DISC ONE
1. YAKETY YAK – Lee Perry & Dave Barker. This is a cover of The Coasters hit from 1958 and features ‘Mr Double Barrel’ on vocals. This comes with a chug-along rhythm track and is not a true Reggae sound but a sound associated with many recordings on the Upsetter label. The song comes over well in this style and starts off this disc in a pleasing way. 3. (I WANT TO) THANK YOU – The Upsetters. This has a laid-back rhythm track and fine organ that is the dominant instrument. The tune goes around-and-around but nevertheless is catchy. The track can be found on the ‘Scratch The Upsetter Again’, the album being released in 1970. 6. MOVE AND GROVE – Sticky & The Upsetters. Better known as Count Sticky, here on vocal, which is a talk-over. The rhythm track comes mid-tempo and is nothing special, in fact the track is rather dull and goes nowhere. Count Sticky’s real name is Kenneth Scott and started off as a Mento singer. 8. MIDNIGHT – The Upsetters. This is a mid-tempo sound that comes pretty basic in make-up and is somewhat laid-back. Another typical Upsetter label recording that again tends to go around-and-around. This is nevertheless quite catchy in its way and comes across as a Roots Reggae sound. 11. KILL THEM ALL – Lee Perry & The Upsetters. This starts with a weird spoken intro before going into a mid-tempo chug-along sound that has one’s feet tapping. This can be found on the album ‘Return Of Django – The Best Of The Upsetters’ via Trojan Records. 13. SHOO BEE DOO EE – The Soulettes. Starting off slowly and then moves into a punchy mid-tempo sound. It is a pleasing track and for the record The Soulettes were Rita Marley, Hopeton Lewis, Nora Dean and three other singers. 17. LET IT BE – The Soulettes. Yes, you have probably guessed that this is a cover of The Beatles UK hit and it has a heavy, punchy rhythm track and some fine singing from the above-mentioned singers. This is a fine cover version and one remembers the original 75rpm recording from when receiving a copy via Trojan Records. 21. FIRE FIRE – The Upsetters. A mid-tempo instrumental sound with a catchy tune on which one hears some fine piano work. It does go around-and-around but has the ability to keep the listeners attention and it appeared on the ‘Scratch The Upsetter’ album on the Upsetter label via Trojan Records. 24. GROOVING (take 2) – The Upsetters. This is not a version of The Young Rascals UK hit but another chug-along mid-tempo sound on which the organ comes as the prominent instrument. The rhythm track is catchy and as Reggae instrumentals go it is a good one. It is good that we now have the recording on the CD format. 25. CONSIDER ME – Busty Brown. This is slower than the previous track and is a soulful number with Busty Brown performing a decent vocal. He is joined by a chorus from time-to-time, the overall sound is classic Boss Reggae.
DISC TWO
1. GROOVING (take 1) – The Upsetters. This track is nothing other than a version of track 24 and is equally as listenable as take 2. 3. THE PILLOW (take 2) – The Upsetters. This is mid-tempo and starts with a dramatic intro before it becomes a chug-along sound. The backing has more of a full-on sound and again it is catchy. 5. MELTING POT – The Heaters. This cover of the Blue Mink UK hit comes with a male/female vocal. The female vocal appears to be slightly off-key at times but nevertheless this is a good attempt at covering a good song in the Reggae style. Could not find out anything regarding the performers. 8. SPINNING WHEEL – Mel & Dave. Another cover of a UK hit, this time by Blood, Sweat & Tears. The rhythm track sounds like a galloping horse and the vocal from Dave Barker and Melanie Jones, she comes as someone new to me. Pleasing version of another top song. 9. LAND OF KINKS – The Upsetters. Lending itself to the collections title this comes as a mid-tempo sound that is very near to being a version of the previous track ‘Spinning Wheel’. It is a punchy number and very catchy and why it has been given the collections title one is not sure. 13. GRANNY SHOW – Dave Barker & The Upsetters. This starts off with a spoken intro sung by Dave Barker and not unlike the vocal found on ‘Double Barrel’. The overall sound is punchy and although it doesn’t really go anywhere it is nevertheless a catchy track. It can be found on the album ‘Prisoner Of Love’ by Dave Barker. 14. THIS MAN – O’Neill Hall. This is slightly faster than the previous track and is the usual Upsetter label sound. Not sure who the artist is but he does a good job on this and one ends up listening to a good track. 18. DO IT MADLY – Chuck Junior. Another mid-tempo number on which Chuck Junior comes up with a pleasing vocal over a punchy rhythm track. Nothing special about the backing just another Upsetter/Lee Perry sound. This track appeared on the box CD set ‘Trojan Rare Groove’ back in 1999. 21. PENNY WISE – Chuck Junior. This is a faster sound on which Chuck Junior shows off his soulful vocal talent, this could be classed as Northern Soul/Reggae if there was such a genre. The rhythm track comes as one would expect from the Upsetter label and is catchy although not intricate in any way. 23. SIPREANO – Lee Perry & The Upsetters. Starting off with a long-spoken intro it moves into a mid-tempo, organ dominated sound on which the vocal is a talk-over and comes in from time-to-time. Dave Barker comes to mind when listening to this but not sure if he is the vocalist. Overall it is a nothing special recording just another listenable track. 25. YOU ARE THE ONE (take 2) – The Upsetters. After a few spoken words this becomes a mid-tempo very catchy number even though the backing track does go around and around. Once again the dominant instrument is the organ and some heavy bass guitar can be heard. 26. SPINNING WHEEL VERSION (take 1) – The Upsetters. As one would expect this is a version of the track previously heard as track 12. Again the track does go around-and-around but ends up as a catch, foot-tapping sound and a pleasing way to finish the disc and collection.
CONCLUSION
This is a fascinating insight into the evolution of Lee Perry’s production work and is also a chance to discover some of the most ambitious and remarkable Reggae recordings from the early ’70s. On the minus side of the collection, some of the tracks are not very exciting and the Upsetter label recordings may not be for everyone. Lee Perry fans will not be disappointed and again this collection is well packaged out of Cherry Red Records and with the usual included 8- page booklet and price tag of £14 99p it does not break the bank.