The Box Tops - I Shall Be Released / I Must Be The Devil

If you aren't familiar with The Box Tops, they were a 60's pop/rock group best known for their widely covered single "The Letter." Two of my favorite covers of the song were done by Joe Cocker and Peter Tosh. This single is from 1969, two years after "The Letter."

The a-side is a cover of a Bob Dylan song that I particularly like which is one of the main reasons I bought this one. The Tops produced a good take on the song but the the more exciting track on this disc is found on the b-side. "I Must Be The Devil" is a 6/8 piano driven blues rhythm and is a much more aggressive song than the a-side. I also find it funny that the a-side's suggests a sort of religious faith and the b-side sings of the devil.

Enjoy!

Listen & download here:
A-side: The Box Tops - I Shall Be Released
B-side: The Box Tops - I Must Be The Devil

If you like these two, try Jim Ford

The Music Specialists - Double Dynamite / Second Measure Of Pressure

***Edit***

Big thanks to Prince Horror from Ba-Ba-Boom! for telling me the artist/track names for this 7". The entry below was written when I didn't know the artist. It's a treat to know the artists on great tunes like these. I hope my next posts with unknown artists will turn out as fruitful as this! Be sure to check out Prince Horror's blog here for more smoooooth reggae sounds.

Amongst the thousands of ska and rocksteady tunes released in the 60s were tons of instrumental tracks. Instrumentals by the big names such as The Skatalites, Tommy McCook, Augustos Pablo, and Jackie Mittoo could be very exciting and would attract many listeners. I generally favor vocal takes but some instrumental cuts can be great fun to listen to, so I figured its about time to get some on the blog.

The a-side on this one is a strong groove with a cutting lead organ that dominates the track for its length. The organ parts are mesmerizing and mighty funky. At times this track sounds like a straight up funk track. The b-side here is a little more somber with its piano lead. It carries a simple melody but the lazy rhythm with which the pianist plays adds a load of depth to the tune. I think I may favor the b-side instrumental out of the two, but they are both great.

Unfortunately, I have no clue who this is! It can be hard to figure out the artist on blank 7s, especially on instrumental cuts. Generally for blanks, some combination of the matrix number, the lyrics, and whether or not I recognize the artist/track helps me label the tracks correctly. For a two sided instrumental disc, I usually have to rely on just the matrix number entirely. The matrix for the a-side is FRM-737, but its etched really lightly so that may be incorrect. The b-side matrix is even more illegible, but looks like FRM-(?)3(?). The a-side has "Double Dynamite" written on the disc and the vocalist shouts that just before the song starts, but I can't find any tunes named "Double Dynamite." If anyone recognizes this tune or knows the artists, pleeeease help me out!

Listen & download here:
A-side: The Music Specialists - Double Dynamite
B-side: The Music Specialists - Second Measure Of Pressure

If you like these two tracks, try: Phil Pratt All Stars, GG Allstars

Eric Morris - Penny Reel / Dotty & Clive Bonnie - Why Worry

This one may look like a blank, but hidden on the a-side are remnants of an Island records label. This is the same Island that released the Jimmy Cliff track I previously posted, but a different label design (check here for a clean image). The Cliff one was WI-012, an early Island release from 1962 and 130 records later, this is WI-142 from 1964. Island released Jamaican records in England from as early as 1962 and today are a mega name with international distribution.

The a-side's "Penny Reel" is an exciting ska shot by Eric Morris, a prolific Jamaican vocalist. Morris first released with Blue Beat in 1961 and has worked with all of the big names in the early business. This one was produced by Duke Reid and the trumpet on the track was provided by Baba Brooks, a popular musician of the time.

This link that I posted above shows the artist for the b-side to be Duke Reid's Group. The b-side for this disc is also credited to Duke Reid's Group but most certainly isn't the same group. Roots Knotty Roots lists the artist as Dotty & Clive Bonnie, who released a number of hits in Jamaica, so I've labeled the track appropriately.

The b-side is a ska ballad. Early ska was influenced from US r&b 7"s that crossed the gulf to Jamaica and these sort of tunes were the result. I find that a handful of these are genuinely exciting and sometimes inspired, but some fall short. This one falls somewhere in between, so it's a good track, but the a-side is the real gem to this one!

Listen & download here:
A-side: Eric Morris - Penny Reel
B-side: Dotty & Clive Bonnie - Why Worry

If you like the a-side, try: Jack Sparrow & The Wailers, Justin Hinds & The Dominoes
If you like the b-side, try: Keith & Enid, The Jiving Juniors

Dyke & The Blazers - Shotgun Slim / We Got More Soul

Listen & download here:
A-side: Dyke & The Blazers - Shotgun Slim
B-side: Dyke & The Blazers - We Got More Soul

The Techniques - I'm In The Mood For Love / There Comes A Time

The Techniques were formed in the early 60's and had their first Jamaican success in 1965 with producer Duke Reid, head of the mega-label Treasure Isle. The earliest lineup had the famed Slim Smith on vocals but by the time of this release, 1968, Pat Kelly had joined to fill the gap left when Smith departed in 66. Both the singers utilize powerful falsetto which is a sound that defined The Techniques through the 60s.

As I've touched on in previous reggae postings, the formative years of reggae music were full of innovation. The progression from mento/folk/calypso to ska to rocksteady and on to full blown reggae is exciting to trace. It's almost as though just from listening to a tune from the 60s, you can decipher tts specific year by the track's sound and style. For me, this sound fits nicely in 68' and '69, two of my favorite years in reggae music.

Both of these tracks are great rocksteady scorchers. Pat Kelly is flawless through both and the harmonies add even more soulful depth. You absolutely can't miss this disc!

Listen & download here:
A-side: The Techniques - I'm In The Mood For Love
B-side: The Techniques - There Comes A Time