Jamaica in the sixties and seventies was a vocal group machine. They were everywhere. While some made it big, for each one of them, there are dozens who you might find buried deep in some reissue compilation. It is kind of sad that groups like the Paragons, the Ethiopians, the Jamaicans, the Techniques, and others, may never be given the appreciation they deserve, but really, why would you bother when you could keep busy just keeping track of the better known ones? Yes, it might be said that some of the bigger names just happened to be in the right place at the right time. But there are others who may have been aided by circumstance, but took that ball and just fucking ran. The Maytals were like that.
Toots and the Maytals, in "The Harder They Come"
I could retell the history of Toots and the Maytals (as they've been know since 1968), but life is too short for cut n' paste posts (check Wikipedia for a profile). I'd rather lather praise; and I'll say it: Frederick "Toots" Hibbert has some of the best pipes in reggae. Distinctively Maytal, gravel-ly, gospel-ish, like some kind of reggae mix of Otis Redding and Ray Charles. He, rather they, can make "Louie Louie" sound good. They can make John Denver sound good. And they can make you hear Radiohead's downer "Let Down" with a smile. "They," that's another thing I like about him/them. Even though there would be no Maytals without him, and he has done the solo thing, Hibbert, rather Toots, no wait, the head Maytal, knows that a Maytal-less Toots is no way to live your life.
~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~
Toots and the Maytals - Pressure Drop mp3 at I Predict a RiotToots and the Maytals - Funky Kingston mp3 at Ill Dub
Toots and the Maytals - Time Tough mp3 at 8106
Toots and the Maytals - Six and Seven Books of Moses mp3 at If It's Good, It's Good
Toots and the Maytals - Monkey Man mp3 at I Predict A Riot
Toots and the Maytals - 54-46 (Was My Number) mp3 at Pop Goes the Radio (Note: Click on "Download" button in top right corner)
Toots and the Maytals - Louie Louie mp3 (via MediaFire) at Metal Bastard
Toots and the Maytals - Country Roads mp3 at Listen Before You Buy
Easy Star All-Stars w/Toots and the Maytals - Let Down mp3 at Antinomian
Radiohead - Let Down mp3 at Vague Space
Toots and the Maytals official site
Toots Hibbert - Short interview at LA Record
Easy Star All Stars at Easy Star Records
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