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Critic's Review
Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
This is a great collection of classic ska performed by the Skatalites (generally considered the greatest of the first-wave ska bands) with various vocalists and recorded at Duke Reid's Treasure Isle studio in the mid-'60s. There are original versions of much-covered classics ("Housewife's Choice" by Derrick Morgan and Millicent "Patsy" Todd, "Penny Reel" by Eric "Monty" Morris and Baba Brooks) as well as obscure tracks by artists who would later gain worldwide fame ("The Higher the Monkey Climb," by Justin Hinds & the Dominoes, "When I Call Your Name," by Stranger & Patsy). Then there are the obscure tracks by artists who have remained obscure, sometimes deservedly (as in the case of the hapless and out-of-tune Marguerita). Throughout the album, the Skatalites provide a relentlessly high-energy and almost supernaturally tight groove; even when the tempos are relatively slow, there's a tensile power to the band's sound that makes each track special. Highly recommended. [The set was reissued in 1999 by Culture Press, with new artwork, remastering, and expanded liner notes.]
