Trilbies off to the herb superb — with a rocking backbeat, from 1966.
Nice bass on the flip, too — strong, minor-key storybook-soul.

Links was an artists’ cooperative, formed in 1968 by The Gaylads, Ken Boothe, The Melodians, and Delroy Wilson, fed up with getting ripped off by Studio One and co. They did everything themselves — hiring Dynamic / Wirl studios, printing up labels, organising the pressings, and distributing in person to Kingston record shops — in the teeth of peeved obstructiveness from other labels, producers, and radio stations. Many of their 45s were blanks, hand-stamped with BB Seaton’s home address: ‘Links Records, 39 Wildman Street, Phone 24954’.
The backing band was probably Lynn Taitt & The Jets to start, giving way to the Conscious Minds (with Joe White and Ken Boothe on keys), whose instrumental Something New is one of the highlights here, featuring killer guitar and trombone by Harris Seaton and Derrick Hinds.
Links was short-lived; ironically unable to cope with the success of a Melodians’ hit entitled It Comes & Goes.
It’s a fascinating story, and this is top-notch rock steady; the first compilation of the dozen or so Links releases. Scorchers by Conscious Minds, The Melodians, Randall Thaxter, and Ken Boothe — doing his best Otis Redding — steal the show.

Recorded after eighteen months in prison for possession of a little cannabis, here is the definitive cut of the knockout song Creator revisited for the Upsetter.
Profound, stoic reasoning on a tough rhythm, with the wings of a dove. Wailing backing vocals, blurts of organ, burning horns; singing schooled by Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole.
On the flip, Come Down 68 puts us back behind behind bars, at year-end, looking forward to getting out. ‘Come down, evening, come down, night. Let me see that morning light.’

Ace.
Chugging, confessional, Chicagoan loveliness from Delroy Williams, Ricky Grant and George Allison.
‘I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker, And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker, And in short, I was afraid.’

Irresistibly bouncy, pestiferous and nostalgic do-over of the version of One Note Samba/Spanish Flea which Sergio Mendes cut for Herb Alpert, with Lani Hall singing.
Perhaps a shame Homer Simpson wasn’t in Kingston at the time.
The flip-side sets the stage for Lloyd ‘Reggae Feet’ Williams with a quick mashing of the intro to I Can’t Help Myself by the Four Tops into some chords from Rescue Me by Fontella Bass.

Classic lonely-lover rocksteady, led by Tony Brevett, with the group on the rebound from Treasure Isle. A young Trinity rides out on the flip.

Pure loveliness from 1967 — with an acappella version.

Sublimely versioning the almighty Curtis anthem; with another rocksteady clarion-call on the flip, brassy and more stern, by The Hamlins.

Superb, previously unreleased ska group-vocal, with Baba Brooks and co in fine form.

‘The Soul Brothers possess a Crystal Clear Sound. Obviously it would be better to Cut the Chatter and Spin the Platter.’
A knockout selection of instrumental scorchers by the awesome Studio One house band led by Jackie Mittoo and Roland Alphonso, 1965-67.

Opportunity knocking once. Mid-tempo doowop-ska. On the flip, the Sneer Towners, hardly a household name themselves.