Reggae Must-Haves: The Wailing Souls Studio One
 

Back Out With It
Fire Coal Man
Run My People
Thou Shall Not Steal
Row Fisherman
Real Rock
Got To Be Cool
Pack Up (if this one don't get ya nothin will!)
Can't Catch Me
Hot Road

Like so many vocal groups, solo artists, and instrumentalists, the Wailing Souls made some of their finest (and in this case, earliest) recordings as a part of Coxsone Dodd's Studio One stable at the tail end of the 1960s. Working initially as the Renegades, Winston "Pipe" Matthews and a duo and, later, a trio of harmony singers laid the groundwork for subsequent self-productions and sessions for Henry "Junjo" Lawes, among others. It has often been noted that Matthews and the young Wailers shared the same vocal coach (the great Joe Higgs). This tutelage seems to have merely enhanced the singer's natural gift for both melody and lyric, as showcased on this self-titled debut. These recordings add to this significant strength by way of the sublime harmonies of Lloyd "Bread" McDonald (the other mainstay of the group), George Haye, Oswald Downer, and Norman Davis and a solid batch of rhythm tracks cooked up by the top session players at Studio One. The album kicks off with the one-two punch of "Back Out With It" and "Fire Coal Man," two classics the group would revisit years later at Channel One. Both "Row Fisherman" and "Things and Time" (appended to the original album for the CD issue, along with "Without You") would also be recut at the studio on Maxfield Avenue. Though the results were excellent, it would always be difficult to improve on the performances of spirituality, conviction, and joy found here. ~ Nathan Bush, Rovi All Music Guide

this is a crucially crucial classic, the Wailing Souls are the pioneers and flag bearers of spiritual roots reggae. These are foundation tracks and riddims, and nobody delivers that smoothness and pure "roots" feel as the Wailing Souls consistently come through.. this was in heavy rotation for me lately, I thought I'd share :)

i don't know, i have a feeling anyone who cares(not likely people on this site) has already heard the wailing souls

I won't put the beam on you, but you might be surprised ;)

Another winning thread from Suchfriends. Beautiful record. Sunday is my favourite day for reggae, and this one in particular gets regular spins. Or is it mp3 plays? I don't own a physical copy, unfortunately.

you iPod has a small stack of discs spinnin in it ;)

tell it, "rewind selectah, play it from da top on da king's sound iyah, run it!"

don't skin up yr teeth just cool, it's not healthy for a youthman to be so sensitive... ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzXFYqWHY48

Would Bob Marley and the Wailers be referencing these guys?

something like that, the mutual connection is Joe Higgs and the original Trench Town scene