, Vinyl record album