Sanctuary Records Group - Trojan
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Give and Take - Best of The Pioneers
Released
on 18 November 2002.
The first single CD set featuring the most popular
works of the mighty Pioneers over their entire recording career, 'Give And
Take' includes the trio's three major chart triumphs 'Long Shot Kick De
Bucket', 'Let Your Yeah Be Yeah' and 'Give And Take', along a number of highly
collectable rarer sides from the sixties and seventies.
A mix this album, some great tracks, some
commercial and worthwhile and some not so good. See the Ethiopians review for a
contrast. The Pioneers were completely different, equally valid but they broke
through on the strength of great material and talent but by breaking through
ended up in the commercial morass of substandard product.
Let your Yeah is joyous and uplifting, evokes
memories of tha day, and is valid. Long Shot Bus me bet is pre popularity,
great fun lyric riding on the 'People Funny Boy, Wet Dream' riddim, if only it
stayed like this, marvelous stuff. Long Shot kick the bucket remains one of the
best and my favourite of those that got through in the late sixties early
seventies, it won through on it's own strength devoid of commercial pressures.
'Starvation' however is kind of where it starts to
go wrong, lightweight and middle of the road.
I'm afraid on this one it's look at the dates and
pick out the early ones, such as Jackpot again using the same rhythm as Wet
Dream. Give Me a little loving is more 'hardcore' jamaican vocal soul music,
great stuff. Alli Button is top quality ska, as is Easy Come Easy Go, evoking
memories of those old skool ska dances decked out in your best sta's and
dancing brogues, though Shake it up is earlier than that in rocksteady groove.
Into 1969 and Samfie Man, a great lazy organ led
groove, superb vocals reminiscent of Singer Man by the Kingstonians.
I'm afraid that the 1970 and later cuts don't do
much for me, too commercial or pointless covers. The ones worthy of some credit
are Sweet Inspiration, Simmer Down Quashie, Give and Take purely because of the
strength and beauty of Sidney Crooks vocal.
Tracks : -Let Your Yeah Be Yeah, Long Shot Bus
Me bet, Long Shot Kick De Bucket, Starvation, Time Hard (aka Everyday),
Jackpot, Battle Of The Giants, Samfie Man, You Don't Know Like I Know, Give Me
Little Loving, I Need Your Sweet Inspiration, Ali Button, I Believe In Love
Black, Black Bud, Reggae Fever, Get Ready, Easy Come Easy Go, Papa Was A
Rolling Stone, Poor Rameses, Pusher Man, Na Na, Simmer Down Quashie, Na Na Hey
Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye), Shake It Up, Give And Take.
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