200% Dynamite! Ska, Soul, Rocksteady, Funk & Dub In Jamaica

200% Dynamite!
Reviewed by Sadie O., 6/4/08
Fun early rock steady, dub, even some roots of dancehall. Several major hits and a few pieces I’ve never heard of. Quite a bit is pretty raw production, and not the tidy final version you heard on the album. All of it is great fun and highly listenable, even if little is mindbogglingy new…
No FCCs detected. I like 5, 7, 16 and 17 best.
1. 2:45 **classic early dub by (if nothing else!) the first guy to use the melodica in a Reggae tune. Midtempo, swingy instrumental skank.
2. 3:33 **original version of a tune that’s been sampled and dubbed and toasted over and dancehalled…. Slow, melancholy rock steady skank.
3. 3:12 **midtempo skank, very early dancehall vocals – another classic that’s been reused a zillion times. If it’s good, why not?
4. 3:17 **groovy midtempo skank with simple but cool keyboards and horns.
5. 2:11 ***tinny but terrific early midtempo bubble with back and forth song and toast.
6. 4:53 **if this one is new to you, let me know and I’ll arrange a Reggae 101 class. Fine and funky musical testifying, totally raw version.
7. 2:38 ***early downtempo ska with jungle drums and swing horns – completely groovy. This should have been a monster hit. Funny old world.
8. 3:26 *midtempo swingy skank instrumental with lots of keyboards.
9. 3:08 **midtempo rocksteady apparently recorded in a bathroom, one of the lesser-known singers, but still fine song.
10. 2:54 **raw and rootsy funky uptempo rock steady instrumental with flute (!).
11. 2:53 **midtempo rock steady skank, love song by a great almost forgotten early singer.
12. 3:18 **uptempo jazzy and dubby syncopated skank.
13. 1:56 **bouncy somewhat uptempo instrumental bop with organ.
14. 2:34 **downtempo ska, 60’s style pop female vocals.
15. 3:45 **somewhat uptempo, often-used riddim, instrumental with lots of horns. No vocals, although the Abyssinians are usually known as a vocal group.
16. 4:42 ***midtempo funky instrumental strut with bongos AND farfisa! Life is good!
17. 3:15 ***uptempo ska instrumental with wonderfully ditzy organ.