"Poor imitation of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Huh?!?The Skatalites *started* ska. You didn't think it came from the US did you? This album was recorded in 60's Jamaica, you can't expect crystal clear sound. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones aren't fit to lick the stage these guys played on. Third wave 'ska' is almost all garbage. There are four kinds of ska: 1. Traditional aka 'first wave' (60's Jamaica) (ex. Skatalites, Desmond Dekker, Toots & The Maytals).2. Rocksteady (late 60's Jamaican music with a tempo between the Skatalites and reggae) (ex. Phylis Dillon, Alton Ellis, Ken Booth, The Gaylads, The Paragons, Jackie Mittoo and Tommy McCook after the Skatalites broke up). 3. 'Two-Tone' aka 'second wave' (early 80's British ska revival) (ex. English Beat, Bad Manners, Madness, The Specials, Selector), 4. Neo-trad (90's traditional style) (ex. Jazz Jamaica, The Slackers, Hepcat, The Toasters, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra)No Doubt is pop, only famous because their singer's a hot chick. The Bosstones are even worse, basically Green Day with a horn section."
Overall great, but could use more of the original hits
Michael Day | 01/22/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This 2 disc set is well worth the amount anyone pays for it. Although I am a lil' bummed that the band's bigger hits aren't included (Guns, Phoenix City...) this is a truly great collection of their stuff. Some of the collection's biggest standouts occur when this super group backs super vocalists such as The Wailers on "Simmer Down", Stranger Cole and Ken Boothe on "World's Fair" and Jackie Opel's "Old Rocking Chair" which also features a great solo from Jamaican guitar legend Ernest Ranglan. The album also incldues a great set of liner notes describing the history of the band and the songs included."
Musical Scorcher!
Michael Day | 07/22/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the definitve Skatalites collection that I was looking for when I was a kid! These are some of the hardest and best recorded Skatalites tracks in existence. It's all here - Lloyd Knibs & Drumbago whacking the hell out of their kits with rimshots like firecrackers; Ernest Ranglin matching the whole massed horn section lick for lick; edgy, lyrical solos from Roland Alphonso and Tommy McCook; Lloyd Brevett's nimble explosive-propulsive double bass; Jackie Mitoo's crucial piano; and, of course, Don Drummond's trombone like a Dread clarion over the whole glorius racket. This is the real thing, the orignal, and still the best.(I just wish they had included their original recording of the "James Bond Theme" the version on "Ball of Fire" is nowhere near as intense as the original!)"
Ska-tastic...
John P. Morgan | Beautiful San Dimas, CA | 09/01/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I caught a whiff of this great music late at night on the left side of the dial where the public sponsored stations all hang out in a small, little huddle trying to remain fiercely independent. Most of these stations play incredible music of all types and this was one of the records the midnight DJ spun....
Oh, man...this is great stuff. I've always liked ska music, mostly English Beat and General Public, but that music almost sounds contrived compared to the "real thing"...
This music has a jumpy, happy beat...I mean, if you can make the song "Exodus" into something you want to dance to, you're onto something.
I have very eclectic tastes ranging from the conventional to the obscure. To me, music has the obligation to move the soul. If the soul is happy then the feet will be happy and if the feet are happy the hips will be happy until pretty soon your happy soul will unite with your happy body and you have what we call dancing and as Nietzche said in one of his essays, "I can only believe in a God that dances..."
Well, God does dance, friends, so let the spirit/the soul within you come out to play and buy this fantastic collection. It's a little pricey for something that's over 40 years old, but it still beats a lot of the stuff that's currently "out there"."
Not the best collection, but nonetheless great
John P. Morgan | 01/30/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I've got several problems with coxsone's selections for foundation ska. He somehow neglected to include such staples as "Guns of navarrone" and "Phoenix City." Moreover, because Heartbeat records deals only with Coxsone dodd, you don't get any of those justin yap - produced gems like Confucius et al. Still, for the dedicated skatalite fan, this is a must-have."