Sanctuary Records Group – Trojan

Back to Sanctuary/ Castle Music Review Menu - castle

The Blues Busters: Behold - The Best Of (TJCCD228)

A wonderful, wonderful album whether it be almost doowop duo vocals of the early sixties through mainstream 60’s Jamaican Soul or in an American stylee. I’m not a great lover of duets but this kind blows you away, much like Eddie and ernie and very few others.

How sweet it is, the opening track from 1964, is simply perfection – so good that it’s featured first to upset the chronology of the album. The uptempo pre Ska items are infectious but it’s the heartfelt soulfulness on the ballad Wide Awake in a Dream just jolts you to individed attention. Behold just takes it to the next level. Soon you’ll be gone is another I particularly like which merges 60’s Southern Soul vocal style and horns against a Jamaican backdrop.

And now for some quality soul with their rendition of the Impressions I’ve been trying, dirge pace, effective and emotional vocals and despite the Impressions probably being my favourite male voacl group this just tears me up. Also covered is the Soul Stirrers Heaven to me.

Uptempo Sixties Soul , Northern Soul if you like, represented by I’ve gotta get there ans Inspired to love you. My preference though is for the more melodic, less harsh, midtempo Irreplaceable you or the more mainstream soul of the day in Don’t lose your good thing.

Concluding with Bunny Lee tracks out of 1970, the best beingWhat Can I tell her.

Great album

The Blues Busters: Behold - The Best Of (TJCCD228)

Format: CD album Released: Jan 24 2005 Price: £12.99 Behold features all of the Blues Buster's best-known numbers, from their recordings in the pre-Ska era through to their mid-'70s Reggae gems. Among the standout cuts featured are such immortal and influential classics as 'Wide Awake In A Dream', 'Thinking Of You', 'Soon You Will Be Gone' and of course the title track. It also features several out-and-out soul sides that Campbell and James cut in New York and Muscle Shoals, when they based themselves in the USA for a few years during the mid-'60s. All of those are being reissued in the collection for the first time in almost 40 years! Here are more than two dozen classics by arguably the most dynamically soulful vocal act ever to emerge from Jamaica!

Tracklisting

Little Vilma

Early One Morning

Wings Of A Dove

Wide Awake In A Dream

Behold

How Sweet It Is

Donna

I Won't Let you

Thinking Of You

Each One Teach One

What Can I Tell Her

Baby I'm Sorry

Just Don't Want to Be Lonely

Inspired To Love You

Don't Lose Your Good Thing

I Can't Stop

Pretty Girls Everywhere

I've Gotta Get There

Irreplaceable You

Soon You'll Be Gone

That's Heaven To Me

Shame And Scandal In The Family

Love Me Forever

Can't Beliieve That You're Gone

I Don't Know

Baby What You Want Me To Do

I Shot The Sheriff

There's Always Sunshine

Visitors: