VA - The Complete UK Upsetter Singles Collection, Vol. 1+2+3+4 (8 x CD's)

VA - UPSETTER SINGLES

VA - The Complete UK Upsetter Singles Collection, Vol. 1+2+3+4 (8 x CD's)

Volume 1
In 1968 and '69, the rock steady sound of Jamaican pop music was slowing down and becoming what would shortly be called "reggae." It was also the period during which the British label Trojan Records finally realized that Lee Perry's Upsetter label in Jamaica was making some of the best reggae and rock steady recordings anywhere. So over the course of 1969, Trojan released 25 Upsetter singles in the U.K., all of which are presented with their B-sides on this two-disc set, for a total of 50 tracks. Now, 50 is a big number, and it would be unreasonable to expect every one to be spectacular. And indeed, there is an instrumental version of "Moonlight Bay" that has absolutely no reason for existing. But pretty much everything else here actually is fairly spectacular. Early tracks by David Isaacs (including a wonderful cover of the Jim Reeves hit "He'll Have to Go") and Winston Jarrett, classic Upsetters instrumentals like "Return of Django" and "Cold Sweat," obscurities by such little-known groups as the Ravers and the Bleechers -- all of it shimmers with that special weirdness that seems to suffuse all Lee Perry productions. The Upsetters' rhythm section would later form the core of the Wailers, and you can hear the beginnings of the heavy but stately, almost thoughtful groove that would typify their work with Bob Marley on these early singles. This set is the most enjoyable history lesson you may ever sit through. (AllMusic Review by Rick Anderson)

Volume 2
Between 1969 and 1973, the Trojan label released over 200 singles on its Upsetter imprint, a subsidiary label dedicated to music produced and/or performed by the great Lee "Scratch" Perry and his house band, the Upsetters. This two-disc set is the second in a series of reissue compilations; Volume 1 consisted of 50 tracks originally released between 1969 and 1970, and this one concentrates on releases from 1970. There are a number of essential tunes, including the immortal "Django Shoots First" (here titled "Bronco," as it was on its original single release), "The Thanks We Get" (featuring the young Junior Byles as a member of the Versatiles) and a fun, slightly psychedelic reggae version of "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye." Dave Barker shows up on many of these cuts, and while he can be something of an acquired taste, once it's acquired his singing can be addictive -- "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" is, hands down, the best track in the program. But ultimately, that's rather faint praise. Too much of this stuff (including the pointless pastiche of "Kill Them All" and a wretched and inadvertently polytonal version of Bunny Wailer's classic "Dreamland") will appeal strictly to Perry completists. Historically important as they may be, not all of the Upsetter singles are worth reissuing.  (AllMusic Review by Rick Anderson)

Volume 3
The third instalment in Trojan's series of singles from Lee "Scratch" Perry's Upsetter label picks up in late 1970, where Volume 2 left off, and takes the series into 1971. As with the first two volumes, the two-disc digipack includes a booklet with lots of very cool photos and extensive notes on each song; and also like the others, this one is chock full of great songs by artists both famous and obscure, all of them colored by Perry's trademark brilliant (if always quirky) production style. The 47 tracks include some familiar favorites, such as Junior Byles' strangely moving "Place Called Africa," Bob Marley's epochal herb anthem "Kaya," and the inevitable four or five takes on the "Small Axe" rhythm. But there are also some wonderful obscurities, including Hortense Ellis's delightful rock steady renditions of "Take a Little Piece of My Heart" and "Suspicious Minds," and Stranger Cole's scornful "Run Up Your Mouth." The Upsetters' dub version of "Dreamland" is, thankfully, not the horrendous organ showcase previously featured on Perry's Africa's Blood album. Like the other two volumes in this series, this one should be considered an essential purchase for Perry aficionados, but any reggae fan will get lots of pleasure from it as well.   (AllMusic Review by Rick Anderson)

Volume 4
This is the final installment in Trojan's monumental reissue series covering the entire output of its Upsetter subsidiary, the imprint under which Trojan distributed singles produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry in the U.K. between 1968 and 1973. The sound quality is somewhat improved over the earliest singles (documented in Vol. 1 of this series), but all of the basic elements remain essentially the same: the effortlessly propulsive skank of Perry's studio band, the Upsetters, the A-list vocalists and instrumental guests (who include top DJs like Dennis Alcapone and Big Youth, as well as organist Ansel Collins, singer Junior Byles, and even Bob Marley), and Perry's own signature vibe, which manages to be mystical, rootsy, vulgar, and sanctified all at the same time. Highlight tracks include Wesley "Germs" Martin's brilliant "Whiplash" (chatted over the ubiquitous "People Funny Boy" rhythm), the classic version of the Wailers' "Keep on Moving," and Junior Byles' "Beat Down Babylon." As always, the packaging includes an informative overview essay and extensive track-by-track notes. Inevitably, some of this material is duplicated elsewhere in the Trojan catalog; however, for hardcore Perry fans, the combination of rare material and chronological presentation makes this entire set a must-own. (AllMusic Review by Rick Anderson)

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Track lists

Vol. 1    CD1

01 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Eight for Eight 3:06

02 Inspirations - You Know What I Mean 2:31

03 Upsetters - Return of Django 2:31

04 Upsetters - Dollar in the Teeth 2:24

05 David Isaacs - Good Father 2:43

06 Slim Smith - What a Situation 2:39

07 Upsetters - Ten to Twelve 2:32

08 Lee Perry - People Funny Fi True 2:50

09 Busty Brown - What a Price 2:20

10 Busty Brown - How Can I Forget 2:29

11 David Isaacs - I've Got Memories 2:21

12 David Isaacs - Leaving on a Jet Plane 2:36

13 Winston Jarrett - Mini Dress 2:30

14 Lee Perry - Mad House 2:43

15 Upsetters - Night Doctor 2:51

16 Termites - I'll Be Waiting 2:44

17 Busty Brown - To Love Somebody 3:19

18 Bleechers - Farmer's in the Den 2:11

19 Silvertones - Kiddyo 3:00

20 Silvertones - Endlessly 2:18

21 Upsetters - Man From M.I.5 2:39

22 West Indians - Oh Lord 3:15

23 David Isaacs - He'll Have to Go 3:38

24 David Isaacs - Since You Are Gone 2:25

25 Upsetters - Medical Operation 3:07

Vol. 1    CD2

01 Ravers - Badam Bam 2:57

02 Upsetters - A Live Injection 3:17

03 Bleechers - Everything for Fun 2:19

04 Bleechers - Come Into My Parlour 3:08

05 Mellotones - Dry Up Your Tears 3:14

06 Upsetters - Cold Sweat 2:48

07 Bleechers - Pound Get a Blow 2:38

08 Pat Satchmo - Hello Dolly 3:01

09 Busty Brown - King of the Trombone 2:32

10 Upsetters - The Vampire 3:08

11 Bleechers - Check Him Out 2:26

12 Upsetters - Soulful I 2:35

13 Milton Morris - No Bread and Butter 3:08

14 Bruce Bennett - Who to Tell 2:37

15 Busty Brown - I Can't See Myself Cry About You 3:01

16 Shadows - The Dirty Dozen 2:49

17 Shadows - Crying Too Long 3:27

18 Upsetters - Drugs and Poison 3:17

19 Val Bennett & The Upsetters - Stranger on the Shore 3:27

20 Nora Dean - The Same Thing That You Gave to Daddy 2:13

21 Upsetter Pilgrims - A Testimony 3:09

22 Gaylads - The Same Things 2:03

23 Gaylads - I Wear My Slanders 2:29

24 Lee Perry - Yakety Yak 2:41

25 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - The Tackro 3:02

Vol. 2    CD1

01 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Kill them all 3:37

02 Upsetters - Soul walk 2:58

03 Sir Lord Comic & The upsetters - Bronco 2:32

04 Upsetters - One punch 2:44

05 Lee Perry - Do you like it 2:45

06 Upsetters - A touch of fire 2:42

07 Busty Brown - Consider me 2:48

08 Upsetters - Consider me version 2:55

09 Heaters - Melting pot 2:54

10 Upsetters - Kinky mood 2:47

11 Melanie Jonas & Dave Barker - Spinning wheel 2:50

12 Upsetters - Spinning wheel version 2:51

13 Dave Barker & The Upsetters - Shocks of mighty 2:49

14 Dave Barker & The Upsetters - Set me free 3:05

15 Upsetters - Na na hey hey kiss him goodbye 4:05

16 Upsetters - Pick folk kinkiest 3:11

17 Dave Barker & The Upsetters - Granny show part 1 3:18

18 Dave Barker & The Upsetters - Granny show part 2 3:21

19 Upsetters - Fire fire 2:40

20 Upsetters - The jumper 3:31

21 Upsetters - The pillow 2:22

22 Upsetters - Grooving 3:30

23 Martin Riley & Fay Bennett - Self control 3:08

24 Martin Riley - The pill 2:49

25 Soulettes - Let it be 3:33

Vol. 2    CD2

01 Upsetters - Big Dog Bloxies 3:01

02 Upsetters - Fresh Up 2:57

03 Upsetters - Toothache 3:01

04 Versatiles - The Thanks We get 2:47

05 Versatiles - Hurry Up 2:29

06 Bob Marley & The Wailers - My Cup 3:35

07 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Son of Thunder 2:49

08 Upsetters - Thunder Version 2:53

09 Upsetters - Blood Poison 2:59

10 Upsetters - Dreamland 2:28

11 Upsetters - Version of Cup 3:14

12 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Sipreano 2:59

13 Upsetters - Ferry Boat 2:27

14 Dave Barker & The Upsetters - Some Simpathy 2:56

15 Untouchables - Tender Love 3:00

16 Untouchables - Same Thing All Over 3:28

17 Untouchables - It's Over 2:54

18 Upsetters - Bigger Joke 2:58

19 Upsetters - Return of the Vampire 3:17

20 Dave Barker & The Upsetters - Sound Underground 3:50

21 Dave Barker & The Wailers - Don't Let The Sun Catch Your Crying 3:18

22 Upsetters - Justice 2:56

23 Bob Marley & The Wailers - Duppy Conqueror 3:49

24 Dave Barker & The Upsetters - Upsetting Station 3:51

25 Upsetters - Dig Your Grave 3:32

Vol. 3    CD1

01 Dave Barker & the Upsetters - Tight Spot 2:42

02 Untouchables - Knock on Wood 2:47

03 Upsetters - Heart & Soul 2:49

04 Upsetters - Zig Zag 3:00

05 Teddy & the Upsetters - Elusion 3:05

06 Val Bennett & the Upsetters - Big John Wayne 2:02

07 Bob Marley & the Wailers - Mr. Brown 3:35

08 Upsetters - Dracula 2:55

09 Untouchables - Confusion 3:07

10 Upsetters - Confusion Version 3:02

11 Bob Marley & the Wailers - Kaya 2:36

12 Bob Marley & the Wailers - Kaya Version 2:43

13 Bob Marley & the Wailers - Small Axe 4:01

14 Bob Marley & the Wailers - All in One 3:39

15 Hurricanes - You've Got to be Mine 3:04

16 Upsetters - You've Got to be Mine Version 3:02

17 Dave Barker & Charlie Ace - Shocks 71 4:17

18 Charlie Ace - The Creeper 3:10

19 Upsetters - Creeping Version 3:00

20 U Roy & the Upsetters - Copasetic 2:57

21 Little Roy - Don't Cross the Nation 2:12

22 Dave Barker - Groove Me 4:25

23 Dave Barker & the Upsetters - Screwdriver 2:58

Vol. 3    CD2

01 Dave Barker & Bunny Wailer - What a Confusion 3:26

02 Upsetters - Confusion Version 2 2:54

03 Upsetters - Earthquake 3:24

04 Junior Byles - A Place Called Africa 2:41

05 Stranger Cole - Run Up Your Mouth 2:51

06 Upsetters - Mouth Version 2:53

07 Glen Adams - Never Had a Dream Come True 3:27

08 Glen Adams & The Upsetters - Never Had a Dream Come True Version 3:29

09 Carl Dawkins & the Wailers - Picture on the Wall 2:53

10 Upsetters - Picture on the Wall Version 2:59

11 Bob Marley & the Wailers - More Axe 3:31

12 Upsetters - The Axe Man 2:47

13 Upsetters - Dark Moon 3:19

14 David Isaacs - You'll Be Sorry 2:56

15 Bunny Wailer & The Wailers - Dreamland 2:44

16 Upsetters - Dreamland Version 2:37

17 Dennis Alcapone - Well Dread 3:01

18 Upsetters - Well Dread Version 3:00

19 Hortense Ellis - Piece of My Heart 3:30

20 Upsetters - Piece of My Heart Version 3:29

21 Hortense Ellis - Suspicious Minds 3:15

22 U Roy - Earthquake Version 3:07

23 Stingers - Give Me Power 3:16

24 3rd & 4th Generation - Give Me Power Version 2:17

Vol. 4    CD1

01 Dennis Alcapone - Alpha and omega 3:00

02 Junior Byles & The Upsetters - Beat down Babylon (King Alpha) 2:35

03 Winston Wright & The 3d & 4th Generation - Example | Part 1 3:01

04 Winston Wright & The 3d & 4th Generation & The Upsetters - Example | Part 2 3:12

05 Lloyd Parks - Mighty cloud of joy 3:08

06 Lloyd Parks & The Upsetters - Mighty cloud version 3:00

07 Chenley Duffus & The Soul Avengers - Bet you don't know 2:49

08 Upsetters - Babylon chapter 5 2:50

09 Dennis Alcapone & Dave Barker - Wonder man 2:29

10 Dennis Alcapone - Africa stand 2:52

11 King Iwar & The Stingers - Give me power #2 3:11

12 Max Romeo - Public enemy number one 3:18

13 PrinceTallis & Chalice - He who feels it 3:15

14 Upsetters - He who feels it (Chapter two) 3:13

15 Neville Grant - Black mans time 3:05

16 Ansell Collins & The Upsetters - Black supreme 3:39

17 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - French connection 4:11

18 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - French connection Chapter two 4:04

19 Maxie, Niney & Scratch - Babylon burning 2:24

20 Chenley Duffus & The Soul Avengers - To be your lover 3:13

21 Junior Byles - (Festival) Da da 3:31

22 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Da da version 3:19

23 Dennis Alcapone - Master key 4:10

Vol. 4    CD2

01 Dennis Alcapone & The Upsetters - Key hole 3:05

02 Dennis Alcapone & Lee Perry - Back biter 2:54

03 Lee Perry & Dennis Alcapone & The Upsetters - Back biter [Version] 2:47

04 Wesley 'Germs' Martin - Whiplash 2:57

05 Upsetters - Whiplash | Part 2 3:16

06 Alva 'Reggie' Lewis - Natty Natty 3:07

07 Alva 'Reggie' Lewis & The Upsetters - Natty Natty version 3:09

08 Bob Marley & The Wailers - Keep on moving 3:08

09 Bob Marley & The Wailers - African herbsman 2:25

10 Righteous Flames - One love one heart 2:46

11 Big Youth - Moving version 3:00

12 Lee Perry - Water pump 2:53

13 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Pumping version 2:52

14 Stingers - Preacher man 2:41

15 Stingers & The Upsetters - Preacher version 2:41

16 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Puss-see-hole 3:20

17 Winston Groovy - Want to be loved 2:27

18 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Jungle lion 3:26

19 Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Freak out skank 3:19

20 Charlie Ace & Lee Perry - Cow thief skank 3:32

21 Charlie Ace & The Upsetters - Seven & three quarters skank 3:33

22 Leo Graham - News flash 3:18

23 Leo Graham & The Upsetters - Flashing echo 3:15

24 David Isaacs - Stranger on the shore 3:06

25 Dillinger - John Devour 2:25

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