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Album reviews Music

SUMMER RECORDS ANTHOLOGY 1974-1988

Rating: NN


The latest in Light in the Attic’s series documenting the important but overlooked Toronto recordings made by Jamaican expats, the Summer Records Anthology 1974-1988 covers the rise of suburban reggae, presenting a 15-track selection of Jerry Brown’s Summer studio and label operation’s patchy output.

Unlike the more thoughtfully conceived and better produced Jamaica To Toronto set — whose great success was revealing truly gifted artists inventing a unique hybrid sound peculiar to Toronto — the poorly illustrated Summer Records Anthology showcases Brown’s unsuccessful attempts to mimic the roots reggae sound coming out of Kingston with mostly mediocre singers and second-rate players at his cloudy studio in Malton.

With the possible exception of Johnny Osbourne’s four songs, everything here is completely eclipsed by the much more creative Half Moon recordings of Brown’s partner-turned-rival, Oswald Creary. Check the Half Moon retrospective Glory Dominion Power Majesty (PK) for Toronto reggae at it’s best.

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