60s Hits Reggae Style (Original Trogan And Creole Recordings) - Various Artists

Advantages: Excellent covers of some old reggae standrads
Disadvantages: Sometimes a bit too slick

...and professionalism to Labour Of Love. The original Jamaican reggae artists of the 1960s were usually poor and often recorded their songs on old second hand recording equipment handed on from the US. They also had very limited time available in the recording studios so the songs were often recorded in one take and were little better than demo tracks. What they lacked in production excellence they more than made up for in the immediacy and the urgency of the presentation. So where the old originals will regularly feature bum notes and missed intros the remakes by UB40 are clean and slick. The album opens with the Eric Donaldson song Cherry Oh Baby which UB40 released as a single. The original features a much starker wailing section than UB40s but the song is a simple love song typical of early reggae before it gained its sociological credentials. Keep... Read review

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Advantages: Old favourites remixed as "urban duets"
Disadvantages: Not for the purists; this isn't real reggae

...patois. God knows what he's saying, but it brings a bit of much-needed authenticity to proceedings. ---LIKE THIS? TRY THESE!--- Artist: Sean Paul Album: Dutty Rock Year: 2003 Why: A modern reggae face who successfully uses RnB influences Artist: Bob Marley Album: Legend Year: 1984 Why: Marley's better known tracks in their original form Artist: Lauryn Hill Album: The Miseducation Of... Year: 1998 Why: The mother of Marley's grandchild weighs in with some thoughtful soul Artist: Various Album: Reggae Is King Year: 2001 Why: Indispensible collection of 12 reggae classics from 1975 - 1982. Artist: Various Album: Trojan Bob Marley Box Set Year: 1999 Why: Early Marley tracks with rare stuff from The Wailers and even his wife, Rita ---OVERALL--- I love 60's and 70's reggae. I also love 90's soul and rap. But the two make surprisingly... Read review

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Advantages: some classic reggae tracks including Rivers of babylon
Disadvantages: 2 tracks are repeated

...shantytown low-life gangster (played by Jimmy Cliff) and his Robin Hood style journey from disaster to tragedy in the Jamaican slums. It was, and is, a brilliantly engaging film to which the Brazilian film 'City of God' owes not a little of its style and atmosphere. The soundtrack, as well as complimenting the atmosphere of the film, in its compilation nicely represents that form of pre-Marley reggae known as Rock-Steady. Together with Ska, Rock-Steady came directly from Calypso and retained some of its 'jauntiness' while still being able to be sometimes dark and mournful. Half the tracks on the CD are performed by Jimmy Cliff himself, as is the first: *1-You Can Get It If You Really Want* Well known track that hit the mainstream charts. Up tempo reggae. *2-Draw Your Brakes* Sung by 'Scotty', a popular Jamaican DJ in the 60's and 70's. He... Read review

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