Customer Reviews

This Is Ska

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD has a nice bunch of different Ska songs. It gives the listener a chance to hear several different groups. All are really good songs that make you feel (as a previous reviewer put it) happy. Definitely worth buying.

This collection captures the glee and simplicity of ska in its more original, raw state. I'm no expert, but this CD always makes me smile.

This is an excellent collection of ska songs. While some collections reflect the unfortunate decision to mix 1960s originals with the 1980s revival, this collection sticks to the original performances.
The collection starts off with an upbeat kicker, "Shanty Town." The rest of the collection is as consistently strong. This contrasts with some collections that mix strong and weak songs. In this collection there are no duds.

This is a must-have album for any fan of ska music. However, this edition of "This Is Ska" lacks one song I've been looking for: My Boy Lollipop from Millie Small. This track was on the original release that I bought back in the late nineties. A friend of mine borrowed it and of course, the CD never went back where it belongs. So I have to reorder it and was very disappointed to realize that the tracklist wasn't the same.

This is a delightful compilation of the best of early to mid-60s Jamaican beats, with most of the big names like Desmond "It Mek" Dekker, Jimmy Cliff, Roland Alphonso, The Pioneers and The Ethiopians. This music inspired the glorious Two Tone revival in the UK at the beginning of the 80s, with great bands like The Selecter, Madness and others launching their careers by way of tribute to these original Jamaican artists. My favorites include Dave & Ansel Collins' organ-driven "Double Barrel" (although it dates from 1971), The Skatalites' "Guns of Navarone" that kicks off in a volley of guns, the soulful "Shanty Town' by Desmond Dekker and the equally subtle and soulful "Train to Skaville" by The Ethiopians. Other classics included here are "The Return of Django", "Phoenix City", "Rudy, a message to you" and the evergreen "Carry Go Bring home' that I think was also covered by Millie who sang "My Boy Lollipop." This is really tuneful, joyous music from an era before reggae became "heavy" with the likes of Peter Tosh and Bob Marley.

Even though this is a nice collection of "original ska", there seems to be something lacking. After a bit of thought, I realized that quite a few of these songs were later covered by two-tone bands...I dont think I like that. There are so many good songs out there..much better than "Longshot Kick De Bucket". I do appreciate "Housewive's Choice" and "Miss Jamaica" though. But you know what's really missing form this album? PHYLLIS DILLON!!