A reissue of
the Maytals' debut album, recorded in 1962 and 1963, with four bonus cuts from the same era. Like all of the major Jamaican bands of the time,
the Maytals were performing ska during this era, and doing a pretty good job of it, although the more distinctive stylings of their reggae prime are only hinted at here. Produced by
C.S. Dodd (who co-wrote most of the songs with
Toots Hibbert), and featuring
the Skatalites on backup, it's respectable early ska, though not as good as the ska laid down by the Wailers in the mid-'60s. One of the bonus tracks, a cover of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You)," is the highlight, with its infectiously bouncy verve.