Customer Reviews

Time Tough: Anthology

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OK, the track "Sit Right Down" is missing..nothings perfect but this collection comes close...you got way over 2 hours of prime stuff here from the early sides to his later R and B infusion..Toots was called many things..but for your newbies..he is a reggae style Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett with the groove of Calypso and the sound of funky Kingston..Marley may have been king but Toots was the performer at the palace..high energy,soulful grooves and that famous keyboard came from him,that keyboard riff which Paul Simon duplicated on his opening of "Mother Child Reunion"..his tribute to reggae...
These performances so influenced the UK punkers ie:the clash,The 2 tone Specials that they covered them themselves...

In the beginning, there was Sam Cooke. Following in that groove were Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye. Toots' reggae is rooted in the soul/R&B vein, and no one did it better. This first CD features his older material with more of a traditional soul sound: highlights include the seminal "Do the Reggay", the underdog themes of "Pressure Drop" and "Time Tough", and the Memphis horns sounding anthem "Reggae Got Soul". CD#2 features love songs, positive: "My Love is so Strong", sad: "Just Like That" and anger: "Chatty Chatty". Then the songs start to take on a more spiritual bend: "Careless Ethiopians", "Spiritual Healing" and the drop dead gorgeous "Peace, Perfect Peace". Not a clinker in the collection. And the sound quality of the remastering reveals The Voice better than any other Toots recordings I've heard. The excellent bands he worked with are revealed in detail; you can hear each player, whereas the original recordings tended to slur the instruments together. The variety and quality of the selected tracks make this highly listenable front to back.

Toots? What can I say? I first was touched by his voice and music on "The Harder They Come" soundtrack and was so hooked, I had to buy SOMETHING else...but I was scared, because, as you might know, sometimes anticipation ruins things. Little did I know I would be amazed beyond belief. "54-46", "It's You", "Take Me Home, Country Roads", although I don't dig all of the material, the stuff that's good SCORCHES!!!

Toots is simply an incredible performer and his music needs to be heard. This 2CD set is probably the best way to hear it. It covers 25 years and has a fantastic song selection. Listen to the way he reworks Joh Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads" and makes it totally his own. "Pressure Drop" and "Funky Kingston" are just two of my favorite songs from him.

Just a side note; "Get Up, Stand Up" is NOT the Bob Marley/Peter Tosh classic but Toot's composition. Still, it's a great song.

Best Toots CD....a must for all reggae fan

Toots has soul, and you can see that in any of his recordings. I highly recommend a live show, he goes CRAZY! Also, this puts a face to the music. This ain't exactly Bob type reggae, but it sure gets me lively!