The Real Authentic Sound of Studio One (RAS, 1997)

Combining two late '80s compilations -- Dancehall Sessions and All the Same Rhythm -- is this "compilation compilation," RAS Records' attempt to repackage two albums that RAS apparently didn't think could stand on their own.  Well, they were half right. Dancehall Sessions is definitely good enough to hold its own. This mix of classic Studio One rhythms and more modern-day artists blends very well on these 8 tracks, with standout work on "Musically Gifted" by Earl Sixteen, "Gimme fe Me Corn" by Horace Martin, "Dance Hall Session" by Hugh Griffith, and "Get You Green Card," featuring Mikey Jarrett pulling off an engaging double-voiced chatting stylee.  The next 10 songs are indeed "all the same rhythm." Let me just say that I have never been a fan of the "one rhythm" album, although reggae -- more than any other musical genre -- has proven the feasibility of recycling music.  The All the Same Rhythm half of this collection, however, shows the limitations of recycled rhythms.  The music used -- the "Full Up" rhythm made famous on The Mighty Diamonds' "Pass the Kutchie" -- is way too familiar, and you become sick of it well before these 10 songs are up. While the artist line-up is impressive -- Freddie McGregor, Frankie Paul, Ethiopians, Dillinger, etc. -- they do very little to make the songs fresh, and thus they cannot save this tedious effort. Only Tennessee's "What a Gwan" does anything even remotely interesting.

Dance Hall Sessions: 

All the Same Rhythm: 

The Real Authentic Sound of Studio One: