This brief album of ska stompers was recorded in 1965 for producer
Byron Lee shortly before Maytals lead singer
Toots Hibbert was arrested and tossed in prison for ganja possession. Originally released under the title
The Sensational Maytals, this reissue retains the same set sequence, but adds on eight (mostly superfluous) alternate takes. The ska-era Maytals were even more rough-hewed than the later roots reggae version, if that's possible, and there is a delightful feel of gospel-fueled chaos to these tracks, most of which are punctuated by blasts of saxophone and trumpet. While cuts like "Never You Change," "Daddy," and "Fever" hint at the magic this group would produce a couple years down the road, truthfully this set is for Maytals fanatics only. Yes,
Toots is a ball of fervent energy here, and the rest of the Maytals match him burst for burst, but
Toots' songwriting hadn't quite matured, and the group was still learning how to bring all that energy into focus, giving these tracks all the stage dynamics of an explosion -- but then where do you go for the second verse? ~ Steve Leggett