Guaranteed to drive the purists around the bend, this budget-priced box set skimps on the packaging, but does make up for it with 50 tracks spread across three CDs. As the cynical have learned to expect, although advertised as a ska compilation, it does indeed stray repeatedly into rocksteady. Once upon a time, Trojan knew the difference, but apparently no longer. Admittedly though, it is classic rocksteady --
the Paragons,
the Tamlins, the Valentines, with their sensational "Blam Blam Fever," and a clutch of other sublime vocal groups -- but let's get back to the ska. And here's the bit that will really infuriate collectors: Trojan has trawled through their archives and come up with enough gems to make listeners grit their teeth and buy this set regardless of the genre faux pas. Forget the bundle of big hits like "Get Up Edina" and "Carry Go Bring Come," it's tracks like
Lord Tanamo's "I'm in the Mood for Ska" and
Chuck & Dobby's "I Don't Need Your Love" that will make listeners drool. There's a host of steaming instrumentals from
Baba Brooks, sundry
Skatalites, and other equally talented players; sizzling duets from the likes of
Lloyd & Glen, the battling
Stranger & Patsy,
Winston & George, and
Clive & Naomi; and seminal offerings from Eric Morris,
Derrick Morgan,
Stranger Cole, a stunner from
the Techniques, and a pair of gems from
the Ethiopians. So, two-and-a-half hours of phenomenal music -- with that, one can put up with the occasional non-ska track.
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Jo-Ann Greene, Rovi