Various Artists:
Studio One Rocksteady:
Soul Jazz Records:
Out Now:
★★★★★★★★★☆
There's a moment during The Heptones' Party Time, the sorrow-filled intro maybe, or the minor-key verse, that has me concluding that even with a title suggesting a knees-up, reggae has a way of grounding emotion and making it sound utterly compelling, not twee, and not just about whooping it up with veins full of liqour and smoke.
And that's the ingrained theme running through Studio One Rocksteady - a celebratory blend of ska's insistent rhythms, gospel-blues and soul vocal stylings and bass-weight associated with early reggae and more often a by-product of the celebrated Treasure Isle imprint, an earlier exponent of the rocksteady style.
Here, The Heptones are clearly a favourite of the compiler Stuart Baker with two contributions - the aforementioned Party Time and the harmonious Love Won't Come Easy, are both highlights on this 18-song compilation, Soul Jazz's umpteenth in the ongoing and seemingly endless Studio One series. Even more revered is Ken Boothe whose precise sound is exemplified by a trio of high-quality steadies, the pick of which is probably When I Fall In Love.
Other treasures include early works from Wailing Souls, Alton Ellis and the under-rated master Jackie Mittoo whose exuberant Our Thing is as much a part of London's Notting Hill party faithful as it is the Caribbean's. Or certainly should be if it isn't already.
How you could fail to be moved by the wonderful standard Easy Take It Easy, here sung huskily by hit-maker Dennis Brown, or the familiar horn intro of Stars by The Eternals, is beyond comprehension.
To paraphrase a well-known advert's tag-line: Studio One didn't do much in the way of rocksteady, but when it did it was (sometimes) probably the best rocksteady in the world.
Studio One Rocksteady:
Soul Jazz Records:
Out Now:
★★★★★★★★★☆
And that's the ingrained theme running through Studio One Rocksteady - a celebratory blend of ska's insistent rhythms, gospel-blues and soul vocal stylings and bass-weight associated with early reggae and more often a by-product of the celebrated Treasure Isle imprint, an earlier exponent of the rocksteady style.
Here, The Heptones are clearly a favourite of the compiler Stuart Baker with two contributions - the aforementioned Party Time and the harmonious Love Won't Come Easy, are both highlights on this 18-song compilation, Soul Jazz's umpteenth in the ongoing and seemingly endless Studio One series. Even more revered is Ken Boothe whose precise sound is exemplified by a trio of high-quality steadies, the pick of which is probably When I Fall In Love.
Other treasures include early works from Wailing Souls, Alton Ellis and the under-rated master Jackie Mittoo whose exuberant Our Thing is as much a part of London's Notting Hill party faithful as it is the Caribbean's. Or certainly should be if it isn't already.
How you could fail to be moved by the wonderful standard Easy Take It Easy, here sung huskily by hit-maker Dennis Brown, or the familiar horn intro of Stars by The Eternals, is beyond comprehension.
To paraphrase a well-known advert's tag-line: Studio One didn't do much in the way of rocksteady, but when it did it was (sometimes) probably the best rocksteady in the world.
